Route 5 Study Public Meeting set for Monday

There is a very important meeting this coming week regarding the Rt. 5 Corridor Study. This is an important opportunity to voice your thoughts and to help guide this decision in the most favorable way for the future of this part of our City. Rt. 5 Corridor Study Public Meeting Monday, February 13 at 7:00 […]

February 11, 2012; 10:42 AM • by Church Hill People's News

There is a very important meeting this coming week regarding the Rt. 5 Corridor Study. This is an important opportunity to voice your thoughts and to help guide this decision in the most favorable way for the future of this part of our City.

Rt. 5 Corridor Study Public Meeting
Monday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m.
John Rolfe Middle School
6901 Messer Road (adjacent to Varina High School just off Rt. 5)

Among those in attendance will be Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson, Lee Yolton of Richmond Regional Development, and Todd Eure of the Henrico Planning Commission.

Many of you are familiar with the Rt. 5 Corridor Study and the two alternatives (#1 Widen Route 5 (PDF) / #2 Widen New Osbourne Turnpike (PDF)) that have been presented to both the City of Richmond and the County of Henrico. We at PSG feel strongly that both proposed alternatives, on which the MPO is supposed to vote on March 8th, have room for improvement. The existing alternatives as currently drawn have the strong potential to:

worsen traffic coming into Richmond on already-heavily traveled routes
speed up sprawl by providing infrastructure required for rezoning farmland
cause irreparable damage to historic areas such as Marion Hill, Church Hill, and a site of particular historic significance near Rocket’s Landing
and will cost a projected $70 million or more in taxpayer money.

There is no immediate expansion required on the Rt. 5 Corridor, so we have the time to review the issue further, and come up with another alternative which will take care of projected traffic needs while minimizing the negative consequences inherent in the existing proposals. The following WRIC Channel 8 coverage of the issue summarizes the issue well (please be patient with the advertisement and load-time)

We hope you will join us on Monday to express your views on this very important issue!

Thanks,

Jan Hatcher
Executive Director
Partnership for Smarter Growth
2319 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23223