Meadow Creek Parkway Programming Resolution
Topic: City Council Resolution
This item is on the January 17, 2006 City Council Agenda. Approval of this proposed resolution would authorize VDOT to begin purchasing right-of-way for replacement parkland and in my opinion move the project beyond preliminary engineering. This would result in all project costs paid by VDOT to be fully reimbursable to VDOT by the city should the project be cancelled by the city in the future. Currently, the project is in preliminary engineering and the no-build solution is still an option that would terminate the project without the need to reimburse the project costs to date.
If you are opposed to moving this project forward, this is a critical time for you to let your voice be heard by council. Your last option for comment may be at the 7:00 pm "Matters from the Public" opportunity at city council chambers on January 17, 2006.
CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Agenda Date: January 17, 2006
Action Required: Approval of Resolution
Staff Contacts: James E. Tolbert, AICP, Director
Reviewed By: Gary O’Connell, City Manager
Title: Meadow Creek Parkway Programming
Resolution
Background: For many years the City Council has been working with
VDOT to move forward the Meadow Creek Parkway project. In 2000, the City
Council gave a letter to VDOT outlining the conditions by which the project
could move forward. At this point those conditions have substantially been
met and it is necessary for City Council to pass a resolution asking VDOT to
continue with the project.
Additionally there is a letter attached which updates the 2001 letter to VDOT
and clearly articulates the City position regarding the relationship of the
interchange to the Parkway.
Discussion: The attached resolution will authorize VDOT to begin property
acquisition and utility relocation in an attempt to get the project under
construction on schedule in 2008. They are not authorized to proceed with
right-of-way acquisition until they receive a copy of the resolution. This
project is being done independently of the Meadow Creek Parkway
Interchange and in order to stay on its schedule, the process for right-of-way
acquisition must begin as soon as possible.
Budgetary Impact: The City share of this project cost is 2% and is
budgeted.
Recommendations: Staff recommends the passage of the resolution so the
project can proceed. The letter which outlines our intentions should also be
authorized.
Attachments: Resolution; Letter
January 18, 2006
Mr. Greg Whirley
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-1939
Mr. Dennis Rooker
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville, VA 22901
RE: McIntire Road Extension (Meadow Creek Parkway)
VDOT Project U000-104-102:0631-002-128 City of Charlottesville
Gentlemen:
On December 11, 2000, Mayor Blake Caravati sent a letter to VDOT officials regarding
the City’s stance on the Meadow Creek Parkway. This letter was in follow-up to a previous
letter from the City dated July 20, 1999. While we are committed to a completed Meadow
Creek Parkway as designed at this time, we are excited about the funding for the interchange
project, which will greatly improve the function of the Parkway.
The conditions below are enumerated as essential conditions that will allow Council to
support the project. Council desires to construct the project and believes adherence to the
issues outlined below will lead to a better transportation network for our community. We do
desire to review the final construction plans for compliance with all conditions below that are
design specific. Set forth below using the same numbering system that was utilized initially are
all 12 points of the City’s position, as revised (paragraphs that contain revisions when compared
to the December 11th shown are shown in bold italics). Council acknowledges that all
conditions outlined in the letter have, or are close to being addressed.
This update and revision to the letter is based on action taken by the City Council on
January 17, 2006 to move this project forward.
1. Design Speed. Each and every member of Council opposes the roadway design
speed proposed by VDOT of 70 km/hr. Instead, Council asks that the Meadow Creek
Parkway be designed for a maximum speed of 60km/hr or 37.25 MPH. In conjunction with
its suggestion to lower the road's design speed, Council also asks that the proposed road be
sized and aligned in a manner consistent with the Rieley Report so that the road will be
“blended as gracefully as possible into the existing land form." This should help to reduce
the project’s impact on McIntire Park. (VDOT's amended plans have responded to this
comment by lowering design speed).
2. Number of Lanes. Council requests that two (2) primary (north-south) motor vehicle travel lanes,
rather than four (4), together with bike lanes and pedestrian paths, be constructed (between the 250 By-pass
and Rio Road). The footprint for the Parkway acquisition must have a centerline, curves, and size to match
approximately the "2-U Study Alignment" (2-Lane Undivided) identified on Page 6 in the first Rieley
Report (dated April 27, 1999) entitled "Alternative Alignments and Profiles." VDOT’s amended
plans c omply with this request.
3. Sufficient Right-of-Way for Two (2) Lanes. Right of way for only two (2) lanes of motor vehicle
travel, bike lanes and pedestrian paths should be acquired at the outset as part of the current project.
Right-of-way plans show road right-of-way sufficient for two lanes only.
4 . The Intersection at Route 250.
(a) Proper design of this intersection is critical if this project is to succeed without
considerable damage to the Park. In our opinion, any final design has to include a grade
separate d interchange.
Access for pedestrians and bicycle travel to McIntire Park at the proposed
intersection also must be accommodated in an effective manner for the intersection to work
as we desire and in accord with the second Rieley Report (dated August 31, 2000, copy of which is
enclosed). This is best achieved by a grade separated interchange.
(b) While the approval process, design and construction of the Parkway project goes forward, Council
is committed to seeking VDOT funding and approval for a second project - one that results in a tight urban
interchange which replaces the intersection described in section 4a. Council's commitment is based in part on
recommendations contained in an October 2000 report of Rieley & Associates, and in part on a belief that
such an interchange will operate more efficiently, allow for safe pedestrian and bicycle access to the Park,
provide aesthetically pleasing access to the City, and help address long term traffic movement needs between the
250 by-pass and the Parkway. Council desires to work with VDOT and Albemarle County to pursue
funds to construct the interchange at the same time as the Meadow Creek Parkway. To further underscore a
desire on the City's part to facilitate this second project, the City is willing to perform design, bid, and
construction phases of this second project - all within the required oversight parameters for this type of process.
Council has engaged a firm for engineering services for the design of this project and
thanks VDOT, the County Board of Supervisors, and especially Senator Warner for
their efforts to secure funding for the interchange. We remain committed to this
project as a necessary improvement to both the U. S. 250 Bypass and the proposed
Meadow Creek Parkway.
5. Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel. Council endorses the construction of dedicated "on
road" bicycle lanes on each side of the Parkway's north-south travel lanes to serve high
speed cyclists. In addition and in accord with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (the
MPO) recommendation, Council also supports construction of a shared pedestrian/bicycle
path much like the one proposed by the VDOT design, but eight rather than five feet in
width. Current plans show a five foot shared pedestrian/bike path. This should be
eight feet.
6. A New Lake or Pond for the Park. Combination of the storm water management
facilities into one pond or "lake", as in the Rieley report, is essential. The City will do
everything within reason to expand this concept in cooperation with VDOT. Everyone will
benefit, park and outdoors enthusiasts, and motorists using the Parkway. The current
pond design is acceptable to the City.
7. Additional Park Land. The City's approval for the Meadow Creek Parkway design shall be
and is contingent upon the acquisition of replacement parkland and green space by the City , the County, and
VDOT to create a greater contiguous Park, for the use of our citizens throughout the region and confirm the
status of this new road as a true Parkway. This new park land and green space is intended to replace the
land lost to the Parkway as well as the loss of use imposed on some of the remaining portions of McIntire
Park. It is also intended to serve as a community asset for Park/Rio and its environs, and to protect the view
shed surrounding the Parkway and Park/Rio Road. While an expert evaluation could be provided by a
third party, such as the Va. Department of Conservation and Recreation, we suggest that 50 acres of land,
contiguous to the existing park would be an appropriate replacement amount. The City believes the
park acquisition plan shown on the attached drawing (Exhibit “A”) meets this
requirement and will support the project with this land acquisition proposal and a
commitment from the County to begin acquisition.
8. Cell Towers. To supplement its revenues, VDOT has begun leasing portions of the
public rights-of-way that VDOT now "owns" - property originally acquired solely for
traditional road system purposes. Such leases transfer long term use of various sites to
private companies who then construct wireless telecommunication towers ("Cell towers") on
the sites along our highways.
Cell towers are just as unsightly as billboards, perhaps more so, because they are
larger or taller or both. Yet, construction of these towers continues to proliferate in Virginia.
This new cell tower- highway program has occurred without any local government zoning or land
use oversight or permission, and without any meaningful opportunity for the public to
participate in deciding where the next tower will appear. For these reasons, the City is
opposed to any construction of such towers anywhere along Phase I of this project without
the express permission of this Council and the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County.
We wish to see VDOT's agreement to this local government involvement memorialized in a
formal document as the project moves forward. No change in our position.
9. Limited Access. Council endorses the concept of a limited access Parkway for this
road for its entire length, from the 250 bypass to Rio Road, except for the single intersection of Melbourne
Road. It should be engineered for passenger traffic only, and signed to prevent truck traffic.
Council chooses not to recommend fencing the right of way as is conventional in many
limited access highways. As the Rieley Report indicates, "with the lower speed design and the
objective of making this roadway as much a part of the park as is possible" fencing is not
"necess ary or desirable". The plans address this concern.
10. Regional Transportation and the Eastern Connector. While the Council supports
construction of a two lane version of the Meadow Creek Parkway as described in this letter,
Council has no interest in this Parkway's becoming a de facto "eastern connector", i.e., being
used by the public to travel from Route 29 North to Pantops-Route 20 North. The Parkway
should be viewed as only one small part of the regional transportation solution. To this end, the
City's approval of the Meadow Creek Parkway is contingent upon receipt of a commitment within six
months from the date of this resolution from Albemarle County and the University of Virginia, in
cooperation with the MPO and VDOT, to develop a new regional transportation network plan which,
among other things, will minimize increases in automobile traffic in City and County neighborhoods through
the year 2015. Development of this plan shall include focus on reviewing all data that has been created. The
goal of the plan shall be to develop new regional solutions to our current and future traffic problems, without
adversely impacting existing City and County residents or businesses or overly depleting our region's natural
resources. The recently approved CHART plan provides the planning framework for
this regional network. City Council is now desirous that the County and VDOT
demonstrate a firm commitment to the Eastern Connector. Specifically, the City has
committed $250,000 towards funding a location study as has the Board of
Supervisors. An RFP is being developed so this study can proceed.
The City also expects to see a funding commitment for the Southern Parkway
by VDOT and/or the County. This is another incredibly important road that is
needed to further complete the area road network
.
11. The MPO Meadow Creek Parkway Design Advisory Committee. This Committee
is commended by Council for its extensive work on the preliminary Parkway designs
heretofore put forward by VDOT. We urge VDOT to continue to work with this
Committee to ensure "that the road is compatible with the community’s natural and built
environment, and enhances the multi-modal mobility for area residents". To the extent that
the Advisory Committee needs assistance in the future from the City in these continuing
efforts, the City may hire a technical consultant to monitor design and construction, and
seeks VDOT cooperation in addressing legitimate concerns of this Council and City staff as
the process moves forward. The Committee participated in this effort and achieved a
successful design of the project. Council has developed a new Steering Committee
to work with the interchange design consultant and staff to achieve a compatible
interchange design.
12. Vietnam War Memorial. As final design plans evolve, proper measures must be
taken by VDOT in cooperation with the City to protect, preserve, and care for the War
Memorial which currently is located on a hill in McIntire Park near the proposed intersection
of the Parkway and the 250 By-Pass. No change in our concern.
The foregoing items - one by one - are each in their own right important, crucial,
elements in any final design that the City and this Council will support. These components were coupled together in order for Council to build a consensus. To the extent that the City
has any right, by law or practice, to approve the final design, we ask and expect that VDOT
will remember this linkage.
Finally, if there are questions that VDOT or the County have about Council's
position as stated in this letter, please let us know, through contact with City staff or with
me. We stand ready to cooperate in moving this project from the proverbial drawing board
to construction.
Sincerely yours,
David Brown
Mayor
cc: Board of Supervisors
adapted from posting on charlottesville.org and posted by Peter Kleeman - techniquest@netscape.net