The City Council will likely vote on the final design for a multimillion-dollar Meadowcreek Parkway interchange before the year’s end, but questions remain about paths for bicyclists and pedestrians in the project.

Charlottesville residents packed into CitySpace on the Downtown Mall to voice objections Thursday to a diamond-shaped interchange slated to be built at the U.S. 250 Bypass and McIntire Road.

The Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park and its supporters rallied Wednesday to denounce the Meadowcreek Parkway in advance of a public hearing today on the design of the parkway’s terminus.

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.

All of the sewer flows that go through the line originate in Charlottesville.

“They are the keepers of historic preservation and are concerned for all eligible properties,”

A federal historic preservation body has determined that there should be more discussion on how historic properties could be compromised from the construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway’s terminus, an interchange at the U.S. 250 Bypass.

The Piedmont Family YMCA now hopes to begin construction on its McIntire Park center this coming spring, roughly a year after the nonprofit anticipated starting on the facility that remains controversial.

Parkway opponents have long argued that the city’s portion of the parkway, Albemarle County’s portion and the interchange are all one project.

“Some of these challenges really do need visionary thinking,” Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris said.

Opponents of the Meadowcreek Parkway are moving onto their next battle, this time arguing that the 2-mile road was separated purposefully into three sections to evade federal environmental protection and historic preservation laws.

The land transfer that gave the Virginia Department of Transpor-tation the right to build the Meadowcreek Parkway on city property was legal and constitutional and construction may continue, a Charlottesville Circuit Court judge has ruled.

A judge ruled against opponents of the Meadowcreek Parkway project today, clearing the way for construction of the city’s portion of the 2-mile road to proceed.

Construction equipment at the Meadowcreek Parkway sustained about $110,000 in damages Tuesday night after arson and vandalism occurred at a staging site.

Smith is a Belmont resident who works odd jobs as a carpenter and is considered a bit of a gadfly at City Council meetings.