U.S. 29 Corridor Study

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Shortly before the Western Bypass of U.S. 29 was resurrected for consideration, the Virginia Department of Transportation commissioned the Parsons Transportation Group to conduct a corridor wide study of U.S. 29 from the North Carolina border to Gainesville, Virginia.

The project fell well short of the expectations of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, who passed a resolution expressing their displeasure in December 2009. [1]

Originally expected to be ready by November 2009, a final report had its deadline extended. [2]

Portions of Albemarle County’s Places29 Master Plan process were to have been included in the corridor study. [3]


Purpose

The US 29 corridor through Virginia connects three Metropolitan Planning Organizations (Danville, Lynchburg and MPO) in Central and Southern Virginia, with long stretches of rural areas in between. In addition to providing a corridor for long distance travel, US 29 also serves a local function in each urbanized area.

Charlie Rasnick with VDOT said at a February 9, 2009 meeting in Albemarle County that one goal of the study will be to find a way to either encourage or mandate jurisdictions along US 29 to alter their comprehensive plans in order to restrict access management, basically the connection of new roads and driveways.

Western Bypass right of way

At the February 9, 2009 meeting, Supervisor Ken Boyd asked if the Western Bypass would be considered as part of the study. Joe Springer with the Parsons Transportation Group said the “existing right-of-way is a fact and there may be some way to use that.”

Morgan Butler of the Southern Environmental Law Center asked if it were possible for other projects to be funded through the sale of the right-of-way. Rasnick responded that VDOT doesn’t want to eliminate the option of using the right of way to build a road, but that he is trying to be realistic.

“The bypass would not function today as it was envisioned when it was first planned back in the 1970’s,” Rasnick said. “We don’t anticipate building that bypass. Now, we are going to look at it and see if there is right of way that we can use… We don’t know that yet.”

When a preliminary study was released in the summer of 2009, many in Albemarle County were alarmed that the study would in fact recommend using right-of-way purchased for the western bypass. The recommendation was to extend Leonard Sandridge Road north of U.S. 29/250. After a public outcry and a resolution from the Board of Supervisors, the proposal was taken out of the study[4].


References

  • Web. A Resolution on the Route 29 Corridor Study, Commonwealth Transportation Board, Commonwealth Transportation Board, December 17, 2009, retrieved November 18, 2013.
  • Commonwealth of Virginia. Commonwealth Transportation Board. Route 29 Corridor Study - A Resolution to Extend the Date for Reporting on the Additional Work Directed by the Board. Vol. June 16, 2010. Web. 21 June 2010. <http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2010/June/Resolutions/New_Business_1_Rt_29_CTB_Resolution.pdf>.
  • Web. US 29 corridor study to consider use of western bypass right-of-way, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 11, 2009, retrieved November 18, 2013.
  • Tubbs, Sean. "New VDOT Study of U.S. 29 Recommends Use of Western Bypass Route and New Elevated Connector in City’s Hydraulic Rd Area." Charlottesville Tomorrow News Center. 29 Sept. 2009. Web. 21 June 2010. <http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/2009/09/new_roads_recommendation.html>.
  • External links

    U.S. 29 Study on VDOT's website Entry on VDOT's dashboard