Charlottesville - Albemarle Project (VA)
Positive Transportation Alternatives: SELC is promoting more transportation choices and better connectivity between transportation and land use decisions, supporting only those road improvements that are truly necessary. We are helping shape the debate over how best to improve traffic at the intersection of US 29, Hydraulic Road and the 250 Bypass.
More Sensible Development and Land Conservation: SELC encourages more sustainable development patterns and policies, including improving the quality of development within designated growth areas in Albemarle County, promoting infill development and community revitalization in the city, and protecting rural areas through advancements in land conservation.
Improved Water Resource Plan: SELC worked with The Nature Conservancy, the Piedmont Environmental Council and other groups to advocate a long-term supply of clean and safe drinking water for our region. That effort helped convince local decision makers not to pursue a costly proposed pipeline from the James River that would diminish local control over water supplies and could affect growth patterns. We are promoting an option now widely favored that includes a shorter pipeline between local reservoirs to help maximize the amount of water these sources can safely contribute.
Improved State Policies and Decisions: Decisions at the state level, particularly by VDOT and the Commonwealth Transportation Board, have a major impact on our community. SELC's state-wide leadership and education efforts have raised the profile of transportation and land use issues in Virginia, and our innovative proposals and working relationships with policy makers have helped reform state policies to the benefit of Charlottesville and other communities. Among other accomplishments, SELC prompted VDOT to create and fill the position of Chief of Environment and Planning, and we helped craft and pass new state legislation providing for stronger review of the transportation impacts of major land use decisions. We are working to increase funding for road maintenance and transportation alternatives, and to promote more context-sensitive design for new roads.
