Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bergel on Wheatland: Location

Author:
Introduction Post

This is one of a series of posts relating a letter from Catoctin District School Board representative Jennifer Bergel to her constituents regarding the Cangiano/Burgess Wheatland property acquisition. This section addresses the location of the property.
Along the major transportation artery; school traffic would be removed from the road sooner than later; appearance of little to no right of way acquisition needed. Priceless.

Community concerns – increased traffic along the major road – Rt. 287. Will there be a light before the light at Rt. 9? What will the impact be?

My observations:
  1. VERY few middle and high school buses touch Lovettsville proper. As one travels South on 287, a number of roads “spill out” – thus the buses get on the road and move toward Purcellville. This will not change with the opening of Woodgrove. Five buses that go into Lovettsville come from the Lovettsville Road area. About 14 others hit 287. The middle and high school bus traffic is already on 287 and will continue to be.
  2. How many remember that there has not always been a light at Rt. 9 and Rt. 287? Less than 20 years ago the light was NOT there. The traffic back ups at this location are of a historic nature. I do not believe by-right development will help the traffic. By-right development does not necessarily force road improvements. I have witnessed this fact near my home and near the homes of many in this part of Loudoun.
Next Post: Addressing Burton's Email
Labels: ,

1 comments:

  1. One obvious flaw in Ms. Bergel's reasoning is that ten years in the future the projected growth north of Route 9 will be centered around Lovettsville, not Wheatland. The fact that the proposed schools at Wheatland is located so far from the projected population center in Lovettsville means that the construction of this school complex will have implications on fossil energy usage by the County for many decades to come. Further, the traffic congestion from an estimated 80 buses on Rt 287, a major North-South route, will compound energy waste and unnecessarily increase the carbon footprint. The Comprehensive Plan wisely states that schools should be built near communities with existing water, sewage, traffic and electrical utilities.
    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)