Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers withdrew the permit required to build a box culvert and sewer crossing needed for the construction of McIntire Road Extended (MRE), one of the city portions of the Meadow Creek Parkway, after the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) decided to change the road’s design to avoid disrupting local waters.
Today, the Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park publicly called for VDOT to make new plans available before construction begins. In a press conference on the Downtown Mall, Coalition member Rich Collins told reporters that the group wants City Council to prevent any action on the road before the plans are reviewed and before a public hearing is held.
Despite multiple requests, VDOT has not released any information regarding their plans, says Collins.
“Are they going to build a bridge?” he asked. “Or something else?”
More after the photo.
Coalition members Peter Kleeman (left) and John Cruickshank show reporters a map of McIntire Road Extended.
According to fellow Coalition member Peter Kleeman, if VDOT decides to construct a bridge to cross the stream, it will have to follow environmental regulations and, given the strict rules, could potentially be a minimum 100′ tall—which he calls “pretty substantial.”
If construction on MRE starts before the new designs are made readily available and before City Council has had the time to review them, the Coalition will file an injunction in state court, says Coalition member John Cruickshank.