Thanks to those who represent a large number of people in sending messages to George Loper in opposition to the construction of a Meadow Creek Parkway.

The Virginia Constitution requires four affirmative votes on the five person City council to dispose of the public park property. This is to insure that there is overwhelming support for the sale of the property. To use an "easement" devise to subvert the Constitution is immoral to say the least. With two Councilors, Mayor Cox and Kevin Lynch, opposed and a third, Blake Caravati, saying that he does not really want the road, it does not appear that there is overwhelming support for the road on the Council.

Paul Goodloe McIntire was a very generous benefactor to the city. He gave us this park. I cannot believe that he would want us to dispose of a key part of it.

To build this road will serve to add to the traffic through Charlottesville, bisecting the city. Unfortunately the residents on McIntire Road and Ridge Street do not seem to be aware of the great increase in traffic that will take place through their neighborhoods.

My greatest objection to this is the attendant destruction of the natural assets in the area. Every road that is constructed leads to the decimation of the animal population, to the pollution of streams (in this case, Schenk's Branch, and to air and noise pollution.

The Rivanna Trail Foundation has a trail through the area north of Melbourne Road through which the road would pass. The construction of the road in that area would destroy what is probably the most beautiful area through which the entire trail passes. Meadow Creek would have to be moved at one point to make room for the road. The creek happens already to be the most polluted creek in the Charlottesville region.

The Western Bypass may well be dead: we have finally come to the realization that building it would be an awful mistake. Now let use do the same thing with the Meadow Creek Parkway.

Francis H. Fife (electronic mail, November 26, 2003)