Traffic concerns plague proposed development
Daily Progress 1-16-08
Local planners finally got the memo from Captain Obvious that Old Lynchburg Road is too narrow and curvy to handle the volume that would come of Biscuit Run development.
I’m wondering why cyclists haven’t gotten the memo, too. I had a short-lived cyclist phase, so I get it– I wait to pass cyclists until I can get my car at least halfway into the adjacent left lane. But that is a fast road with limited visibility. Why risk it? Albemarle County isn’t exactly hurting for scenic roads with challenging hills and long stretches. I tried to find the story about the cyclist being shot at by kids on the road a few years back, but it’s nowhere to be found. I’d love some help.
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Tagged as: Albemarle County, Questions
Hey here’s an idea: for some reason there’s this odd little bridge that cuts Sunset off in the middle. Why don’t we get rid of that bridge and connect the 2 roads so that people can use both streets to get from 5th St?
i hate that bridge.. you know how friggen hard it is to get a chariot across that thing?
@Lilith - the article’s not specifically about Biscuit Run, it’s about the other new development, Oxford Properties’ apartment complex, that they’re trying to get waivers for approval.
@UVA LaGrape - The Fontaine/Sunset Connector is in discussions.
You can find much, much more here about the Fontaine/Sunset Connector.
Your comment about cyclists is clueless. Cyclists ride Old Lynchburg because it’s the least deadly way to get out of town. So if you live in the city, and you want to ride on those beautiful Albemarle roads (which are also dangerous, by the way, because the lack any shoulder and because of all the drivers with spandex-rage), OLR is your best (sic) bet — relatively speaking. The real issue is why C’ville can’t muster up even a single access road that’s cyclist-friendly. Possibly because of all the fat, thoughtless people in cars who vote.
@A Cyclist:
“least deadly out of town”… how is lilith’s comment clueless in regards to it being a fast road with limited visibility? There are safer ways to get out of town: i.e. drive and park somewhere.
Drive drive drive drive drive. No dude, you drive. I ride a bike. Is it too much to ask that we have one route — one — in and out of town a cyclist can ride without undue risk of death? Apparently.
It’s not clueless. I’m saying that as a driver, there is not enough space and visibility for me to follow and pass cyclists responsibly at every turn. That cyclists make the choice to be there, knowing this, seems irrational. As a driver, I avoid the road because of cyclists– even though I love it for the very reason some cyclists might, that it’s fast and curvy! I’m not saying cyclists deserve injury for riding there, at ALL. Ideally, no one ever “has it coming to them.” I hate that expression because taking a risk does not warrant disaster. I just don’t think drivers and cyclists are coexisting very well on the road, and I happen to be the driver.
Why not take 20 south?
No, dude. I ride a bike too.
Lilith — 20 South is much worse, esp. b/c of all the cross streets getting out of town. As for cars and bikes co-existing on OLR, that’s a problem generally, and the problem largely lays with drivers, who speed, pass too close, and generally are too damn selfish to wait the 15 secs. it takes to let a car coming the other way pass before trying to pass the cyclist. Same reasons drivers don’t stop at crosswalks — they world has been architected for them and to hell with pedestrians.
Now, as for the advisability of taking a risk, if you love doing something you will take a risk for it. Frankly given the many options that drivers have, if there’s a problem with cars and bikes co-existing on OLR, we should figure out a way to add a bike lane, limit car access, or increase speeding and reckless driving enforcement.
Thor, hello to a fellow rider. So I guess your line about driving and parking was not meant seriously, b/c who would want to live in a town in which everyone without a car (or who chooses not to rely on one) is trapped like a rat?
the only way to drive OLR is to go slow, at which time cars behind you ride your ass, and at night their headlights blind you from seeing the cyclist. (by at night I mean 5ish when its already dark). this is a scary road for drivers and bikers Cyclist (some of us have to drive kids to school etc) Its not too much to ask for a great road for both drivers and cy-chos, but just remember cy, ask nicely.
I am all for bike lanes and biker safety. I am freaked out by the lack of them and 2 lane roads where people drive 80 MPH. I actually feel safer riding in town, because of the bike lanes and the more aware drivers.
I meant you could drive your car outside of town and park it, take the bike off the top and then do your ride. I don’t do that; I risk it, but it’s not fun and it’s way nicer riding bikes in several other cities I’ve visited.
Cyclist, I would give you an “oh snap” and some dap, but there are like 5 safe ways to get to that same part of 5th St Ext on bike:
5th safest: OLR
4th: Sunset
3rd: West Main to 5th
2nd: Cherry
1st: JPA to Harris to 5th
I grew up in Fry Springs, dude. OLR is just as described by lilith. Sunset is curvier and more hilly, but it has like 0 traffic compared to OLR. And really, don’t none of ‘em have heavy traffic except during rush hour.
I just remembered, you can also take Forest Hills Avenue to Prospect to Bailey. Look yall, I biked up and down all over the place way out into the County as a kid and I never died. Biking, like driving, is as safe as you make it.
Spare me the lecture on manners, please. There’s nothing I’ve said that isn’t “nice”. What isn’t nice is what’s happening to this town — hemmed in on all sides by tastelessly developing suburbs and quickly shifting to a traffic-clogged hell. In other words, America. Land where a 15 mpg truck is a “family” vehicle. Home of the double-wide movie theatre seat. These things are related.
Other places have different priorities. I spent a month last year in a German university town. Same size, approx., as C’ville. Bikes everywhere. Roads architected to accommodate cyclists and cars. Less traffic. More street life. Much nicer visual environment. Fewer fat people. Alas, the food wasn’t great, but that’s Germany.
Did you guys know that the state has allotted money for bike lanes as a percentage of all new road construction…bikers should lobby together more!
Now you have crossed a line “A Cyclist”. German food is wonderful in most parts of the country. There are a few sections where it may not be spectacular, but that can be said for most countries (France and Italy included). Unfortunately what most Americans experience (including around here) is Bavarian food. While tasty, Bavarian food is the least healthy of German cuisine.
From the Progress article:
“The 3,100-unit Biscuit Run, the largest development the county has ever approved, will be located nearby, though construction has not yet begun.”
From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, construction may not begin for a while. Evidently with the housing market the way that it is it’s becoming increasingly difficult for developers that paid such a pretty penny to recoup their losses on building new units in a controversial location with so many houses already stalled out on the market all over the place. Plus, we’ve got Old Trail too.
I will not be surprised at all if Biscuit Run never comes to fruition.
To jump back on Cyclist’s side, another problem with narrow roads in this place is that there’s either air or a giant rock on either side of a road. No shoulder to escape to (esp on OLR) because there’s a hill on 1 side and a death drop on the other. And when you get out into the county, they don’t give a FUCK about bike lanes, son. But then you learn how to bike without bike lanes.
Germany sounds like a great place for cyclists.
I agree Cyclist! I have been here 14 years and it has become exactly what you describe and I too loathe it. Huge drag since Cville used to have, and could have become so much more biker-friendly, visually pleasing, and less self- loving assholes living in the burbs you talk about. Even the mall isnt what it could be (ie: Lincoln Rd in miami, or 3rd st promanade in LA) That being said, go back to Germany, we have our share of asses here.
To piggyback on what A Cyclist said, in Europe in general things are more bike and pedestrian friendly as a result of the high prices for petroleum there. It’s roughly $7 USD/gal. for gas in Europe. From my experience, only really rich people can afford to live in the country and commute into the city. It’s funny how Americans make fun of Europeans driving small cars, but the reality is, over there it’s too damn expensive to drive an SUV.
Maybe we’ll see the American infrastructure change when we see gasoline prices hit over $7/gal. here. That will probably never happen though, but it would sure be interesting in terms of development, planning, bike lanes, etc…
How many people here belong to/contribute to ACCT? They are doing some pretty decent things as far as advocacy for bike lanes, etc.
Miss Manners OMG LMAO!! That came from nowhere.
The cure for sprawling suburbs, is high density towns/cities (that or a statistically aberrant population decline, viz plague or nuclear fall-out ). We could try to prohibit all new development in cho/alb, but that would only would result in even greater increases in property values, pricing the remaining poor and middle class out of the area. (And it just not possible) So we need smart - high density - development in town and on the outskirts. I know that is heresy to many, and violative of the dreams of those hoping to see c-ville retain/revert to its small town feel, but in-fill and mutli-family dwellings, and (much) smaller lots are the cure. Density = neighborhood-business viable + mass-transport viable + walkable = no need to drive = safe for bikers.
Re: 16 icenine– I’m sure the newspapers would love for us to live under the illusion that Biscuit Run won’t happen. It’s a decent narrative to follow.
Sweet dreams, Silmo. Why live in a multi-family dwelling when you can get a big, six bedroom house for your two kids with a yard that lacks trees or shade, with your bathroom window directly opposite and separated by ten feet from your neighbor’s kitchen window? Hey, it’s only $600,000, but with a sub-prime 30 year mortgage, who cares! It can be afforded, right?
ok, please read this cyclists and those interested in local road safety and public transportation…next week attend the meeting and make your voice heard!
http://www.tjpdc.org/agendas_and_minutes/cmc/age_cmc_08_01_22.asp
Silmo, right on! could not have said it better. And I will add that compared to booming sprawl areas like NoVa/Atlanta/Charlotte, we have it good here as far as bike lanes and accessibility to the country. It’s important to keep that intact as the city grows. To me, it seems the framework for smarter growth and good transportation is in place, it just needs to be protected and integrated into ALL future development plans.
ACCT is having a BikeACCTion team meeting on January 26 at Central Library from 11 to 12 to talk about coming up with better ways of reporting collisions between bikes and cars. More details here.
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