Crews Mark City's First Buffered Bike Lanes on Rose Hill Drive

Charlottesville:

“Extra space will separate drivers from bicyclists on one stretch of street in Charlottesville. City crews are marking out the new buffered bike lanes on Rose Hill Drive. They'll be the first in Charlottesville. Striped pavement markings will create a buffer between the car traffic and bike lanes between Preston and Madison avenues. The city hopes cyclists will feel safer with that extra room.

‘The design for bike lanes has really evolved, and we're really excited we're able to implement something like this in our city. What it is basically is a three-foot buffer that provides extra breathing room between cars and bikes on the road,’ said Amanda Poncy, Charlottesville bicycle and pedestrian coordinator.

The city reminds drivers that the same rules of the road apply in the buffered zones - that includes always looking for and yielding to cyclists. Work will continue on Rose Hill through the week.”

~ Reports nbc29

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Heated Words Abound Following Bike Lane Vote

City of Alexandria:

“City councilors ended months of debate when they unanimously approved adding bike lanes to a section of King Street earlier this month, but at least one resident remains up in arms. F.H. Buckley, a professor at George Mason University, lambasted the controversial decision in the American Spectator last week. One of several nearby homeowners opposed to the project from its inception, Buckley blasted Alexandria’s top elected officials as well as cyclists for their behavior during the contentious deliberations…

The project, discussed at multiple public hearings before city councilors gave it the green light earlier this month, will see bike lanes installed from Janneys Lane to West Cedar Street. Pedestrian safety improvements also are slated for the short section of road. To make room for the lanes, 27 on-street parking spots will be removed. The loss of parking sparked the initial protest to the plan, though safety concerns took center stage as the project wound its way through City Hall.

The contentious debate eventually garnered national media attention. Buckley was among those stoking the fire last year, penning a letter to the editor published in the Wall Street Journal warning of impending ‘bike wars’ in communities across the country.”

~ Writes Derrick Perkins of the Alexandria Times

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Critics: McDonnell pushed ahead on U.S. 460 project despite regulators’ concerns

Route 460:

“An opponent of a controversial highway project in southeast Virginia said Monday that former governor Robert F. McDonnell (R) committed hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ and bond investors’ dollars even as federal regulators said the road faced serious environmental hurdles. Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s abrupt decision to put the expansion of U.S. 460 on hold in March has brought new scrutiny to a project that has cost Virginia $250 million without moving so much as a shovelful of dirt.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had expressed concerns about rebuilding U.S. 460 for years before McAuliffe (D) pulled the plug. But McDonnell and his transportation secretary kept pushing ahead so aggressively that the corps felt the need to remind the state in February 2013 that it had not yet applied for a permit for the $1.4 billion project, much less received permission to move ahead.

Now, critics say McDonnell and his administration appear to have misled bond investors about the project’s status to keep it alive. Project boosters dispute that assertion.”

~ Writes Laura Vozzella of The Washington Post

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VDOT Park and Ride Lot Finder Online

VDOT:

“Currently there are 21 Park & Ride lots in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District.  However, if you are traveling in other areas of Virginia, you may be interested in the Park & Ride resource center provided by VDOT. This resource center was created by VDOT in close partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Virginia’s commuter resource agencies to better serve commuters, travelers and the communities across the Commonwealth. There are over 300 Virginia P&R lots available for your use, including state-owned, privately-owned and informal lots.

On their website, VDOT provides tools for easily locating Park & Ride lot locations and information as well as tips and resources on ridesharing. Users can search for a lot using an interactive map, clicking on a region in Virginia or searching by ZIP code.”

~ Thomas Jefferson PDC

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Mayor: Governor will help fund Va. Beach light rail

Virginia Beach:

“Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne have committed to help pay to bring light rail to Virginia Beach, Mayor Will Sessoms announced Thursday during his annual State of the City address. City officials have been eager to move forward with the transportation system. Hampton Roads Transit has estimated it would cost $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion to extend The Tide from Newtown Road to the Oceanfront, depending on the route.

During the lunchtime address at the Convention Center, Sessoms said the McAuliffe administration has given a ‘firm commitment’ to help pay for a Beach light-rail system. The mayor did not provide details of how much money or where it would come from. The remarks seemed to catch the governor’s office off guard. His staff said that while McAuliffe supports the concept of extending light rail, the governor needs to review a specific proposal. He has not committed any money, they said.”

~Writes Kathy Adams of the The Virginian-Pilot

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Planners Survey Bike Route 76 for Improvements

Thomas Jefferson PDC:

“Central Virginia planners are surveying 136 miles of a cross-country bike route that runs through the region. Bike Route 76 directs riders on some of the area’s busiest, curviest roads. One trouble spot planners have identified is Route 53, which winds its way from Route 20 to Monticello. There are no shoulders, the drop-offs are steep, and it has become a busy commuter road. But a study is looking at ways to make it safer for cyclists to pedal through our part of the cross-country bike route.”

~Writes NBC29

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Click here for another story from November 2013

Click here for the project website

VDOT Park and Ride Lot Finder Online

VDOT:

“Currently there are 21 Park & Ride lots in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District.  However, if you are traveling in other areas of Virginia, you may be interested in the Park & Ride resource center provided by VDOT. This resource center was created by VDOT in close partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Virginia’s commuter resource agencies to better serve commuters, travelers and the communities across the Commonwealth. There are over 300 Virginia P&R lots available for your use, including state-owned, privately-owned and informal lots.

On their website, VDOT provides tools for easily locating Park & Ride lot locations and information as well as tips and resources on ridesharing. Users can search for a lot using an interactive map, clicking on a region in Virginia or searching by ZIP code.”

~TJPDC

Click here for more information