Western Bypass
The Western Bypass just north of Charlottesville is a $200-500 million road project that prior VDOT studies show wouldn't relieve congestion on 29 North. All the same, proponents are pushing hard to get the road built. In June 2011, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors voted to reverse the County's long-held opposition to the project.
However, this is not a done deal. Despite a determined push to get this road built, the proposal has hit some recent speed bumps. In the fall of 2012, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers questioned the effectiveness of the Western Bypass and the draft Environmental Assessment for the project - outlining the insufficiencies of that assessment, and the fact that VDOT has not adequately compared the Bypass to alternatives - such as the community's "Places29" plan.
Our communities deserve well-planned, community-based transportation solutions -- not wasteful mega-projects. Ask our Senators to weigh in with the Federal Highway Administration, letting them know that this project does not deserve Virginia's tax dollars and limited transportation funding.
Tell Senators Kaine & Warner: the Rt. 29 Western Bypass is not shovel ready
Send an email to Senator Kaine and Senator Warner -- Ask them to direct the Federal Highway Administration to prepare a more up-to-date and thorough analysis of the Bypass, including an updated comparison to alternatives.
The Latest on the Western Bypass
Program on Historic Albemarle County African-American Communities
On May 30 from 7pm-9pm, The Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center is scheduled to host a program on historic Albemarle County African-American communities within the area of the U.S. 29 Western Bypass.
Historian Lucia “Cinder” Stanton; Charlottesville City Councilor Dede Smith; and Erica Caple James, an anthropology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present a history of African-Americans in the Hydraulic, Webbland and Cartersburg communities.
More on VDOT's proposed Rt. 29 Western Bypass
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May 14, 2013Fuzzy Math, Shoddy Design
The saga continues. In order to keep the Rt. 29 Western Bypass proposal within their budget, VDOT accepted a "modified design" to the southern terminus last year that is significantly different than the one presented in VDOT's Environmental Assessment. And it is now becoming clear that there are some major flaws in this cheap design -- flaws related to traffic flow and safety, and that actually increase the travel time on the Bypass. This text is from an email alert we sent out on May 14th. Read More -
Mar 15, 2013Rt. 29 Western Bypass Not Shovel Ready
When it comes to the Western Bypass, I feel like I've been jumping up and down for awhile, trying to get the decision makers to pay attention. But quite recently, a number of things have happened that give me hope, and it's time to get our U.S. Senators involved. Much of the national conversation right now is focused on the debate over federal spending. And while there are strong opinions on both sides, we should all agree on one thing: any money that is spent, should be spent wisely. This text is from a March 15th, 2013 email alert. Read More -
Jan 14, 2013Army Corps & EPA Call Out Flaws in Western Bypass Review
[12/17/12] This has not been a good few weeks for those pushing the Rt. 29 Western Bypass. In late November, a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency was made public that calls into question the draft Environmental Assessment prepared by VDOT. And just last week, a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers came to light, which says: Read More -
Aug 30, 2012
Flawed draft Environmental Assessment: Submit comments by Oct 9
If you missed the public meeting on September 27th, please take a moment to send to VDOT your comments and concerns regarding the recently released draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Western Bypass. Read about the recent public meeting: 'Last Chance? Hundreds attend Western 29 Bypass forum'.The EA reviews prior environmental studies and is supposed to cover impacts relationed to land use, noise, air, endangered species, water resources and other cumulative effects. Unfortunately, after a review of the Draft Environmental Assessment, the document clearly falls well short on several key issues and is missing important information. Specifically: Read More -
Jul 13, 2012
Video Shows the Real Solutions to Traffic Problems on Rt. 29
Nobody doubts the need to fix traffic problems on Route 29. But the proposed $250 million Western Bypass is not the answer—nor is it a done deal. View this video produced by The Southern Environmental Law Center to learn about more cost-effective alternatives that would provide greater benefits to the Charlottesville-Albemarle community. Read More -
May 18, 2012
Sketches with Jeff - Part 1 & 2
PEC's Charlottesville & Albemarle Field Officer, Jeff Werner, has been struggling for many years with how to explain the issues surrounding the proposed Rt. 29 Western Bypass. He decided to give drawing a shot.Part I: The Problem with Rt. 29 North (and how to fix it) Part II: Why the Western Bypass Won't Work (and Is a Waste of Your Money)View more presentations from The Piedmont Environmental Council Read More -
Oct 11, 2011
FOIA'd Emails Show VDOT Expects Higher Cost for the Western Bypass
The following excerpts come from VDOT emails about the proposed Western Bypass north of Charlottesville. On July 20th, 2011, VDOT presented the public and the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) with a construction cost estimate of $118 million dollars (VDOT presentation, pg. 12). However, the following internal documents indicate that VDOT staff believe the cost of construction would be 2 to 3.5 times higher. Read More -
Dec 13, 2011Albemarle Supervisors Ignore Input on Sustainability, Western Bypass
The June 2011 Board of Supervisors meeting was dramatic, as hundreds of citizens came out to show their support for local sustainability initiatives that were under attack by vocal members of the Jefferson Area Tea Party. Citizens packed the auditorium, stood in the aisles, and overflowed to the balcony. Read More -
Dec 13, 2011Albemarle Revives Controversial Western Bypass
At their June meeting, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors voted 4-2 to reverse the County's long-held opposition to the Western Bypass--a $250-350 million project that VDOT studies have shown would not reduce traffic congestion on Rt. 29 North Read More
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