Do we need the Meadowcreek Parkway?

The Charlottesville City Council asked Albemarle County to sign an agreement before work begins on the Meadowcreek Parkway. The council requested a temporary construction easement to the Virginia Department of Transportation while the agency prepares to accept bids for the city's portion of the project.

Read more about it from CvilleTomorrow:

http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/meadowcreek_parkway/index.html

As far as I'm concerned the Meadowcreek Parkway needs to be in our area. It's been delayed too long. We have traffic north of town that needs to get downtown and points east of town, and this parkway will prevent accidents on the dangerous Rio Road hillside.

Here's an artist's rendition of what it may look like once complete:


Thanks to Senators John Warner and George Allen for getting our funding back in 2005 so we can move forward. Here's the press release:

http://www.senate.gov/~warner/pressoffice/pressreleases/20050729.htm

I'm sure many have noticed the tombstone work of art on Rio and Park Street regarding Meadowcreek Pkwy. "The final resting place that Weldon “Lefty” Showalter has prepared for the Meadowcreek Parkway, replete with shade trees and an impressive tombstone with epitaph, may seem a bit premature to some, but he’s confident it won’t remain vacant for long. A couple years ago, Showalter, 78, constructed and painted the yard art in the shape of a grave marker. It honors the parkway for dying “of old age while in the planning stage” and is dedicated to “stupid politicians.” “I just do it to practice my freedom of speech and poke a little fun,” Showalter said. “At my age there isn’t a lot that I can do for fun.”

Obviously there are all sorts of opinions on this parkway. Please post and tell me what you think about it.

Karen
www.move2va.com