Our metropolitan region is choking with automobile traffic. Many studies have shown that building more roads does not alleviate traffic. Rather, the new roads fill too with traffic. The MCP apparently is designed to (1) move traffic from Rte 29 North to southbound areas and (2) relieve traffic on city roads.

Any description of the MCP mentions a humongous interchange at the 250 bypass. What should be lost on no one is the issue of where all those southbound vehicles are headed. Downtown? Hardly. Folks in the city, including many merchants, who have supported the MCP, seem to view it as a Golden Funnel, which will bring much desired retail traffic to Downtown. As things now stand, plenty of folks find their ways downtown when it suits them e.g., Fridays After Five. So, people know how to get downtown. Merchants are assuming with the Parkway, and enhanced ease of travel, more customers will materialize. Even if this were so, and this ignores the fact that most shoppers appear to want homogenized, chain branded, corporate shopping experiences ala Sears, Banana Republic, etc. most of the time- even ignoring that, where would all the shoppers park? Are we building even more mass parking structures? The Downtown Mall has presence and cachet because of its uniqueness, its funkiness, and its non corporate branded atmosphere. In today's consumer culture, such an atmosphere is increasingly rare, and precious. Downtown should strive to maintain this unique identity, rather than to homogenize for larger crowds.

If we ask the question, where are these cars diverted by the MCP from 29 North headed, the obvious answer is the Bypass, and points east and west, including I 64 and south Rte 29. These destinations do not serve any city cause. We city citizens are giving up valuable land and irreplaceable green space for through travelers. Why? Why is this not the responsibility of the county, which has thousands of acres of land through which to place roads?

Joni Mitchell lamented long ago our tendency to "pave paradise and put up a parking lot." Are we about to engage in a similar mindless endeavor? The acres of park land and CHS playing fields which will be taken will impact our quality of life. As we remove green spaces, we remove natural cooling and air cleaning systems. This will result in hotter, dirtier, and nosier air for us. Furthermore, hasn't any one noticed how many 'hundred year floods' keep happening? Perhaps these were 100 year floods when there were enough acres of trees and grasslands to absorb rainfall. As we increase development we decrease the earth's capacity to handle the extremes of nature. More pavement and less green space will result in more downstream flooding.

The city's green spaces are a treasure we should not plow under lightly. They offer contact with nature, opportunity for reconnection and retrospection, and a chance to dial down the stresses of modern life. We already have an comprehensive if rudimentary beginning to the Greenbelt Trail which encircles the city. Many walkers and bikers use it now. How much more important will such a resource be in 20 or 40 years, especially if the city moves forward with its plans to enhance the density of city development? We city folks will be in a more urban and dense environment, and the access to green space will be correspondingly more precious. Think of how well received urban areas are where there are accessible and inviting parks and vistas along streams, as we now have in our trail system. We should guard these as part of that which adds value to living in Charlottesville. In addition, these arguments are all being made from a human's point of view. For the creatures who dwell in these green spaces, habitat loss will be shattering.

A true detour for Rte 29may be achieved by an eastern bypass which directly connects with I 64. This would enhance long distance travel. The opportunity for an interchange would also allow for development of employment opportunities in a rural area.

Steps do need to be taken to alleviate traffic on Park Street. Removing the vehicles who seek the Bypass (and not downtown) will have a positive impact. The Hillside Connector may help, as would further development of Commonwealth Drive and the roads which parallel Rte 29 to its west. Improving traffic flow on Rte 29 at Hydraulic and at the Bypass would also enhance Rte 29's efficiency. These are largely county roads, to which the county can address its attention, rather than asking us to make the hard sacrifices.

Barbara Haskins, December 12, 2003