The River Crossing's Last Stand!
Five years ago, I started a petition in support of a parallel Road with a trail West of I-95. The proposed 15 mile road would link 6 existing roads to keep costs and impacts down connecting to 17 existing roads and provide nearly 100 combinations of alternate routes. The petition now has over 5,000 supporters.
Two and a half years ago Fredericksburg and Stafford Officials voted to conduct a River Crossing study that included portions of my proposal. Approximately $700,000 was spent on the study. Many public meetings and surveys were conducted by FAMPO. There have been dozens of other public meetings where the river crossing was discussed.
In December 2023, while the study was being conducted Fredericksburg officials rezoned land for the Neon Project directly in the path of the shortest and least costly River Crossing option. Stafford Officials were upset by not being notified of the rezoning. One City official was quoted in the paper saying that river crossing option was dead. The consultant then added another river crossing option in the study to avoid the Neon project, but the cost of that option increased by tens of millions of dollars and has slightly more impacts.
The study and survey results are now complete with results showing the River Crossing with the Western network in Stafford will Reduce Traffic Regionally by 20% under extremely congested conditions. The most congested areas of Route 1, the Falmouth Intersection, Route 17 (Stafford), Route 630, Hospital Center Blvd, Truslow Road, Route 3 near the Interchange and Fall Hill Avenue will have significant reductions in Congestion in 2050.
The study also shows Shorter Alternate Routes, high time saving factors, significant reductions in miles driven and Decreased Ambulance transport times. Shorter alternate routes will get us out of Gridlock by giving us a choice to avoid the most congested areas. Shorter trips and time savings will get cars off the road quicker reducing air pollution significantly!
FAMPO officials are now in the process of choosing the best River Crossing Option, but there are some officials that want to kill it without a plan to relieve the gridlock. I say to them the river crossing had 78% support, how much support did you have?
Stafford Officials have recently amended the Stafford Comprehensive plan to identify the River Crossing.
City of Fredericksburg Officials have now put a Comprehensive Plan amendment and a rezoning on the fast track without a General Development Plan. The city's proposed comp plan is blank and doesn't identify a right-of-way for the river crossing. If approved with the By-right rezoning the Silver Company has the choice to block any or all the River Crossing Options with large buildings. No Company should have the authority to kill the river crossing.
If City officials, approve the Blank Comprehensive Plan Amendment, the Silver Company can turn around and submit a By-right General Development Plan with buildings that block all of the River Crossing options. That plan would then go to City staff for Administrative approval without the public knowing.
True leaders need to stand by the River Crossing and identify the right-of-way for a river crossing in their Comprehensive Plan!
I need everyone's help at the Fredericksburg City Council Public Hearing on Tuesday February 25th at 6:30 pm at 715 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
You don't have to speak, just show up to support the river crossing!
If you can't make it, please email the Mayor and City Council!
Tell them to identify a right-of-way for the River Crossing in their Comprehensive Plan!
kpdevine@fredericksburgva.gov
jagerlach@fredericksburgva.gov
jngraham@fredericksburgva.gov
clfrye@fredericksburgva.gov
Jwholmes@fredericksburgva.gov
wbmackintosh@fredericksburgva.gov