If Gib Akin thinks that deferring construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway until the Western Bypass is built makes sense why doesn't he explain why? The timing didn't make sense then and it still doesn't and it deserves to beignored. The MCP was planned long before there was even mention of thewestern Bypass. Calling for a public hearing over the timing just sounds like a stall tactic.

Most of the traffic that would be handled by the two roads is headed indifferent directions. The MCP will never be a defacto bypass for through traffic traveling down 29. Most of that THROUGH traffic is headed for 29 South and cities south of us like Danville and Lynchburg. Nobody is going to try and get to 29 South on The Meadowcreek Parkway.

Traffic generated north of Charlottesville and headed for I-64, I-81, or I-95 gets to those roads by other routes and rarely comes through our town. There are quicker alternative routes to the interstates for traffic north of Ruckersville than through Charlottesville. Even local traffic, southbound on 29 and headed for westbound 64, is not going to use the Fifth Street or Shadwell interchanges when the one at 29 and 64 is much closer. That just leaves local traffic traveling between the east and the north. Some of those vehicles will probably take the MCP between Fifth Street and 29 North. Others will take it to the 250 bypass and then stick with 250 east. Right now they're all traveling down the two lane, incredibly congested, and residential Rio Road and Park Street.

A lot of local traffic does use Rio/Park as one of the links in their dailycommute between jobs north of Charlottesville and homes in Fluvanna or other points east. The MCP would be a bypass for the horribly congested Rio Roadand Park Street north of the bypass. There is no sensible alternative to the Meadowcreek Parkway and there is no good reason to delay.

Kevin Cox (Electronic Email)

kevinc@cstone.net