Meadow Creek Parkway Design Public Hearing

Thursday, March 16, 2004
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Charlottesville High School
1400 Melbourne Road

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VOOT) welcomes you to the Public Hearing for the proposed Meadow Creek Parkway.

This Public Hearing is being held to provide interested parties an opportunity to review the conceptual design and the proposed construction schedule for the project. Representatives from VDOT are on hand to discuss the project and answer your questions. A comment sheet is included and your input is encouraged.

VDOT ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For further information contact The Virginia Department of Transportation, Office of Equal Opportunity located at 1601 Orange Road, Culpeper, Virginia 22701 or telephone (540) 829-7500 or TDD 1-800-307-4630.

The Meadow Creek Parkway project carries a functional classification of urban collector. The purpose of this project, in conjunction with the Mclntire Road extension, is to improve traffic flow between Route 631 and Route 250. The completion of the Meadow Creek Parkway and Mclntire Road projects would provide more direct access to and from the Charlottesville downtown area.

The Meadow Creek Parkway project was presented at a Location Public Hearing on September 12, 2001, in Albemarle County. The public was shown two alignment alternatives. Alternative A, developed by the Jones and Jones Consultant firm, was selected over Alternative B, which was the original alignment developed by VDOT.

The Meadow Creek Parkway project will begin at the intersection of Melbourne Road, between Rio Road and the Charlottesville High School. This intersection will align with the McIntire Road extension, which terminates at Melbourne Road. Meadow Creek Parkway will continue north, on new alignment, around the Charlottesville High School athletic facilities and run parallel with the railroad alignment until it crosses Meadow Creek. After crossing Meadow Creek, the alignment will shift to the east, around the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical School (CATEC), and tie to the existing Rio Road. The project will terminate north of the railroad bridge. Two bridges are proposed for this project. One bridge is for the Meadow Creek crossing. The second is over the railroad. Two intersection alternatives for Melbourne Road are being considered, either a traffic signal or a roundabout.

In addition to the roadway, a separate enhanced pedestrian trail with bridge over Meadow Creek is proposed for this project. It would run from Melbourne Road to Rio Road. This trail would be maintained by the County and run through potential future parkland. The proposed parkland is subject to negotiations with the city.

The proposed project has two typical sections. From Melbourne Road to Rio Road, the section would have one traffic lane and one bike lane in each direction without sidewalks and curbing only. From the intersection with Rio Road north over the railroad to the end of the project, the section would have two traffic lanes and one bike lane in each direction with sidewalks, curb and gutter.

The project cost is estimated to be approximately $2.064 million for preliminary engineering, $6.792 million for right of way acquisition, $790 thousand for utility relocations, and $l0.504 million for construction (including in plan utility adjustments) for a total of $20.151 million.

In addition to the proposed right of way and easements needed to complete this project, the department is proposing limited access be designated within the project, from the beginning of the project at Melbourne Road to the intersection of Rio Road.

It is anticipated that no individuals, businesses, or non-Profit organizations will be displaced as a result of this project. VDOT representatives are available to answer questions you may have regarding the right-of-way acquisition process.

This project has been coordinated through the State Environmental Review Process (SERP). The SERP provides state environmental resource agencies the opportunity to comment on the highway improvements at the project initiation stage. Field surveys were conducted and state resource agencies contacted to obtain input regarding the potential impacts of the project to the environment. A Preliminary Environmental Inventory, which includes the information, views, and interests received from the resource agencies, has been prepared for this project and is available for review at this public hearing.

The design year 2027 traffic projection for Meadow Creek Parkway, between Melbourne Road to Rio Road, is 20,400 vehicles per day.

Review/evaluate information received as a result of the public hearing	Spring 2004
Consideration for approval by the Department	Summer 2004
Begin Acquisition of Right of Way	Winter 2006
Begin Construction	Fall 2008

Project information, including comments made at the public hearing, will be available for review at the following VDOT Offices:

VDOT Culpeper District Office
1601 Orange Road
Town of Culpeper
(540) 829-7500

VDOT Charlottesville Residency Office
701 VDOT Way
Route 250 west of Shadwell
(434) 293-0011

Any comments made, as a result of this meeting, will be considered as we further develop the design plans. The comment sheet in this brochure will assist you in making your comments. You may deposit this sheet in the comment box or you may mail it by March 26, 2004 to the following address:

Mr. J. L. Bryan
Resident Engineer
701 VOOT Way
Charlottesville, Virginia 22911
(434) 293-0011

Questions concerning VDOT's policy of obtaining right of way should be directed to:

Ms. F.M. Printz
Culpeper District Right of Way & Utilities Manager
1601 Orange Road
Culpeper, Virginia 22701
(540) 829-7701