While the federally earmarked 250 Interchange remains as motionless as a Volvo wagon caught in rush hour traffic, the other portions of the tripartite Meadow Creek Parkway—including McIntire Road Extended, reports Charlottesville Tomorrow—are slowly rolling ahead. The Commonwealth Transportation Board recently awarded a $3.37 million construction contract for the city’s portion of the parkway, and building could begin within the next two months, provided the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits construction around a nearby stream.
In February, members of the Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park filed a lawsuit against the Federal Highway Administration to stop construction of the 250 Interchange. In the suit, the coalition members claim that the use of federal money on the interchange violates the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The act prohibits the use of federal funds on roads that pass through parkland unless there are no alternative routes. For background, click here.