Interactive Map

Additional Resources

• Much of the information in the Transportation Matrix is drawn from Albemarle County's Six-Year Secondary Road Plan and the Virginia Department of Transportation's Six-Year Improvement Program.
• Where are the most dangerous intersections?  See the Daily Progress article on this topic from December 2005.
• Review transportation postings in the Charlottesville Tomorrow Weblog.

VDOT

1. Relieve congestion on Route 29 and the Route 29 / Hydraulic Road intersection

Update on May 12, 2008: The Daily Progress reports that funding for the one-mile extension of Hillsdale Drive is delayed until at least 2014 due to a lack of state funding. According to Butch Davies, the state is looking for property owners along the right of way to donate land for the project. VDOT cutbacks have caused state funding for project to be delayed until 2014 at earliest. Southern terminus being designed as part of the Whole Foods project on Hydraulic Road. One condition of final site plan approval is that Whole Foods developer (Meadowbrook Creek LLC) must purchase their portion right of way. Currently, the land is under a long-term lease

Three potential routes are under consideration: Proffit Road between Routes 29 and Route 20; Polo Grounds Road to Route 20; and what would be a new road near Pen Park connecting Rio Rd. to the Route 20 area near Pantops. The stated purpose of the Eastern Connector is to:
1. Provide for traffic flow between 250 E and 29 N
2. Ease congestion on 250 bypass, Park Street, Rio Road, and Meadowcreek Parkway

The engineering firm PBS&J is making one more series of refinements to the three alignments that remain as part of the corridor location study. The committee overseeing the study is recommending an alignment near or through Pen Park, but is also recommending the preservation of the Polo Grounds Road and Proffit Road Relocated alignments for eventual construction in the long term. The committee will meet one more time this summer prior to a presentation at the September 15, 2008 City Council meeting.

Schedule

Part of Crozet Master Plan
Will be addressed as neighboring parcels are developed and rezoning requests come before County.

1. Improve business on the east end of the Mall. 
2. Improve flow of traffic around Mall by replacing crossing removed by Eastern Mall Expansion project

Utility relocation has begun. Advertisement for construction bids is now scheduled for October 2008. This is Albemarle County's portion of the project. Charlottesville City Council granted an easement on City-owned land on June 2, 2008, and right-of-way process is almost complete. Scheduled for advertisement on October 14, 2008

This is the section of the Meadowcreek Parkway project from the 250 Bypass to Melbourne Road. This is the City of Charlottesville's portion of the project. 

City Council granted construction easement to VDOT on October 1, 2007, to be handed over after VDOT completes acquisition of replacement parkland, and upon final approval of a storm water management system. Council also attached a statement of expectations they require from Albemarle County. VDOT reported in November 2007 that the City will be able to fully fund their portion of the road. The right-of-way revision for the City has been completed and an offer is ready to be made pending the City Attorney and Attorney General’s Office discussions. Council will determine on August 18, 2008, if the conditions above are met.

Funded by Federal appropriation announced in 2005.  In design and environmental review stage. This project is being managed by Charlottesville under the First Cities initiative, with technical support provided by VDOT. City Council voted 4-1 in July 2007 to approve project's fit with the city's comprehensive plan.

City Council had been expected to select one recommended alternative in December 2007.  Negotiations with the state Department of Natural Resources for impacts to nearby historic sites continues.

On February 19, 2008, Neighborhood Development Staff asked City Council to spend $1 million to match a VDOT revenue sharing plan. This would be put aside to pay for pedestrian and improvements, above and beyond the money from the federal government.

On March 18, 2008, the steering committee overseeing the interchange designed voted 5-1-1 to select Alternative C1 as its preferred alternative. On June 4, 2008, City Council selected a modified version of Alternative G1, but will need to formally designate the design as its preferred alternative at a future City Council meeting. That could occur during Council's meeting on August 18, 2008

August 18, 2008

$270,000,000
Since the project is inactive, cost estimates for the Western 29 Bypass are both hard to come by and vary tremendously. In 2005, members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors put the estimated price tag at about $270 million.  In 2005, the Chamber of Commerce estimated the price at $271-280 million.  VDOT provided the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors an official estimate of $166 million on March 1, 2006, but in doing so acknowledged the cost model on this project may not be comprehensive.

This study is the transportation element of the Places29 Master Planning process. The report (by Meyer, Mohaddes Associates, Community Design + Architecture, and Urban Advantage) was released on May 18, 2008 and recommends grade-separated interchanges along US 29 aas well as road improvements listed in the UnJAM plan. Recommends  a network of roads parallel to US 29, with good east-west connectors. Transit improvements include a proposed bus-rapid transit system to Hollymead.