Interchange spells changes for roads

The final design for the interchange that will connect the U.S. 250 Bypass with the Meadowcreek Parkway would shift McIntire Road slightly to the east, restrict access to Hillcrest and Birdwood roads and move the entrance to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad.

The City Council this week heard details about the final design for the grade-separated interchange, which has an estimated price tag of $32.5 million. In June 2008, the council voted to proceed with a traditional diamond-shaped interchange where the U.S. 250 Bypass would pass over the existing McIntire Road and the new Meadowcreek Parkway.

In the final design, McIntire Road would be shifted slightly to the east to keep the grading of the on-ramps at a minimum. Access to Hillcrest and Birdwood roads would be restricted but neither road would be closed. The entrance to the rescue squad building will need to be moved, but not the facility itself.

The interchange will not affect the location of the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial.

In late July, the Federal Highway Administration issued a memorandum of understanding about the project that the City Council has not yet signed. The next step in the process is a meeting Friday to determine how the project’s effects on nearby waterways and historical properties will be mitigated. After that, the design will go before residents at a public hearing, which will be followed by a final vote by the City Council.

“Approval by way of a council resolution is a required step in order to obtain the federal highway authorization to proceed to right-of-way [acquisition],” said Angela Tucker, Charlottesville’s development services manager.

The city will need to acquire several parcels of land to build the project, some of which will affect historic properties. Property acquisition will likely begin next spring, and Tucker said at least some parcels might have to be taken by eminent domain.

The details of these impacts and the necessary parcels will be shown at the design public hearing. Before then, a full set of the plans are available at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library’s central branch.

Charlottesville Tomorrow is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization covering land-use and transportation issues in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.