Aug 18 2008

Parkway: FACT or FICTION

If you’re like me, the Meadowcreek Parkway is like a myth, something that is always talked about, but never really happens. Well, it looks like it may be happening. In an effort to get the word out and to get our community involved in the decision, tonight’s City Council Meeting will be discussing the Parkway. Please attend and let them hear your voice and ideas!

Below is a message from the Sierra Club urging the community to get involved to stop the development:

This Monday, August 18th in City Hall (upstairs) 7pm (come a little early to sign up to speak)
For agenda see http://www.charlottesville.org/index.aspx?page=2205


Also, To send a message to all the City Councilors at once, you can email or call: council@charlottesville.org or (434) 977-3113

BACKGROUND:

The MCP is being pushed by development interests and their political allies. Charlottesville is under no obligation to build it.

More Traffic Less Park


- The MPC would complete a North / South route though the center of the city and increase traffic on opening day. Proponents often talk of it reducing traffic in "The Charlottesville area"

- Charlottesville’s section of the MPC would use funds that could be spent on needed transit improvements instead of subsidizing more sprawl.

- The City would be responsible for cost overruns (The interchange as designed is already about $5 million over budget)

- The City’s "replacement parkland” would not be in Charlottesville, does not account for land that would be lost to the interchange, and would be a strip with a road running though it.

Council can stop it anytime

- City Council has only conditionally approved the Parkway, and is the sole interpreter of as to whether those conditions have been met. They have not been. Talk of "start dates" by road proponents is to give people the impression it cannot be stopped.

- In order to evade Federal laws that come with the Interchange applying to the Parkway, the city’s official stance is that the MPC has already been built -through it hasn’t even been given final approval. This fabrication leaves the city open to a lawsuit.

Posted by Paige at 3:11 PM 0 comments