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Charlottesville Regional Chamber Says Transportation System is Not Adequate; "Real Action is Essential;" Lists "Vital" Priority Projects
(Charlottesville, Virginia - December 9) The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce today said that the Greater Charlottesville region's transportation network "... does not adequately provide for the efficient mobility of citizens ... and that timely transportation improvements are essential for the current and future safety and vitality of our region."
The Chamber also reaffirmed its support and "active advocacy" for an "improved comprehensive transportation system" with a list of "vital transportation projects."
The Chamber list of transportation "priority projects" is:
expeditious construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway;
expeditious construction of the North Grounds Connector;
development & construction of a limited-access US Route 29 Western Bypass;
expeditious development and implementation of a comprehensive, integrated signal and traffic management system within the region's urban center;
expeditious development and construction of a number of key regional roadways such as: an expanded US29/S-US250/W Bypass ramp, a "Hillsdale Drive Extension," a commercial traffic bypass in Gordonsville and other key emerging projects;
continued enhancement of the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport as a premier regional airport and key national transportation gateway into our region; and,
continued enhanced appropriate public transit options.
The Chamber articulated its position in Chamber Resolution 04-3: Transportation Principles & Priority Projects approved by the Chamber Board of Directors. The resolution reinforces earlier Chamber policy positions regarding transportation..
The Chamber also cited "increasing frustration" with "studies" and "lack of progress on any significant public-funded roadway improvements within our region." It noted "that our local, state and federal public servants must commit to repair this failure." The Chamber stated "real action - advancing construction of real transportation improvements that enhance a safer, vehicular mobility for citizens and commerce - is essential."
The Chamber also noted that the Commonwealth's and region's transportation network needs to be adequately funded and that transportation Trust Funds must be "managed for their sole dedicated public purpose and not available for other fiscal exigencies." At several times over the past decade, the Commonwealth has diverted dedicated transportation trust funds to other governmental functions.
The Chamber supports projects "in the context that they must and can meet all applicable federal and state environmental, health, safety and transportation requirements."
The Chamber also said it "supports a redesigned transportation project approval process that accommodates appropriate public participation along an efficient timetable for design and construction of needed public transportation infrastructure."
The Chamber Government Affairs Committee Transportation Task Force, chaired by Christopher Lee, Chamber Government Affairs Committee Chairman, developed the new Chamber resolution. Other Task Force members are: Ben Foster, Chamber President Timothy Hulbert, Susan Lewis, David Sutton, Eric Strucko and Neil Williamson.
The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in the greater Charlottesville communities. Founded in 1913, today the Chamber has 1,200 member enterprises which employ more than 45,000 men and women in the Charlottesville region, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.3 billion a year.
Chamber Resolution (04-3): Transportation Principles & Priority Projects
WHEREAS, our Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1913, today numbers 1,200 member enterprises, together employing more than 45,000 people in our communities, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.3 billion a year is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in our greater Charlottesville communities;
WHEREAS, our Chamber regularly exercises our civic responsibilities by participating actively in public policy debate and decisions of significance to our Chamber member enterprises, our Greater Charlottesville communities and the Commonwealth of Virginia; and our Chamber encourages our diverse member enterprises to participate actively in public policy matters; and, our Chamber is respectful of other citizens and organizations who reasonably disagree;
WHEREAS, transportation infrastructure improvements are central to the continued and future vitality and quality of life of our Commonwealth and Greater Charlottesville communities, our Chamber has expressed our transportation perspective in Chamber Resolution 02-2A "Transportation Principles, System and Projects" and other Chamber policy statements affirming our Chamber's support for an improved statewide transportation system;
WHEREAS, it is evident that the transportation network in our Greater Charlottesville region currently does not adequately provide for the efficient mobility of citizens, businesses, civic institutions and visitors and that timely transportation improvements are essential for the current and future safety and vitality of our region;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of our Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, that our Chamber of Commerce reaffirms our support - and active advocacy - for a modern, safe, efficient, comprehensive, integrated, adequately funded transportation system that serves and is responsive to the transportation needs of our Commonwealth of Virginia and our Greater Charlottesville region; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our Chamber of Commerce also reaffirms our support of the Virginia tradition of excellence in governmental financial stewardship, thus such stewardship demands improvement in the financial management of the transportation system including statutory protection of transportation trust funds managed for their sole dedicated public purpose and not available for other fiscal exigencies;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our Chamber reaffirms our support for an improved comprehensive transportation system and our support - and active advocacy - for a number of vital transportation projects in such an improved system including:
expeditious construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway;
expeditious construction of the North Grounds Connector;
development & construction of a limited-access US Route 29 Western Bypass;
expeditious development and implementation of a comprehensive, integrated signal and traffic management system within the region's urban center;
expeditious development and construction of a number of key regional roadways such as: an expanded US29/S-US250/W Bypass ramp, a "Hillsdale Drive Extension," a commercial traffic bypass in Gordonsville and other key emerging projects;
continued enhancement of the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport as a premier regional airport and key national transportation gateway into our region; and,
continued enhanced appropriate public transit options.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our Chamber supports these projects - and other public and private projects - in the context that they must and can meet all applicable federal and state environmental, health, safety and transportation requirements;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our Chamber supports a redesigned transportation project approval process that accommodates appropriate public participation along an efficient timetable for design and construction of needed public transportation infrastructure; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce expresses our increasing frustration with seemingly constant studies and the continued lack of progress on any significant public-funded roadway improvements within our region; that our local, state and federal public servants must commit to repair this failure; that real action - advancing construction of real transportation improvements that enhance a safer, vehicular mobility for citizens and commerce - is essential; and furthermore, that our Chamber will increase our active advocacy to achieve this goal.
x / Ivo Romenesko
Chairman of the Board of Directors
x / Timothy Hulbert
President
November 23, 2004
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