Category: transportation

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Transportation, Infrastructure, Albemarle BoS – 19 July 2023

Smoky afternoon thanks to Canadian wildfires and climate change, in new section of Pleasant Green looking West - 7/17/2023

It’s always interesting (to me at least) to dig into the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors agenda, when I remember, and when I make the time. See: Being a Citizen Takes Effort. And Sacrifice.

Notable as ever is the VDOT Quarterly Report

Under the “Preliminary Engineering Heading”

  • I-64 Exit 107 Park and Ride — to be advertised in Fall 2024
  • Rte. 680 Browns Gap Turnpike Bridge Replacement over Lickinghole Creek — to be advertised in June 2025
  • Rte.151/250 Roundabout – Under construction. Expected completion Spring 2023 (I’d argue it’s nearly complete?)

Under the “completed studies” heading

  • 250/1815 Old Trail | Crosswalk markings have been installed.
  • 1815 Old Trail at Bishop Gate Ln. | ADA ramps installed. Mid-block crosswalk to be installed Summer 2023.

Studies under review:

  • Route 240 at Music City Today and Starr Hill Brewery | Pedestrian Crossing | Field investigation complete; Plans have been finalized, estimated cost approximately $153k — seriously, why has this taken so long? It’s not that hard.

Looking at the ACSA & RWSA reports, a few Crozet-centric things

ACSA

  • Crozet Phase 4 Water Main Replacement – This project replaces aging and undersized asbestos-cement and PVC water mains along Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet Avenue, Hillsboro Lane, and the neighborhood streets of the Park View subdivision. The final easement was recently acquired, and we are working to secure plan approval from Albemarle County before bidding the project later this summer.
  • Risk Assessment Improvements – As part of an on-going emergency preparedness program, the ACSA is in a multi-phase effort to reduce risk and increase resilience. Projects include additional security measures, fencing and access gate enhancements, cybersecurity measures, and additional tank protection. Work is focused on our tanks and pump station locations.

RWSA

  • The production of drinking water for the Urban area (Charlottesville and adjacent developed areas of Albemarle, not including Crozet) averaged 9.48 million gallons per day (MGD) in May 2023 (FY 2023), which was similar to the five-year average for May (9.49 MGD),
  • Urban wastewater flow for May 2023 (9.55 MGD), including flows from Crozet, was below the five-year average for May (10.47 MGD),
  • Crozet Wastewater Pump Stations Rehabilitation
    • Scope: Replacement of pumps, valves and electrical gear in four pump stations constructed in the 1980’s which convey wastewater from Crozet to the Moores Creek Treatment Plant. Completion: January 2025 – December 2026
    • Cost: $10.3 million; 52% ACSA / 48% City
  • K. Beaver Creek Dam, Pump Station and Piping Improvements
    • Scope: Replace the spillway which protects the reservoir dam along with the water pump station and piping which convey water to the Crozet Water Treatment Plant.
    • Completion: April 2025 – June 2028
    • Cost: $43 million; 100% ACSA

Clicking around VDOT’s site, I find the Route 240/US 250 Intersection Improvements. Looks like *maybe* completed in 2027? What am I missing?

Update: thanks to this comment, I revisited the 240/250 roundabout bit … I guess the answer to, “when will the 240/250 roundabout happen?” is “Never.”?

Can someone explain why:

  • There are no consequences for not building needed infrastructure?

I don’t make the time to attend meetings as I should, but I do my best to read as much as I can that’s relevant to be an informed citizen, and to best represent my clients.

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Building Infrastructure in Crozet?

Jarmans Gap in 2011

Jim’s comment: please comment with questions/thoughts/corrections/clarifications. We’re in this together.

Crozet and VDOT infrastructure thoughts, from NextDoor*

Post after post after post: Everyone blames the county for the lack of infrastructure. That is patently false. I’ve lived in Crozet for almost 20yrs, I have heard the same complaints. 20yrs later…the same complaints and misdirected ire continues.

Take a peek at the Culpeper district planning.

Do you see Crozet anywhere in that list? Just the 240/250 intersection. Other than that…nothing. Why?

1) Because the 500 people complaining on ND day in and day out are not making their voices heard by state officials.

2) Most people do not understand just how difficult it is to build out infrastructure. You want sidewalks on Park Rd? Tabor St? The state, not the county, will have to negotiate with every single landowner along those roads to obtain rights of way easements, or they will have to use eminent domain. THAT is not going to be popular among of the owners along those roads.

1) The infrastructure never comes before building. So that means the county will need to deny all building permits. That will be quickly litigated and overturned as plaintiffs will point to prior approved permits and rezoning as permissible for their particular application.

2) “We have and will continue to reach out to state officials.” I disagree that actually happens. What I see are 500 posts about county meetings, CCAC meetings etc.

Can you point me to single post along the lines of “Hey Good/Deeds is hosting a townhall, lets get 500 Crozet residents down there to discuss why VDOT won’t build proper infrastructure?”

Can you point me to a single post along the lines of “Hey VDOT is hosting a meeting lets get 500 crozet residents down there to discuss why VDOT won’t build proper infrastructure?”

I’m fairly certain you can’t. I on the other hand can point to no less than 100+ posts (on Nextdoor) about county meetings, despite the fact the county has little to no authority. This is by design, it is baked into the Virginia state constitution. Just google Dillon Rule.

As my grandfather loved to say: that dog is barking up the wrong tree.

FYI: If Crozet were to incorporate, the newly formed “City of Crozet” Would obtain that legal authority to truly regulate growth and build out infrastructure. But that would require new taxes and the City of Crozet would need to levy a hefty real estate tax and provide tax relief based on income thresholds, so the tax targets those mostly responsible for the uncontrolled growth: Those living in developments. (me: what if Crozet became a town?)

However that tax proposal would be vehemently opposed by the very same people that created the situation in first place. 😉

*Note from Jim – copy/pasted from Mark McCardell’s comments with permission, and only changes made by me were to add links, and to add a ‘ here and there.

More from me: If Crozetians really want to have an effect on growth, etc in Crozet, organize and go to Board of Supervisors meetings. CCAC is about as effective as NextDoor. Go to the BoS meetings, and go again, and again, and again, and again. And again.

Continue reading “Building Infrastructure in Crozet?”
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Albemarle Board of Supervisors Meeting – 5-17-2023 –

Bicycles and train in Crozet

When I think about it, I dig into the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors’ agendas to see what Crozet-specific information is being discussed. Why? Because I live here, and, knowing this stuff helps me better represent clients buying or selling in and around Crozet.

Anything jump out at you in their agenda?

Here’s what I found

  • Looks like they are updating the Beaver Creek Dam Supplemental Watershed Plan Agreement
  • The VDOT/Albemarle County FY 24-29 Secondary Six-Year Plan Public Hearing looks interesting.
  • So does VDOT’s May report. Looks like the very-much-needed 240/250 Roundabout will be advertised for bids in Winter 2024.
    • I’d be curious to see what current traffic counts are.
      • During construction, VDOT proposes to close Route 680 to through traffic between Route 250 and Route 802 (Old Three Notched Road) with a posted detour. Traffic would be detoured via Route 240 to Route 802 for about two months.  
      • Approximately 7,000 vehicles use Route 240 near the intersection, according to 2017 data. The traffic count on Route 250 is about 10,000 vehicles and Route 680 carries about 580 vehicles per day.
    • “I-64 Exit 107 Park and Ride” to be advertised in 2024.
    • “Rte. 680 Browns Gap Turnpike Bridge Replacement over Lickinghole Creek” will be advertised in 2025.
  • Completed Studies
    • “250/1815 Old Trail – Pavement Markings – Crosswalk markings to be installed Spring 2023.”
    • “1815 Old Trail at Bishop Gate Ln. – Pavement Markings – Mid-block crosswalk and ADA ramps to be installed Summer 2023.”
  • Studies Under Review
    • “Route 240 at Music City Today and Starr Hill Brewery – Pedestrian Crossing – Field investigation complete; Plans have been finalized, estimated cost approximately $153k” – my comment: how in the world is this not a priority?
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Transportation and the Albemarle Board meeting – 5 April 2023

pedestrian walk sign knocked down by truck

Thanks to Charlottesville Community Engagement for reminding me about this week’s Albemarle County Board of Supervisors meeting.

I haven’t done a deep dive into the agenda, which you can find here, but have gone through and pulled out relevant-to-Crozet items.

pedestrian walk sign being repaired
pedestrian walk sign being repaired

From the 5 April agenda

  • Looks like they are intending to pave some gravel roads.
  • From the April Transportation Planning Quarterly Report
    • #82 I-64/Exit 107 Crozet Park and Ride Lot: This project will construct a park and ride lot at the corner of Patterson Mill Lane and US 250 just south of the I-64 interchange. This lot could potentially be served by both the Crozet Connect and the proposed Afton Express transit lines.
    • VDOT will post a willingness to do a public hearing in Summer 2023, and construction is expected in summer 2025. (Smart)
    • In Design
      • N/A. Library Avenue Extension/Crozet Square/Barnes Lumber Redevelopment – These projects are expected to be complete in summer 2024. Facilities Planning & Construction will provide further updates in their April 2023 quarterly report. (RS)
    • In Construction
      • N/A. US 250 West Pedestrian Improvements: This project will construct segments of sidewalk along US 250 West in Crozet from Cory Farms Drive to Clover Lawn Lane and include a new pedestrian crosswalk and pedestrian crossing beacon near Clover Lawn Lane. This project was substantially complete as of late 2022. This project is being administered by Facilities Planning & Construction; please see their April 2023 quarterly report for project updates. (RS)
    • Reported Transportation Issues
      • Requests for crosswalks: Intersection of Old Trail and Bishop Gate, …
      • Speeding concerns: Park Road …
      • Safety concerns: Southern Parkway, intersection of 250/240/680, Monacan Trail
      • Updates to parking signage requested: … , Grayrock Orchard

A few more updates

The Tweet is here.

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Fix the Pedestrian Crossing near Crozet Pizza

Shoddy pedestrian crossing

We need to do better

Each time I ride, walk, drive past this terrible pedestrian crossing, I get more irritated at the fact that the only safe way to cross from one side of Crozet to the other is broken and unsafe.

We ostensibly want a more bikeable and walkable community, but can’t even have a safe way to cross from one side of the road to another?

While we’re at it, what about sidewalks?

Years ago, there was a pedestrian light there, but it was hit, and never replaced. Looking at photos I have in that location, it was broken before November 2016.

Pedestrian crossing in November 2016

No particular relevance between this story and this photo, but I saw it when browsing photos of this part of Crozet, and liked it.

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Eastern Connector Coming Within Our Lifetimes?

Old Eastern Connector sign in Cory Farm

Note that the picture of the sign is old … but was in place long enough that the area code changed from 804 to 434. 🙂

*please read this whole thing, and then read the thing at the bottom.

Will the Eastern Connector come to fruition in our lifetimes?

Maybe.

The above is from the July 2022 Transportation Planning Report.

I asked Kevin McDermott, Planning Manager for Albemarle County if the Eastern Connector might have a realistic timeline. He answered:

We have a proposed timeline for construction of the Eastern Ave Southern Connector but, because we are still working to gather the full amount of funding the project is currently estimated at, that schedule could still fluctuate.

We have already completed design and engineering for the project to the 30% level. Between FY23 and FY27 the County has dedicated another $12M to this project through the CIP. The State has dedicated $8.1M in the years FY26 and FY27. That would set us up for construction in FY29. We are currently looking at ways to advance this by using the County CIP funds to continue to advance design and engineering so that we can move straight in to construction in FY26 when the State money becomes available. The issues we need to overcome are to get VDOT approval to continue moving the design forward despite no state money being available for 2 more years and to identify a way to address the gap in funding of about $3.5M from the current estimate of $24M and the $20.5M currently available.

Hope that provides the information you were looking for. Obviously the County really wants to do everything we can to move this project along quickly but unfortunately the timeline is dependent on a lot of factors outside of our control.

So the answer is – I think there may be a realistic timeline?

Someone who follows me on Twitter sent me these two things:

I found this link and it shows the current status of the Eastern Avenue extension in the Smart Portal. Looks like if approved and everything goes to plan (ha) construction would begin in 2027.

They sent me this as well:

I also reached out to VDOT about the roundabout at 240/250 that was slated to go to bid this fall. Was told it’s been delayed.

“You are reading the website correctly, but the information isn’t up to date. The project is behind and I anticipate that it will be advertised next year. Thank you for reaching out to me and I apologize for not having the information updated.”

*the thing I want you to read.

We need journalists. Sean Tubbs at Charlottesville Community Engagement is doing a remarkable job, so is the Crozet Gazette. I wrote about them recently. I’m a Realtor at Nest. While I think I’m doing journalism when I write on RealCrozetVA, my profession is not journalism. We need people like Sean, the reporters at Crozet Gazette, and we’re really missing the amazing journalists at the Daily Progress.

While I do my damnedest to know about my community, and know more than my clients who are moving within or to the area, I/we need the people who do this – they tie the threads together to make the story, and they write and describe to both inform, and to hold others accountable.

Did you know the Daily Progress has only one reporter right now? Sean Tubbs at Charlottesville Community Engagement is providing extraordinary work for the community (please pay to subscribe; if you’re interested, I’ll gift you a subscription – ask me.)

Sean reminded us this week

There’s an entire newspaper devoted to Crozet, and the Crozet Gazette is the best source for information coming out of western Albemarle County. 

Without full-time journalists who know what they’re doing, like what they do, and stick around to build and share institutional knowledge – we all suffer.

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Three Notch’d Trail Planning Funding Approved!

Three Notchd Trail map

This is great news.

$2,007,045 for the Three Notched Trail Shared Use Path Plan in Albemarle County for the planning of a project that will develop a shared use path between the City of Charlottesville, the community of Crozet, and Western Albemarle and Nelson County.

(the following is from the beginning of the above-referenced release)

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $64,207,045 in federal funding for Virginia infrastructure projects courtesy of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law negotiated by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine. The funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program that helps communities plan and carry out projects with local or regional impact.

“Virginia continues to benefit from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” the senators said. “We are thrilled to see this funding head to Virginia for improvements throughout the Commonwealth that will have a direct impact on Virginians’ daily lives.”

Getting people out of cars onto bikes and e-bikes withing safe, protected lanes from Afton and Crozet to Charlottesville. Sounds simple, reasonable, and a no-brainer.

Getting there will take a lot of work, and huge thanks and congratulations to everyone who lobbied to get this funding.

From the TNT site

The Three Notched Trail (TNT) is a proposed shared use path from the City of Charlottesville extending to Ivy, Crozet, and the Blue Ridge Tunnel in Afton.  Additionally, the trail will connect users to the University of Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, and the Appalachian Trail.

A “shared use” path is typically a 10’ wide paved trail that is physically separated from the motor vehicle travel way and allows bi-directional pedestrian and bicycle traffic.  Once built, the TNT will provide local residents and visitors with car-free transportation and recreational opportunities.  

We see the Three Notched Trail being a part of a larger Mountains-to-Sea Trail, connecting the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.  This continuous trail would make Virginia a trailblazer in outdoor recreation, tying together the Virginia Capital Trail with the proposed Birthplace of America Trail and Fall Line Trail. Imagine a continuous trail almost 200 miles long!

The cynical side of me is hopeful, but realistic. It took 10 years to get the sidewalks in front of Harris Teeter. Here’s hoping my great grand child will be able to get from here to there not in a car.

The sidewalks took only a decade to get done.

  1. Years.
Sidewalks Coming to 250 near Harris Teeter?
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Roundabout at WAHS and Old Trail?

Cars at Old Trail Drive

If you’re not reading the Charlottesville Community Engagement Week Ahead, you’re missing out. There’s a lot happening in Albemarle and Charlottesville that will affect our respective back yards.

At least read the weekly (shorter) summaries on Charlottesville Reddit.

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors will meet in person at Lane Auditorium for their first meeting of June. (agenda) (meeting info) …

* The first phase of Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plan review continues, and Supervisors will review the same material on the build-out analysis shown to the Planning Commission last week. Assuming that rezonings come in at the higher end of the densities designated in the Future Land Use Map, there’s enough land to support population growth. Supervisors may be the first to admit that those rezonings often don’t max out the land available. For instance, the Rio Point development could have had over 650 units but the project approved by Supervisors only came in at 328. This is a conversation to watch.

And then there’s transportation:

* Albemarle Supervisors will vote on the 12 Smart Scale applications to be submitted for areas in the county. The county itself is submitting four, including a potential roundabout at the intersection of Old Trail Drive and U.S. 250 West. The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and the Charlottesville Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization will submit the other eight. Those include a pair of projects on U.S. 250 in Pantops and the Rivanna River pedestrian bridge. Albemarle has had success with getting Smart Scale projects built whereas Charlottesville has languished.

* The TJPDC meets Thursday and will adopt a resolution to support a dozen projects that are being submitted on behalf of Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties. Several of them are indicators of areas preparing for more growth in the future.

From Albemarle’s site.

Good to see that they’re considering moving things other than cars.

  1. Old Trail Drive/US 250 West Intersection ImprovementsThis project would construct a roundabout at the Old Trail Drive/250 intersection with pedestrian accommodations, particularly for the pedestrian movement across 250.

A question to you

What matters to you in Crozet, and Albemarle County?

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Three Notch’d Trail at the BoS

Three Notch'd Trail

This would be such a remarkable asset for Crozet, Charlottesville, the Climate, people’s health and well being, community, and the community.

Learn more about the Three Notch’d Trail idea.

From Sean Tubbs’ excellent Week Ahead.

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors will hold their first in-person meeting in nearly two years beginning at noon with a budget work session before their regular meeting. The meeting can be viewed by the public on the Board’s website. (agenda) (meeting info)

Regular business starts at 1 p.m. Two walkability proposals are on the agenda. First, Supervisors will be asked to grant final approval for a sidewalk on Commonwealth Drive and Dominion Drive in the Jack Jouett District. Albemarle is seeking revenue-sharing funds from the Virginia Department of Transportation. (staff report)

Next, the county is seeking a federal grant to plan for a trail between the Blue Ridge Tunnel to Crozet and then on to Charlottesville along the route of the Three Notch’d Trail. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approved by the U.S. Congress last year set aside $1.5 billion under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program. 

“There has long been local and regional interest in the development of a shared use path along the historic Three Notched Road,” reads the staff report. “A shared use path along Three Notched Road is highlighted in the Albemarle County Comprehensive Plan, the Crozet Master Plan, the Jefferson Area Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, and the most recent Virginia Outdoors Plan. Segments of the shared use path were prioritized in the 2019 update of the Albemarle County Transportation Priorities list.”

Albemarle will seek up to $1 million to pay for a feasibility study, conduct public outreach on an alignment, and to bring the design to a certain level of engineering. 

Add protected bike lanes and e-bikes, and we’d have something super-awesome and functional.

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Crozet Stuff This Week – 14 March 2022

Searching Sean Tubbs’ “Week Ahead” Charlottesville Community Engagement for “Crozet” …

And a reminder to subscribe to Sean’s work; I do. I’m happy to gift a subscription to someone if you’re interested; just ask me.

The Albemarle County Economic Development Authority meets virtually at 4 p.m. for a wide-ranging meeting. (meeting material)

…

Then there will be a closed session at which the EDA will discuss “possible litigation” against the Center, as well as potential investment in Downtown Crozet. 

Glenbrook developer seeks to change housing type proffer

There’s only one item on the agenda for the Albemarle County Planning Commission’s virtual meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. (meeting info)

The developer of the previously approved Glenbrook neighborhood in Crozet wants more flexibility in a 1.89 acre section of the development. When the rezoning was granted in 2016, there was a proffered condition that a minimum of 50 percent of the units would be single family housing. 

Since then, a new Crozet Master Plan has been adopted that designates the land as being for Middle Density Residential which allows for between six and 12 units per acre. 

“Instead of a minimum of 50 percent single family detached dwellings in the overall Glenbrook development, the applicant proposes a minimum of 40 percent single family detached dwelling units,” reads the applicant’s narrative.” This change will allow for the construction of affordable dwelling units in the final phase of the project. 

This would not apply to the remaining 36 acres that are not subject to this rezoning request. Staff recommends approval. 

The application plan for the new Glenbrook rezoning. Click to see a more detailed version.

Beaver Creek Dam Improvements

The referenced 230 page ACSA doc is not searchable, sadly (thanks for the nudge about Sean’s note).

Riding my bicycle yesterday, I noticed a working barge(?) and silt fencing along part of the Beaver Creek Reservoir perimeter. A bit of searching this morning, and I was reminded by the Crozet Gazette of the timing , and a bit more at Rivanna’s site.

https://www.rivanna.org/rwsa-projects-map/beaver-creek-improvements/