- Target:
- the Governor of Virginia
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.pecva.org
This petition is intended promote fiscal responsiblitiy with federal and state taxpayer money by calling for the abandonment of this unneeded and unwanted road building project. U.S. Route 29 Bypass in Charlottesville, Virginia is one of the biggest pork barrel road projects in the nation, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS), a national budget watchdog organization.
The Bypass will again be ranked as one of the nation's 25 most wasteful projects in its 2002 "Road to Ruin" report. The total cost of the bypass would exceed $200 million -- about $30 million per mile or more -MUCH of which would be shouldered by federal taxpayers.
The local county Board of Supervisors does not want it. The majority of residents does not want it.
For years, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has tried to run this 6-mile bypass as their solution to growing traffic on Route 29. However, their own studies show this will not be a good solution (see petition below).
Furthermore, the proposed bypass would cut through the watershed of the community's main drinking water supply and pose an unacceptable risk from erosion, polluted runoff and potential toxic spills.
Under Governor Warner, the Virginia Department of Transportation has undertaken a realistic assessment of its projected revenues and project cost estimates and discovered that it has a major funding shortfall for the projects in its long range plan. It is fiscally irresponsible for VDOT to go forward with this expensive, wasteful project. Governor Warner can put an end to this project.
We now have a rare opportunity to stop the bypass for good. We need your help.
We, the undersigned, petition Virginia's Governor Mark Warner to ABANDON the proposed Route 29 Charlottesville Western Bypass and use the projected $250-million of
hard-earned taxpayer money on transportation projects that citizens both need and want. We ask you to recognize that (1) VDOT's own studies show that Route 29 will be in gridlock (level-of-service Grade "F") in eight years or less EVEN if the bypass is built; (2) that VDOT studies concluded that only the construction of the three originally approved grade-separated interchanges on Route 29 will resolve local traffic issues; (3) that VDOT should sell the already acquired land within the proposed bypass' right-of-way; and (4) use these and other state and federal funds to construct the less-costly alternatives that will provide a win-win solution for all interests by
resolving traffic problems and protecting the community's main sources of drinking water.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Abandon the Proposed Route 29 Bypass in Charlottesville, VA petition to the Governor of Virginia was written by Jeff Werner and is in the category Roads & Transport at GoPetition.