Albemarle County & the City of Charlottesville

The staff in PEC's Charlottesville office works with citizens to solve the many land use and conservation challenges facing the Charlottesville and Albemarle area.

Trail Blazing

Trail Blazing

Posted on by Paula Combs

Pedestrian and bicycle trail systems can improve our health, increase property value, provide sustainable transportation choices and even strengthen a community’s economy — especially in an urban area.

Something not everyone may know about PEC is that we’ve been working to increase public access to parks, historic sites and a number of different trail networks. This type of work helps provide more options for people in the region to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and connect with the land. Trails in urban settings can also provide a more sustainable and healthy way of traveling in and around neighborhoods. These benefits are why we have raised funds for the extension of the Warrenton Branch Greenway in Fauquier County and partnered with James Madison’s Montpelier and Grelen Market to facilitate the creation of the Montpelier-Grelen trail, to name a few.

Transportation Board Awards Route 29 Solutions Contract

Posted on by Bri West

The Commonwealth Transportation Board has awarded Lane/Corman Joint Venture the $116.7 million design-build contract to improve the Route 29 corridor in Albemarle County. Lane/Corman will widen Route 29 between Polo Grounds Road and Towncenter Drive, extend Berkmar Drive from Hilton Heights Road to Towncenter Drive, and construct a grade-separated intersection at Route 29 and Rio Road.

“Governor McAuliffe and his administration are focused on building the right transportation projects for the right reasons,” said Secretary of Transportation Aubrey L. Layne Jr. “These projects, and the rest of the Route 29 Solutions projects, will provide real safety improvements and real congestion relief for everyone who uses this corridor. The award of this contract is a major step toward delivery of these critical highway improvements.”

Read the rest of the VDOT Press Release

 

Albemarle Supervisors Host Town Hall Meetings to Discuss Route 29 Solutions

Posted on by Bri West

Albemarle County Supervisors are hosting town hall meetings to discuss the Route 29 Solutions Package. The intent of these meetings is to provide the public with an understanding of the projects, the impact they will have on the larger transportation network, and an opportunity to ask questions. Details on the concept recommendation package can be found on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s website.

Route 29 Improvements on Track in Charlottesville

Posted on by Bri West

In our last newsletter, we shared great news regarding the demise of the ill-conceived Western Bypass. As you might recall, a major blow to the project had been delivered back in February, when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced serious reservations about the viability of the project. It made it clear that the necessary federal approvals were indoubt unless VDOT reevaluated the entire project, including a new review of alternatives.

Western Bypass Shelved

Western Bypass Shelved

Posted on by Paula Combs

Big things are happening, or rather not happening, with the costly Western Bypass of U.S. Route 29 just north of Charlottesville. We’re enthusi­astic to report that the ineffective project has come to a halt, and we’re hoping this time it will be a permanent road block. With the Bypass off the table, we can finally get to work on fixing Route 29 for the majority of its travelers.