I. INTRODUCTION

Effective transportation networks are essential to any community. Efficient and safe movement of people between homes, stores, jobs, schools and recreational activities allows modern human activity to occur. Access to all modes of travel region-wide can open up opportunities for many residents. Balanced systems enable multiple users to move effectively without interfering with another.

For the past few decades, automobiles have held an almost exclusive reign on the minds of planners and the budgets of state and local transportation departments. Movement through newer developments can be particularly challenging using other forms of travel. Many urban neighborhoods with strong potential for alternative transportation are nearly over-run with cross-town traffic. The automobile represents a particular problem because it can be a threat or nuisance to other modes of travel. By altering roads to ensure automobile convenience to every destination, we may have overrun or forgotten pedestrians and bikers. Near-total reliance on automobile travel can lead to problems when the system is unusable, due to accidents, weather, construction, or oil shortages. In order to bring systems into balance, we must re-introduce safe bicycle and pedestrian travel to our streets and increase mass transit ridership.

This study is a real world demonstration of a tool designed to measure accessibility to various modes of transportation. Neighborhoods will be graded using the Real Accessibility Index (RAI), a tool created by students and faculty at the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, but not yet street-tested. The current system of rating transportation is Level of Service, which is concerned exclusively with automobile mobility, and inevitably leads to construction of larger roadways. The RAI is a method of scoring automobile, bicycle, transit, and pedestrian travel links between residents and services and also within neighborhoods. Each mode is given equal weight in the overall score, which will be converted to a letter grade for easy comprehension. Localities may then base priorities for improvements on measured criteria and work towards creating a truly balanced transportation system.

Neighborhoods analyzed in this study are located in the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle in Central Virginia. Target areas range from old, dense, urban neighborhoods to new subdivisions and apartment complexes as well as a rural crossroads. Each neighborhood will be scored using the RAI. Recommendations for improvements are listed; mostly simple, affordable steps which can be accomplished in a reasonable amount of time. Neighborhoods will be re-graded assuming that the recommendations have been implemented to determine how effective the suggestions are. Some discussion of longer term, farther reaching changes including land use changes, major construction, and policy revisions is followed by funding and implementation possibilities.

The effectiveness of the Real Accessibility Index as a means of measuring and assessing needs will be determined. If successful, we believe it can become an important tool for giving decision makers a more subjective means of determining where to direct scarce resources when attempting to provide adequate access to services for members of their community.

II. The Real Accessibility Index

The Real Accessibility Index (RAI) is a tool designed to score access to services by determining the extent and condition of transportation infrastructure. It was created at the University of Virginia with the intention of becoming a standard method of determining how balanced a system of transportation infrastructure is, where access to services is lacking and how limited resources can best be used to improve the situation. Target areas receive points based on the availability of various modes of travel and connections made between services and residential areas. The more options that are available to an area, the higher its score will be. Scores reflect connectivity, continuity, ease of use, safety, integration of modes, and pleasantness of travel.

The Index is being tested on neighborhoods in and near Charlottesville, Virginia, to find out how it works "on the street". Some modifications have been made to the original version of the Index. The largest change is in the targeted areas of study. The RAI was designed to show access into and around hubs; areas such as shopping centers or dense urban districts providing multiple services to nearby residents. This study is aimed at determining if residents of neighborhoods have access to services, a different, but parallel viewpoint which requires a shift in scoring methods.

Neighborhoods can receive up to 30 points per mode for links to services and 20 per mode for interior accessibility. Half points are allowed, but no other fractions. After determining the scores for each mode, they are summed up and then divided by two*. The number reached is then assigned a letter grade, using a 15 point scale, with a perfect score being 100, or A+. A neighborhood scoring less than 40 points gets a failing grade.

Point Scale

To be considered adequate for the purposes of this study, each mode of travel must be served by a separate, continuous, safe right-of-way. Integrated networks that provide connections to multiple destinations are best. Travel options should be available all seasons and times. Large roads with more vehicular traffic need more attention than small side streets, which are generally safe for non-motorists. Clean and inviting streets will be utilized more often than untidy ones, so neatness counts, too.

* -- The score is set at two-hundred to allow for more detailed measurement of services and multiple connections to be scored. With only 25 points to assign for each mode, most neighborhoods will have a high linkage score, which would be inaccurate and not allow for good comparison. Halving the score back to one-hundred makes it easy to set a letter grade comprehended by most people.

Linkage points are awarded for each particular mode of travel if a resident of the neighborhood can reach services effectively using that mode. Services are scaled by importance (See Table 1) so as to give proper weighting to the importance of certain linkages. Each mode of travel may achieve a maximum of 30 linkage points.

By using such a scaling method, priorities can be given when determining which projects achieve the greatest increase in accessibility. For example, a pedestrian link to the grocery store will boost a score by three points because a grocery store is used everyday by nearly every citizen. It is more worthwhile to invest in that project than a bike lane to the dentist’s office. A neighborhood with multiple connections, especially to frequent use services, will require improvements in some other category, a fact reflected in its high score in this category.

Services used more often, especially daily, score higher than those used less often, which require less access. Each area may only score five of each type of service category. This ensures that a proper balance of services is available. A neighborhood with thirty trinket shops and no food is not well serviced and cannot score high linkage points.

Table 1 - Point scale for service access
Frequent Use (3 pt)	Regular Use (2 pt)	Occasional Use (1pt)
Basic Shopping	Restaurant	Specialty shopping
(Grocery - Drugstore)	Banking	Barber/Beauty Salon
Employment	Entertainment	Out of town travel
School	Government facilities	Dentist/Doctor
Convenience Store	Recreation / Parks
Service Center / Gas	Laundry
Other neighborhoods	Church

Specialty shopping includes clothing, hardware, gifts, and anything not basic to daily household functions. Entertainment includes theaters, clubs, and putt-putt golf. Recreation can include jogging/hiking trails, fitness clubs, sports facilities, and parks. Access to a doctor is meant for check-ups or less-than-vital visits, assuming immediate medical care is provided by emergency vehicles whenever and wherever needed.

Interior accessibility is graded for each mode of travel. If a person cannot travel within and throughout a neighborhood, links at the borders are of no use. The network must include access to every doorway or it fails to qualify as equal and accessible, let alone functional. Scores in this category reflect existence of right-of-way for each mode as well as condition of the right of way. Points are awarded for completeness of the system, safety, cleanliness, convenience, lighting (hours of use), weather protection (days of use), and relationships with other modes of travel. Each mode can receive up to 20 points for interior accessibility.

Automobiles

Automobiles enjoy nearly full access to most service destinations in modern America. Factors affecting auto use include trip time, type of road traveled, safety, parking availability, system signage, weather, and time of day.

A reasonable trip in a car is estimated to be up to five miles, or 15 minutes, without congestion. Driving becomes problematic in rainy or foggy weather, and can become impossible under certain conditions, such as snow. Adequate pavement markings, light and signage can greatly improve mobility under all conditions. Congestion of roadways has become a daily occurrence in many areas. Multiple or poorly integrated traffic controls slow movement down. Areas of excessive open pavement, unmarked lanes or inadequate signage can lead to confusion and unsafe situations. Unsafe entry or exit points can make destinations undesirable. High speed traffic is unnerving and dangerous.

The availability of parking, which is typically expected to be free, greatly influences automobile access. A car must always be parked when not in use, so if you can’t park there, you can’t drive there (unless using a drive-through facility). On-street parking adds to convenience, but may increase safety and traffic movement problems. Service areas usually have more than enough parking as required by zoning codes, but some centers, such as downtown areas, are notoriously over-parked anyway.

The number of access points is scored as half of the total number of in and out roads, up to two points. Parking availability can earn a neighborhood 4 points, 3 for off-street and 1 for on-street. Roads receive 3 points for adequate pavement markings, 2 points each for signage, lighting, speed controls, lack of congestion, and road width, and a point each for road condition factors: surface (potholes), cleanliness (litter/debris), and passability (snow).

Pedestrians

Walking is the oldest, simplest, cheapest, quietest, and least polluting form of travel known to man. Walkways are the capillaries of a community. Cars and buses only carry people to the vicinity of where they wish to go, the rest occurs on foot. Children, elderly persons, disabled, and other non-drivers require safe non-automobile transportation to be independent. It should be noted that creation of a viable walking network expands the realm of opportunity to those who do not drive, for example, allowing teenagers to work in areas that used to be considered out of reach. The pedestrian realm is about a half mile. Jobs, schools, transit, entertainment and shopping should be within a ten minute walking distance of residences or people will drive. Services beyond this limit do not score points.

Adequate right of way for pedestrians is considered a sidewalk or other path on at least one side of the street with appropriate crosswalks to complete the network. Curb and gutter concrete walks are ideal, but asphalt lanes, mulch or woodchip, gravel and even mowed grass, are appropriate in some locations. Walkways should allow two people to walk either with or past each other without interference from obstacles in the path. Walks should be lit for use at night, and kept clean and clear of vegetation and litter. Trees provide protection from sun and rain. Handicapped accessible curb cuts also help people with strollers, roller-skates or carts. A complete network will resemble lace when cut out from a map. Linkage points take into account access from the street to the door of the destination. Many shopping centers and new apartments are completely lacking pedestrian facilities through parking lots. Many are surrounded by walks without providing a connection to the interior walkways, stores, or homes.

A full half of the interior access points available are used to measure provision of separate pedestrian right-of-way. One point is awarded for every 10% of street with an appropriate walkway on at least on side. Major streets should have walks on both sides, and short cul-de-sacs need not have walks at all. A total of 3 points are given for appropriate crosswalks, 2 for clear walks, and 1 point each for lighting, handicapped accessibility, weather protection, calm traffic, and cleanliness.

Bicycles

Bicycle accessibility depends on the provision of right-of-way, road width and character, vehicular traffic conditions, and access to parking for bicycles. Bicycle lanes give cyclists enormous improvements in safety and connectivity for commuting in a city. Major thoroughfares should have bicycle lanes painted on the road surface and signs designating right-of-way to facilitate safe bicycle traffic. Most large neighborhood streets should be treated in the same manner. Lanes should provide service to parks, schools, shopping areas, and employment centers. Bicycle lanes must be integrated into the existing traffic pattern and on-street parking system. Poorly planned lanes can create a false sense of security and lead to higher accident rates. Regular riders consider two miles or about half an hour a reasonable travel distance.

A minimum five foot width per lane is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standard that is observed in most of the U.S. for safety to motorists and cyclists. Lanes are low cost, as long as roads are wide enough to accommodate them. Small residential streets and dead ends should not require lanes, although they may be useful in some cases. Within neighborhoods, bikes can be ridden in the street, with proper care and respect for others. Bicycles cannot be ridden on sidewalks.

Stormwater grates must be smooth to cross and designed to ensure rider protection. Street cleaning is especially important to bicycle travelers, and maintenance schedules must be created to maintain clear streets, with and without lanes. Racks should be provided at or very near most destinations. These racks must be secure, easy-to-use and out of the way of other modes of travel.

Internal bicycle accessibility includes 10 points for provision of lanes on major neighborhood streets, 5 points for calm traffic, 5 points for removal of obstacles and keeping lanes or streets clean and clear of debris. Linkage points are awarded if lanes lead to a destination (up to 25) and racks exist there(5).

Mass Transit

In order for transit to give users access to services, riders must be able to safely reach a bus, which must travel to relevant destination points. A complete network includes routes to most service areas and residential areas with adequate stops for those waiting to catch a ride. Adequate stops include benches, weather protection, system information and maps, and trash bins. The best stops are those integrated with a neighborhood retail center, a place to pick up a paper, magazine, or snack. Access to transit is generally complemented by interior pedestrian access as most transit riders arrive on foot. Specific concerns at transit stops include provision of mid-block crossings and enhanced handicapped access.

Users may take multiple routes to arrive at a particular destination, so route timing and ease of transfers affects the reasonableness of system use. Bus trips should take twenty minutes or less for most destinations. Hours of system operation determines access to services. The longer a system operates, the more people can use it.

Neighborhoods served by transit receive ten points for providing links to services. In this study, two of these points are awarded region-wide for JAUNT, and the other eight count for CTS. Areas not currently served by mass transit can gain large amounts of points with minimal investment if transit routes can be modified or expanded to reach these areas.

The number (up to 4) of buses per hour, and number of routes available (up to 3) count as well. Time in service, worth 8 points, is calculated as one half the number of hours service is provided, considering a schedule of 6AM to 10PM (16 hours) reasonable for most usage. This will cover morning commuters and evening shoppers. Days in service per week is worth a total of 3 points, two for weekdays and 1 for weekends. Provision of maps and other system explanatory materials ensures smooth travel and is worth 2 points (1 on buses and 1 at stops, especially transfers).

Interior access points are awarded for access to and pleasantness of stops. Neighborhoods score 5 points each for provision of a platform, bench, and shelter at stops. Two points are awarded for crosswalks to stops not on walkways and for handicapped accessibility. Provision of trash receptacles scores 1 point.

Double-counting

It should be noted that some categories can be counted twice or more. For example, traffic calming is scored in all categories except transit. Implementing these programs will create ripples, leading to large increases in point scores, which reflects the overall positive impact of these improvements. Adequate pedestrian systems score points for transit use. Handicapped accessibility scores for transit, pedestrian and bicycle accessibility.

Real Accessibility Index

Scoring Possibilities

Total Score = 200

III. Transportation Alternatives in Charlottesville

and Albemarle County

The Charlottesville-Albemarle area is a small city and urban county area surrounded by suburbs, farms, and open space beyond. It is nestled in a valley in the foothills just east of the Blue Ridge mountains in Central Virginia. The city has about 40,000 residents, and the county about 80,000. The University of Virginia is the largest attraction in the area. Other industry includes health care, publishing, cattle raising, telecommunications, and tourism. The downtown core is located about a mile from the University with a vital Main Street corridor connecting the two, forming a sort of dumbbell. Neighborhoods fall away from these dense areas on all sides. Route 250 runs east-west through the area, offering quick travel across town. Route 29, running roughly north and south through the area ranges in size from a two-lane street to a four lane highway to a massive fourteen lane suburban arterial. Most services in the county are located on this heavily traveled corridor, to the north and west of downtown Charlottesville and UVA. Two major rail lines also cross in this small city.

According to the Traffic Reduction Employee Survey, most workers (two-thirds) drove alone to work every day, many carpool, walking accounts for about 15%, biking 8% and mass transit 7% of commuter preferences for the city and county. In the urban area, it is generally possible to commute via car, bike, bus, or foot. As density lowers and automobile speeds increase towards the suburbs, most options yield to the car.

Automobile

Charlottesville, like most other U.S. cities, has been busy over the past few decades building and maintaining infrastructure aimed at improving automobile access. The result of this trend is that nearly every possible destination the region is now accessible by car. A major effect of moving from place to place in cars at high speeds is that other travel options are rendered unsafe, especially in areas where they mix or intersect with moving vehicles. Even moderate amounts of automobile traffic, whether local or cross-town, can create safety problems, noise, and contribute to a lower quality of life.

One way to lessen the impact and improve the safety and pleasantness of automobile systems is traffic calming. This is a new concept used to describe a group of design and engineering measures aimed at slowing traffic to improve safety and overall quality of life for everyone on or near a roadway. These measures aim to reduce the threat of speeding automobiles without degrading the driving experience or simply adding new regulations. Curbing the ability of automobile traffic to bisect the region into isolated islands is essential in providing increased opportunities for other travel options. Traffic calming possibilities and techniques are discussed in Appendix F.

Parking is a sensitive issue in the area. The University area has a severe parking shortage. Many urban neighborhoods may lack space for off-street parking and require on-street parking, which requires wider roads. Right-of-way utilized for parking competes with sidewalks or bike lanes on many streets. Some neighborhoods bear the brunt of parking shortages at nearby centers. Permit parking zones may add to resident costs, while not relieving the problem much. A goal of this project is to reduce the need for cars, hopefully freeing up some of this space for more productive means than storing vehicles. The number of available spaces can be reduced by filling extra slots with curbed concrete or grassy areas. These will not only help remedy the parking problem, but can improve pedestrian and bicycle safety by calming traffic.

The ability to find one’s way around is vital to movement throughout a region. Road signs for safety and direction should always be clear. Maintenance of vegetation around traffic signs appears lacking in the entire area. Plantings in these areas may be changed to those which require less trimming if maintenance budgets are short. Adopt-a-Street programs may help with this effort. Road markings, including painted lines and mid-road reflectors, make driving at night and in the rain easier.

Pedestrian

Charlottesville estimates that it has over 145 miles of sidewalk, with nearly 30-35 miles of streets lacking walks. The county has very few sidewalks beyond major highways and roads. Multiple foot trails and pathways exist in the area, proof of pedestrian demands for short routes. Gaps in the sidewalk network should be filled to create a more complete network. Currently, the city completes two or three of its 99 priority walk segments per year. Governments should increase the pace of sidewalk construction.

Crosswalks are an important element of a connected and safe system, but are poorly maintained or absent region-wide. A program to increase their numbers combined with a schedule of regular re-paintings can remedy this problem. They should be located at every intersection where regular pedestrian activity exists and at bus stops, parks, schools, and shopping areas, including the parking lots, where needed. Most intersections with traffic signals should have pedestrian controlled crossing signals as well. Right turn on red must be eliminated at these intersections to improve pedestrian safety. All walks should be handicap accessible with proper curb cuts at intersections, and audible cross signals for the blind, where especially needed. Heavily used walks and those at schools should be highlighted with a sign warning on-coming traffic. Bulbing intersections and reducing curb radii will shorten the distance and time that pedestrians must spend in the potential paths of automobiles. A crosswalk island refuge provides a safe zone in the middle of the street, and is especially useful at mid-block crossings. Too many crosswalks will create a situation where they are ignored and care should be taken that they are provided only where truly needed.

Crosswalks should be painted in a reflective bright color, usually white. Paving crosswalks with brick, stone, or other non-asphalt surface creates a well defined pedestrian zone. The city recently installed some stamped asphalt crossings which imitate brick at a much lower cost for installation and maintenance. These crossings are not well traversed by blind or handicapped persons, however. Platform intersections and raised crosswalks, where the street pavement is raised to the level of the sidewalk, more clearly define pedestrian territory.

Obstacles to pleasant walking include street signs, fire hydrants and utility poles. Signs present a special case of obstacles which can be cheaply and easily removed from walkways in most cases. Many no parking zones are marked with street signs. There also a high number of informational signs which are located in the sidewalk but serve automobile traffic. Pedestrian travel should not be blocked by automobile infrastructure. This is not only inconvenient and often frustrating, it can become a safety issue and inhibit handicapped mobility, as well as interfering with strollers and dog leashes. It is often impossible to carry on a conversation with a co-walker in Charlottesville because one person is constantly having to step around obstacles, sometimes choosing the street as the quick route. It may be noted that many joggers run in the bike lanes, perhaps a reflection of the conditions along sidewalks.

Many signs could be replaced with painted markings on the street or curb. Painted curbs require maintenance more frequently than signs, but that maintenance is cheap. No-parking signs marking intersections are a particular frustration since drivers should know not to park in these zones anyway. Handicapped parking zones can also be marked with a painted symbol. Bicycle lane signs in place during the introductory phase of the area’s bicycle programs may be replaced with a painted bicycle symbol on the asphalt after drivers are more familiar with cyclists.

Sign relocation is a relatively simple process. A potentially movable sign should be reported to the city traffic engineer, who will determine if relocation is recommendable, and perform the necessary work to move the sign. As long as the sign remains visible and serves its function, relocation is OK. Signs which affect traffic movement, such as stop signs, usually must be highly visible. Traffic signs can be collocated on street posts used for power or lighting. Given that it costs the city less than $20 per sign ($7.00 parts, $12.00 labor) to relocate signs into the grass, a program to remove these obstacles would be relatively cheap. One thousand dollars can remove fifty signs from neighborhood streets, and should be easily obtained through grants written for neighborhood associations.

Mailboxes, especially the large blue USPS collection boxes, can be relocated so as not to interfere with pedestrian mobility. A written request to the local Postmaster with plans for where the box can be relocated must be submitted. The Postal Service will move a box provided that the adjacent property owner gives permission. The requester must also provide either $250 or a concrete pad that meets USPS standard upon which to place and anchor the box. Volunteer labor can pour concrete either purchased with Neighborhood Association funds, or donated to minimize costs associated with this improvement. Areas with individual residential boxes in the sidewalk may need to have Postal workers park and deliver mail by hand if the boxes are to be relocated. Boxes designed for automobile drop-off of mail can’t be moved.

Utility poles should be buried or removed from sidewalks wherever physically possible. Even after relocation of every street sign, these enormous obstacles will remain. This is an expensive option which often can be put off until street repairs are made to reduce costs. According to the Urban Design Plan for Charlottesville, plans are in store to move power and utility lines underground and out of sight. Fire hydrants can be relocated where reasonable, although relocation of these obstacles would be expensive and require heavy digging. Buffer zones between sidewalks and streets are a perfect location for such utilities.

Many city streets have poles on both sides, even though individual wires often cross the street from a pole to a house. On some streets, wires appear to cross the street multiple times. It is possible that over the years, multiple companies and utilities have not worked in harmony to create a truly coherent and efficient network. A study should be conducted to determine if any existing power or phone lines can be reorganized, collocated, or eliminated in an effort to reduce the number of poles needed to carry the line infrastructure.

Every trash, recycling, or leaf pick-up day in a neighborhood challenges pedestrians with more than the usual burden of obstacles to overcome. Most residents place cans, tubs and bags on the sidewalk to await removal by any variety of service providers including BFI, Time Disposal, and RSWA. After being dumped, the containers are then returned to the walkway where they sit all day until owners get home and remove them. These groups can send out flyers to users about the need to keep pedestrian paths clear. In some cases, the sidewalk may be the only place for such objects, but generally, this is a correctable problem. Also, the city’s sticker program generates litter on a continual basis. Service providers should properly dispose of stickers that are placed on garbage cans. Perhaps the city can assess a trash fee per household that is payable yearly and eliminate the need for the stickers altogether.

Litter and debris combine to make walking unpleasant, if not dangerous in some areas. Broken glass is especially dangerous in travel paths. A city-wide cleanup is needed, followed by a strong effort to provide and service trash receptacles to help contain the problem. Bus stops make great locations for trash cans, which should include ash trays for cigarettes. An Adopt-a-Street program exists, and can be promoted to expand the amount of area adopted. Neighborhood Associations should help in these efforts, perhaps adopting streets themselves as a group activity. A large amount of litter is in the form of glass and aluminum drink containers, which can be turned in for profit at places such as Coiner’s scrap metal. These profits can pay for a picnic to celebrate after the clean-up.

Rainy days are a hassle for those walking or riding bikes, especially if puddles are frequently either in the path or in locations where automobiles can splash through them, dousing passers-by. Proper drainage must be considered in areas where people are expected to travel. Storm water drains must be kept clear of debris, or puddles form in the roadway, near the sidewalk, a particularly bad combination at bus stops or intersections, where people are often waiting.

Snow comes to town often enough to be a problem for travel in the region. Many times, roadways may be cleared for driving long before walkways are traversable. The city sends crews out to shovel walks, and some walks are cleared with machinery. If a continuous, clear system of walks is created, a street sweeper type vehicle or small plow could be sent to clear walkways when snow or ice hits. This is not an option currently due to presence of multiple obstacles and gaps in the system which would make smooth operation of a "sidewalk Zambonie" nearly impossible in most areas of the community.

Street trees add to the charm and weather protection along walks, and when placed between cars and people, improve safety. On hot days, the trees provide shade, on rainy and snowy days, shelter from the elements. A project should be established to distribute trees for planting along sidewalks on private property. Trees can be taken from city property, such as parks, or purchased with cost-sharing from the Department of Forestry and provided to landowners free of charge if planted within ten feet of a city or county right-of-way. The Tree Stewardship Program offered by City Parks Division helps residents learn how to maintain trees. It also maintains a fund of voluntary tax deductible donations used to purchase and plant trees on public property.

Vegetation such as hedgerows, flowers, and shrubs also add to the enjoyment of a walk. All vegetation and trees should remain clear of the walkway and a zone extending six and a half feet above the entire walkway. Property owners should be made aware of this and assisted if needed in keeping walks clear. Region-wide, sidewalks are in need of vegetative clearance. Some walks are reduced to half capacity because of overgrowth that has not been cut in a few years.

In some areas, curb cuts exist in walks where no road or driveway requires access. These create a problem for bicycles and handicapped persons, as well as attracting puddles. In the long run, these should be restored to normal curb height. Another obstacle is gravel washes from driveways, which are a especially threatening since they are usually located where the sidewalk is not flat. These drives could be stabilized, paved, or simply better maintained.

Street furniture such as benches should be long-lasting and resistant to theft and/or vandalism if possible. Fences, walls, shrubs, artworks and ground textures other than concrete make walking a pleasurable experience. Care must be taken not to provide hiding spots for criminals. Pedestrian scaled lighting ranging from nine to twelve feet tall should be spaced carefully throughout neighborhoods to allow use of streets when the sun is not shining. The inclusion of lighting can not guarantee reduced crime, and care must be taken to avoid too much lighting.

Bicycle

Both localities have adopted a Bicycle plan outlining priorities for improvements. Goals of the plan include providing a safe, convenient regional network, and increasing rider safety with education. Each locality has dedicated financial resources to bicycle projects. The Bicycle Advisory Committee has stimulated interest and action in providing for cyclists needs.

According to a recent survey (See bike plan), more people would ride if routes to work, shopping, parks, and downtown were available. Common reasons not to ride include high speed or volumes of traffic (safety) and lack of facilities.

Lanes currently exist in the city on West Main Street, Preston Avenue, Rose Hill Drive, Jefferson Park Avenue, JPA Extended, Preston Avenue, Fifth Street Extended, Harris Street, Hillsdale Drive, Greenbrier Drive, Hydraulic Road, University Avenue, Emmet Street, Arlington Boulevard, and Ridge Street. Next in line for the city include Millmont Avenue, Alderman Road, Copeley Road, Massie Road, Melbourne Road, more of Emmet Street, Meadow Creek Trails, and the 9th/10th Street Connector. The county is considering lanes on Ivy and Old Ivy, West Rio Road, Woodbrook Road, Carrsbrook Road, Northfield Road, Airport Road, and Georgetown Road, among others. There is a rural bikeway network designated as well which includes roads into western Albemarle, including Earlysville, Free Union, Whitehall, Crozet, and Batesville, south to Scottsville, into Fluvanna County on the east, and throughout the Route 29 north corridor to the airport and developing UVA North Fork Research Park. Separate lanes will be provided on an east-west route paralleling Route 250. If constructed, the Meadow Creek Parkway would include bike lanes.

The procedure for installing bike lanes in Charlottesville is to wait until the street is to be repaved. If the street is slated to have a path as per the bicycle plan, one will be considered if the street is wide enough to accommodate a minimum five foot wide access upon repaving. The city hopes to provide service to four major areas: Downtown, the University, Barracks Road, and Charlottesville High School/McIntire Park with a loop system having extensions into neighborhoods. Lanes in the city generally tend to stop short of intersections and other squeeze points where they are often needed most. Efforts should be made to tie the system together at these gaps. Removal of on-street parking may free up right-of-way for cyclists. The County has devoted resources towards implementing the plan in their area. Lanes in the County will be maintained by VDOT except for snow and ice removal

Street cleaning on a regular basis is essential in maintaining a safe bicycle transit system. Automobile traffic often blows debris from travel lanes into bike lanes. Shards of glass and plastics can puncture tires and rocks and branches can cause accidents. Storm drain grates should be aligned properly so as not to "eat" bicycle wheels. Where bike lanes are not possible, and sidewalk use is permitted, ramps at intersections improve cyclist safety and comfort. Curb cuts can also help give riders access all the way to parks or schools. Chokers, speed humps, and other traffic calming devices should be bicycle-friendly by design.

Bicycle racks are as essential to riders as parking is for drivers, and should be provided at all possible locations, especially commercial areas, places of employment and parks. These should be solid, easy to use, and located out of the way of other traffic. Racks can also be provided on buses for transit using riders. Ten new CTS buses have bicycle racks on them.

Mass Transit

Public mass transit service in the area is provided by Charlottesville Transit Service (CTS), University Transit Service (UTS), and Jefferson Area United Transit (JAUNT). CTS fares are seventy five cents with free transfers. Buses generally run Monday through Saturday, from about 6:30 a.m. till 6:30 p.m. Buses come once an hour, except during mornings and afternoons on weekdays, when two per hour serve some routes. UTS provides free service around the University area to students, faculty and staff. UTS riders may transfer to CTS at no charge.

Both CTS and UTS riders agree that buses are clean, safe, pleasant, and run on time and that drivers are helpful. Many noted that an increase in availability of transit would stimulate them to switch from driving alone. More people would ride if the bus came nearer their house, ran shorter trips more often, and ran somewhat earlier in the morning and later in the evening than it currently does. Those surveyed desired service from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Provision of service route maps and schedules is noted as lacking for both providers. The majority of riders use it due to lack of a vehicle. About half use the service for trips to work, others for shopping or recreation.

Adjustment to time schedules and route patterns will expand service delivery. Providing service until 10PM would be ideal, although this should be approached in phases, starting with service until 8PM. Routes running double buses should do so throughout the mid-day to help those running lunch-time errands. With the opening of the new 9th/10th Street connector, both services can cross the railroad tracks. It may be possible to split existing long routes into shorter, quicker loops all focused around downtown, with small foci at Barracks Road and Rt. 29/Rio Road. A downtown transfer center may be created for those switching routes or requiring taxi service.

Bus stops are the interface between riders and the transit system. Charlottesville has many stops, but few offer truly comfortable arrangements for those awaiting a bus. The most basic need is a clean surface to stand upon, usually the sidewalk. Seating is a wonderful addition to any stop. CTS is currently purchasing new benches for the downtown and West Main Street areas. The old benches can be rehabilitated and put into use in neighborhood areas. New benches are expensive, $300 for a backless model and $400 for one with a back, so it is vital that this opportunity to improve the system at low cost be taken advantage of.

More shelters could improve use of services on rainy days. Where shelters exist, they should be located off of the sidewalk to improve circulation and have easy-to-read system information posted. Snow and ice should be removed from stops as quickly as possible. Buses and stops should be accessible to those with disabilities, stops without walkways cannot counted as accessible because they leave riders in the street with no where to go, which is unsafe. Bicycle racks should be provided at major bus stops (such as the transfer center, if built), and on buses.

Benches and shelters are simple to build. It may be possible to coordinate a program in which University of Virginia (Prof. Stenson) and Piedmont Valley Community College students enrolled in construction techniques courses build bus stop shelters for the area’s bus services. Local high school Vo-Tec programs have been known to donate structures in the past (the Lion’s Den at Azalea Park) and may be contacted about this program as well. It may be possible to coordinate construction of shelters at bus stop sites with a generous local construction crew, or residents with the proper skills. Local companies may even donate materials.

Information and maps might be posted on small signs, which can be mounted to existing bus stop identification sign posts. To keep the signs small, simple, and inexpensive, they may only need to explain the route which they serve, not the entire system. Another way to make system information more visible could be to highlight the minute that a bus arrives at each stop in large, visible lettering. This could be painted on a small sign or directly on to benches or shelters.

Bus turn-out lanes at stops will ensure that buses do not contribute to traffic back-ups when picking up or dropping off passengers. In city areas, bus stops make a particular useful location for traffic chokers or curb extensions. When located at the "ends" of a stop, they effectively restrict parking and provide a place for street furniture and signage.

Provision of trash receptacles with ashtrays will allow riders to properly dispose of food and drink wrappings and cigarettes before boarding the bus. Litter accumulation at stops is often major, creating an unpleasant situation for riders and nearby property owners. Since CTS is run by the city, bus stops offer a perfect place to put bins to help keep the city clean. Costs might be shared or funding sought from multiple sources for this improvement. However bins are provided, an important planning and budget item is scheduled trash removal. Bus stops can be added to existing service routes or a special route can be made by CTS to service these bins exclusively.

Purchase and use of more electric buses will enhance the system’s image and acceptance throughout the city. These models are much quieter than gas-powered models and do not leave unpleasant odors and soot behind. Conversion to an all-electric fleet over time should eliminate these typical concerns which residents have about service along their street. This may ease the process of extending routes .

JAUNT - Offers regional demand-responsive service for elderly, disabled and social service agencies with a fleet of handicapped accessible vans. There is also rural-urban commuter service. Includes trips to counties of Albemarle, Louisa, Nelson and Fluvanna. Trips are made to Greene County Line during rush hours. About a third of rides are for medical visits and a third to work or back. The Welfare-to-Work program operates all day every day.

Park and Ride systems help promote carpooling or shuttles from rural areas into the city. These are discussed in a separate study conducted by TJPDC.

The Rivanna Greenbelt

This future system of pedestrian and bicycle accessible trails will encircle all but the northwest (University) area of the city along major streambeds. The first section, between Free Bridge and Riverview Park is complete. Portions will eventually extend along the Rivanna River, Moore’s Creek, and Meadow Creek, with some trails leading up into the urban area at the middle of Cherry Avenue, on the 250 By-pass, and at Barracks Road Shopping center. The University Greenbelt can become a link into UVA, and a link from Grounds to the Fontaine Research Park will complete the ring. The next phase to be constructed will connect the existing segment with Pen Park and Darden Towe Park

Connections to the Greenbelt will be links to the entire city when it is complete. Every effort should be made to link this system to the existing pedestrian network wherever possible, especially near parks and schools. The system will allow people access to fishing areas and wildlife viewing. Sewer line access trails can be utilized by the public as greenways.

Foot trails leading to Azalea park offer a good example of how to connect streets to a large trail. Posts marked "PATH" show the trail head and lead walkers down to the main trail. For trailheads near asphalt, green footprints may be painted on the ground leading to the trail. Fences and hedgerows clearly define private space. These trails should be maintained to remain open and clear to avoid safety concerns. Trails should not be used at night, unless well lit and when traveling in the company of others.

The Rivanna Trails Foundation will help clear trails around creeks and streams in the area, and can be of assistance in building the Greenbelt. Programs such as Madison house and service Fraternities at the University, and Scout troops should be more than happy to lend a hand with trail construction.

Out of Town Travel

The Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport provides air transportation for passengers in the region. It can be accessed almost exclusively by car (or taxi). Train service is provided by AMTRAK at the newly renovated station on West Main Street, with a daily train to Washington, D.C. and back as well as service to the Midwest. Railroads present an opportunity for travel on trains, but also represent a barrier to travel on foot or bicycle, and in many places, automobile. The Greyhound-Trailways bus station in Charlottesville is located on West Main Street, very near downtown and the train station, offering daily service to most large cities.

Mobility-impaired citizens

Nearly all blind persons are pedestrians. Objects in walkways pose problems for those who cannot see them. Crosswalks represent a more serious threat. Walkers must be able to recognize the intersection and safely traverse it. They may be aided by detectable warnings, which are small "bumps" placed in the walkway at the edge of intersections or in ramps that warn walkers of the danger ahead. These bumps can even be shaped to give directional information. Audible signals help identify when traffic has stopped and it is safe to cross.

Ramps should also be properly designed so as to allow blind travelers to recognize them and still properly cross the street. Because the easily identifiable curb edge is missing where ramps exist, other clues must be present to keep walkers from entering the roadway unaware. Curved ramps and those with steeper slopes are more easily recognized by blind persons, but those oblique to the intersection may lead travelers into the middle of an intersection rather than across it.

33% of CTS fixed-route buses will accommodate wheelchairs, and drivers can assist in boarding, exiting and securing chairs. JAUNT is specifically adapted to accommodate wheelchairs for travel and offers demand responsive paratransit service for disabled riders who cannot use regular bus service. It operates 6:30 till 6:30 Monday through Saturday and is available to those who become certified.

IV. Neighborhood Studies

Fifeville

Fifeville is located near and between the University of Virginia, its hospital, West Main Street and downtown Charlottesville. It consists of the area bounded by Ridge Street on the east, Main Street and the railroad tracks to the north, UVA Hospital and Baker Street on the west, and Forest Hills Avenue on the south. Walking and public transportation can fulfill most neighborhood needs. Originally developed for railroad workers at the turn of the century, it has since grown into a diverse neighborhood with a mix of housing levels and economic groups. Almost 18 percent of the neighborhood’s population of 1,670 (943 households) lives below the poverty level, making provision of non-automobile travel options a necessity to many. Fifeville is a community with narrow, hilly streets, and many pedestrians.

Major Service Areas

Many residents are employed at the University of Virginia or its Hospital. Buford Middle and Johnson Elementary Schools serve the area. Parks include Tonsler, Fifeville, and Forest Hills.

The stretch of Cherry Avenue between Ridge Street and 9th Street is the center of the neighborhood’s commercial activity. It is within easy walking distance of all residents, but can be unsafe and unpleasant due to design and traffic behavior. Estes IGA sells groceries and other daily needs, and there are restaurants, gas stations, mini-marts, a laundromat, florist, pager service and other specialty shopping concentrated along this street.

Downtown and the university and "Corner" district each offer numerous employment centers, restaurants, convenience stores, parks, and shopping. Each of these areas is an easy walk, ride, drive or bus ride from residents of Fifeville. Main Street, between these two destinations, is thick with similar destinations, has many churches, and is home to the train station and greyhound bus terminal. Ridge street has some services between Cherry Avenue and downtown, and Willoughby Square Shopping Center, with groceries, restaurants, and specialty shops is less than a mile away.

Automobiles

Much of Fifeville was built before cars became a necessity. Roads and intersections can be narrow and space for off street parking is hard to come by. The outer, newer areas have the reverse problem; streets are far too wide and speeds too high. Cherry Avenue, bisecting the neighborhood, is flanked by parking lots with vague entry points, appearing as one continuous expanse of pavement in the commercial area. The new 9th/10th Street connector road is now open, allowing through traffic from Main Street and the UVA Hospital into Fifeville and on to Cherry Avenue.

Automobile traffic is a large problem due to these conditions. Many non-residents drive through the Fifeville en route to jobs and amenities on Main Street and at UVA. Cherry Avenue separates residents from reaching the Buford Middle School, Tonsler Park, and commercial facilities. On-street parking and narrow streets produce a clogged system in places.

Links - There are numerous links in and out the area, especially to the service areas to the north. The railroad tracks can block traffic between Fifeville and Main Street at 5th and 7th Streets. Trains often even come to a stop at these crossing points. The Ridge Street bridge and the new grade separated 9th Street alleviate this problem somewhat.

Interior Access - Narrow streets and hills add to the dangers of driving in the dense areas of the neighborhood. Changing roads like Dice Street into one-ways would alleviate the width problem. Off-street parking is limited and on-street parking can be hard to find at times. Some signs are hidden by vegetation. Lighting is generally adequate, with some areas lacking. With access points in all directions, Fifeville scores full points.

Pedestrians

The framework for a walkable, pedestrian oriented neighborhood already exists with activity centers within a few minutes walk. Fifeville has an almost continuous network of sidewalks in its densest areas and an adequate amount in most other areas. Many children walk to school and adults to jobs within and beyond the neighborhood. Pedestrian paths are carved out in heavily-traveled areas across the railroad tracks and between backyards throughout Fifeville.

Unfortunately, the framework is incomplete. A better network with connections to downtown, Main Street, the University, and the Greenbelt will provide needed opportunities for those without cars, especially children. This is especially true at Valley Road Extended and Baker Street at the westernmost section of Fifeville where residents are isolated without access to Paton Street and the adjacent area. Residents from these two streets travel on makeshift trails and take shortcuts through undeveloped land for convenience.

Many sidewalks have been cluttered by utility poles and signs over the years, preventing comfortable pedestrian movement in the space where it is designated. Some sidewalks are narrow and barely allow two people to comfortably walk side by side. Gaps in the sidewalk system force pedestrians to walk on the road. Crosswalks are rare, and often vague. Lack of street lighting in some areas can help fuel criminal activity at night.

The railroad tracks are a barrier between Fifeville and the Main Street / UVA area. Crossings exist on 5th, 7th, and 9th (both) but are poorly defined and less than adequate for service over the tracks. Currently, only 5th Street has sidewalks that continue north beyond the track. The new grade separated road will allow continuous travel under the tracks. Even so, there will remain a shortage of functional and legal crossing in the area.

Links - Fifeville has good pedestrian links to multiple destinations, and scores full points for links. With schools and employment so near and a grocery store in the neighborhood, frequent use services are well accessible. Cherry Avenue, Main Street, downtown and the UVA "Corner" all offer various restaurants, entertainment and specialty shopping and are within pedestrian reach. Even travel out of town is just around the corner at the Greyhound station.

Interior Access - Most of Fifeville’s streets have sidewalks. Some stop short of meeting each other to form a coherent network. There are crosswalks at many points, but many need improvement or repainting. Obstacles are a common problem, as is litter and debris. Wheelchair accessible curb cuts are not common. There is generally adequate lighting. Traffic is unsafe on major roads during rush hour, and can be a constant threat on narrow streets with hills and no walkways. Trees are scattered through the area offering some weather protection, except in the Cherry Avenue service area.

Bicycles

The only separate bicycle routes in Fifeville run the length of Main Street almost connecting UVA to downtown. Only one bicycle rack was observed in the Fifeville neighborhood, located at Buford Middle School. Destination areas, such as downtown, the hospital, the University and "Corner" district have racks, but are not linked fully by lanes.

Links - West Main Street lanes stop just short of downtown, the hospital, and the University. These destinations are frequent use areas, they have racks, and many people ride to them, but separate lanes are necessary in these high traffic areas, so only half the points are awarded.

Interior Access - Both West Main Street and the new connector have lanes. Traffic is not calm enough to consider bicycle travel safe, especially during rush hours. There is enough litter and debris on some streets to make travel risky for bicycle tires. Destinations within the neighborhood lack racks, except Forest Hills Park.

Mass Transit

CTS Route 4 travels into Fifeville, mostly along Cherry Avenue. Route 6 can be picked up on Ridge Street. Routes 2, 3, and 7 run along Main Street, offering links to further destinations. Better pedestrian links to these stops over the railroad tracks should be provided to consider them accessible to Fifeville residents. Many bus stops in the area lack amenities.

Links - Fifeville is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. Because CTS does not run on Sundays, only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service. One route runs through the neighborhood and 5 run along its edges. Service is available 6:30AM - 6:30PM, with buses every half hour mornings and afternoons of weekdays, and hourly otherwise. UTS’s Blue route is available at the Hospital and the "Corner" district. Main Street stops provide information.

Interior Access - Stops along Main Street are well appointed. In the neighborhood, most are just signs in the sidewalk. Some even lack a platform. Handicapped access is rare.

TRANSIT STOPS IN FIFEVILLE
Location	Bench	Shelter	Walkway	X-walk	Handicap	Trash	Info / Maps
Ridge and Dice	no	no	yes	no	near	yes	no
Ridge near Cherry	no	no	yes	near	near	no	no
Ridge near Oak	no	no	yes	at light	near	no	no
Cherry b/w 5th/6th	yes	trees	yes	yes	no	no	no
Cherry b/w 9 & 71/2	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes
Cherry w of 9th	no	trees	yes	yes	yes	no	no
Cherry at Buford	yes	no	yes	yes	no	yes	no
Cherry at Hanover	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Forest Hills @ 9th	no	no	no	no	no	no	no

Community Input

Citizens expressed their opinions regarding various planning and design options at a series of University of Virginia sponsored design workshops in spring 1998. Some opinions expressed are as follows:

•  
• "Pedestrian friendly" neighborhood.
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• Differential treatment between local streets (like Nalle or King) and thoroughfares (Cherry and the new 9^th/10^th connector).
•  
• 8^th St. Pedestrian bridge walkway.
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• Stronger bus/rail linkage.
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• 9^th/10^th St. Connector should not be a freeway. Should include "layered" lanes of bike path, sidewalk, landscaped median, and on-street parkway.

In the March 1998 Working Draft of Community Recommendations:

1. The CSX railroad tracks flanked by a steep sectional change separating West Main Street commercial district from Fifeville residential neighborhood.
2. Cherry Avenue, exclusively single story commercial use, and asphalt parking lots.
3. The 9^th/10^th Street realignment, an 800 foot, three lane connector with no programmed activities on the street.

1. Create at least one north/south pedestrian bridge connection linking properties south of the tracks to future transportation and mixed-use development of the Union Station site to the north.
2. Create an east/west pedestrian and bicycle connection linking properties south of the CSX tracks to the 9^th/10^th Street corridor and University Hospital.
3. Transform Cherry Ave and the 9^th/10^th corridor into mixed-use, neighborhood streets with minimum setbacks to create a balanced street edge and strong pedestrian presence."

Residents have sought a means of improving the character and conditions within the neighborhood and lure more potential homeowners into the area. They are also concerned about opportunities for children. Recent new developments in the form of the 9^th / 10^th Street Connector, University hospital expansion, and the multi-modal train facility have brought with them a great opportunity for change. Unfortunately, each poses potential parking and traffic problems, something to consider in their design.

According to 1989 survey results, Fifeville desired a better sidewalk system, a more comfortable and safe environment for residents, effective traffic and parking controls, and a more visually attractive neighborhood.

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Total Score (out of 200)	151
Out of 100	75
Letter Grade	B

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

In Fifeville, the most effective calming projects include median strip tree islands, speed humps, and chokers. First, speed limits should be reduced on all streets to 25 m.p.h. to improve safety for everyone. Tree island median strips would work well, especially along Cherry Avenue. These islands may be planted with cherry trees that will complement the street’s name. A strip can be placed in front of the Laundromat between 61/2 and 6th Streets. Strips would also be helpful before and after the curve on Cherry at Spring Street and along Forest Hills Avenue. Speed humps should be installed along 6 1/2 street, on either side of the Cherry Avenue crosswalk at IGA, and along any other street where through traffic and/or high speeds are a problem. Chokers can be installed along streets which already have on-street parking, and could still use traffic calming, especially at intersections. A four-way stop is recommended at the Buford School crossing. A Children at Play sign should complement the painted asphalt on King Street behind Leon White Movers.

The northern end of Fifeville has particularly high through traffic. Many residents seem to agree that changing Dice Street to a one-way route would greatly improve safety and circulation. Its use as a cut-through road and extreme narrowness, combined with on-street parking make this street particularly dangerous when busy. If the eastern portion is one-way outbound from 5th to 4th, traffic could not enter the neighborhood at this point, helping reduce the confusion and increase safety at the intersection of 5^th and Dice. Because Oak Street is one-way into 5^th Street one block over, residents’ accessibility should not be lowered. The western portion of Dice should run from 5th Street towards 7th. This could lower through traffic on 6 1/2th Street as well. 5^th and 7^th Streets present options for through traffic as both have railroad crossings. These streets could also be made one-way, each in a different direction, in order to shift traffic off one street or the other during peaks. Studies and test runs should be performed to ensure proper access is still allowed under various configurations.

On-street parking can be reduced to discourage commuter parking in Fifeville. Construction of the 9^th/10^th Street connector and a new parking garage at the UVA Hospital will help reduce the need for non-resident parking in Fifeville. After these projects are complete, Fifeville residents could reduce the amount of on-street parking to only that which they and their guests will need. Chokers placed at intersections and in other areas reduce parking space naturally. Perhaps lots used by workers during the day can be leased by residents at night in an arrangement that will free up street space for other uses than parking. Leon White movers could absorb 6 1/2th Street parking to allow for sidewalk installation there.

Many streets in the newer, southern area of the neighborhood are much too wide. Provision of sidewalks and bike lanes will narrow roads such as Cherry Avenue and Forest Hills Avenue. Others, such as North Baker Street, could move sidewalks out to narrow the street, which would also move them clear of utility pole right-of-ways. The traffic triangle at the intersection of 9th Street, Forest Hills Avenue and Prospect Hill Avenue should be improved by adding walkways and crosswalks. More triangles can be installed at Forest Hills and Forest Grove, as well as the intersection of Baker and North Baker. A traffic circle installed near the west end of North Baker would allow for a safe play area while discouraging high-speed traffic. This area could be used as a small park.

Through traffic on side roads will be alleviated by the new 9^th/10^th Street realignment, but Cherry Avenue will see an increase, especially during rush hours. It is important to consider that VDOT may consider future road construction and expansion in Fifeville based on level-of service projections. High speed arterials would lower property values and quality of life in the area. Emphasis should be placed on preserving Fifeville’s characteristic narrow streets and minimal setback frontages that naturally calm traffic.

Traffic Calming Requests

Residents have requested a Four-Way Stop at Fifth and Dice, a Three-Way Stop at 7 1/2 and Nalle Streets, and a 25 mph speed limit and traffic choker on Cherry Avenue

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

Walks recommended by the Planning Commission include a portion of the entire south side of Forest Hills Avenue, the north side of Oak Street at Ridge, and the east side of 7 1/2 Street from Cherry to Prospect. Other walks which should be added to the list or completed include the southern side of Cherry Avenue from Buford school to the existing walks west of Forest Hills Avenue, and links to tracks at 5th, 7th, and "old" 9th Streets.

Second priority walks to be added are the north side of Forest Hills, where staircases to many homes exist, a sidewalk into Buford School on its southeast side, connecting King Street on the north side between 7^th and Spring and widening the walk at King and 7 1/2th Street, connecting 6th Street to Dice Street, and connecting the south sidewalk along Grove Street from Paton to Spring, as well as possible improvements to Spring Alley.

The incomplete sidewalk system has resulted in poor drainage and flooding within the neighborhood. Curb and gutter improvements are need along Delevan Street, where, according to a resident, because the sidewalk ends some distance before the house at the low point in the street, that property is continually flooded after rain storms. This rainwater also flows into several houses on 6 ½ Street. One house continually runs a sump pump because the basement is flooded. A large puddle forms in front of the benches on Cherry Avenue at Tonsler Park when it rains, and vehicles passing splash walkers and sitters.

Heavily used crosswalks, such as at IGA on Cherry and at Buford School on Cherry may be raised to slow traffic and improve pedestrian visibility. Painted crossings should be placed along Cherry Avenue at all cross streets (6th, 7 1/2th, Forest Hills) to connect the system and improve safety. The 9th/10th Connector intersection will have a traffic signal and pedestrian crossing signals. Children from Buford and Johnson Schools cross Cherry Avenue every day. Although a crossing guard guides Buford students, the intersection could be made safer for crossings at other times of the day along this busy corridor with a median refuge, chokers, or a raised crossing (the design of which should not inhibit city or school bus movements). The crosswalk to Buford on 9th Street should also be raised and marked with reflectors to improve safety.

Installing or improving crosswalks over Main Street at 7th Street and other points will improve connectivity to services. Many residents must cross a very wide Jefferson Park Avenue at the Baptist Church to get to UVA jobs. This controlled crossing must give at least five more seconds of pedestrian right-of-way within the traffic signal cycle in order to allow pedestrians to cross without having to run. This intersection will be affected and possibly changed when the Marriott Hotel is built, and pedestrian/bicycle improvements should be incorporated into changes. The intersection of Ridge, Water and West Main Streets is slated for improvements; an opportunity for better pedestrian access to downtown with controlled crosswalks across all lanes.

The railroad tracks present a significant barrier to travel between Fifeville and neighboring areas. Many residents work, shop and recreate across the tracks at UVA and along Main Street. People need to cross the tracks, and often in places which lack vehicle crossing, legal permission and adequate facilities. This is inconvenient at the least. The railroad policy is no pedestrian crossing except at designated rights-of-way, which are located at 9^th, 7^th, and 5^th Streets. These crossings are wide and vague, and can be improved by highlighting the sidewalk area where it crosses the track with paint, or continuing the cement walk all the way to the track. The 9th/10th Street Connector will provide permanent separated crossing point for all modes of travel. Retaining a pedestrian crossing at tracks after 9th street closes may prove beneficial, but unnecessary pavement should be eliminated and the crossing must be well designed.

Most residents of south western Fifeville and all points beyond who require travel over the tracks to get to UVA choose to do so illegally, and often with little regard to private property in the neighborhood. The city, the university the railroad and the residents most affected can work to negotiate a crossing of the tracks at Spring Street (alley) where a natural crossing point exists. It is located on city property, where railroad maintenance access is provided, and is directly across from the UVA Hospital complex. With traffic funneled through this area and connected into the existing sidewalk networks, the need and desire to cut through at unsafe and private areas will be dramatically reduced. This improvement can improve circulation as well as overall community relations. Most of the labor and materials are cheap, its is only the legal arrangement and partnership that needs to be worked out. UVA can improve the fence and gate at the crossing, the railroad could allow pedestrian crossing with adequate visual clearance and possibly even warning lights, and the city can improve the right-of-way to the tracks with walks and lights.

Cherry Avenue’s commercial district attracts a large number of walkers on a daily basis. This area can be improved with better definition of the pedestrian realm, especially at vehicular entry points to the numerous services available on the strip. These entries should be reduced in width and marked with pedestrian crossing zones. Planters or grass strips can better define the parking lot edge along sidewalks. Obstacles to foot travel include a bus stop shelter at Cherry Avenue shopping center and no parking signs along the street.

Trails which connect Valley Road Extended and Baker Street with Paton Street and all developments to the east can be improved for safety and comfort. One walk could run from Valley Road alongside the railroad tracks and cross the stream to Paton Street. Because the rear of the properties are undeveloped and heavily wooded, lighting should be provided for the safety of the residents. The other path would connect the dead-end at Paton Street with Baker Street, and possibly to the Greenbelt. Here, the space left on either side of the path could be used as a community park with grills and picnic tables. Again, lights and landscaping can help it to become a meaningful and safe space at any time of the day. A trail exists from the Homeboys BBQ and shopping area south towards Prospect Hills, and could be improved if necessary. The trail from Buford School to 9th Street can be improved to a ramped sidewalk to eliminate muddy conditions on such a steep slope. Stairs should be built in the northeast end of the parking lot of IGA at 6th Street to bolster a link to basic shopping.

There are a number of alleyways in the neighborhood which, according to landowner preference, could be opened to bicycles and pedestrians while excluding automobile travel. If streets in the areas just south of the tracks from Main Street are broken into blocks, walking access should be provided. Fifeville residents should encourage the link to the Rivanna Greenbelt currently proposed on Cherry near Baker Street. This will allow residents a link to recreation and travel around the city. This link can be tied into the track crossing proposed in the same vicinity.

Residents asked that litter be cleaned up more regularly to make travel more pleasant. Many areas in the neighborhood could use a spring clean up to remove vegetation, glass, metal and other litter. Oak, Nalle, Estes, and many areas near the railroad tracks are examples. The Neighborhood Association can organize and have monthly litter patrols as an activity. Gravel driveway washes should be cleaned and stabilized in this hilly part of town. Vegetation should be cleared at 1409 Cherry Ave., 615 Prospect Ave., and 1405 Baker St.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

The 9^th/10^th Street connector will bring bicycle lanes closer to Fifeville’s residents. This will provide a connection to the existing system of lanes on Main Street. Providing lanes along Cherry Avenue from 9th Street to Cleveland Avenue and along Forest Hills Avenue, as designated in the Bicycle Plan, would complete Fifeville’s interior circuit, and include a link to the Greenbelt at Cherry and Forest Hills. The link between 9th and Ridge Streets on Cherry Avenue would require re-design of travel and turn lanes, but would add links to many services and should be considered. Lanes should be extended into UVA, its hospital, and downtown to provide full access to these major destinations. A link from Forest Hills Avenue out to Fifth Street lanes would complete the circuit. This network would connect all the major parks, the school and the shopping area, as well as allowing through traffic to connect to all four points of the compass. Calm traffic will allow reasonable cycling conditions on all but the narrow streets of the neighborhood. All neighborhood parks need bike racks, as do almost all commercial destinations. The school has the only rack we found, and it fits around fifteen bicycles.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

Service improvements include staying open later and running on Sundays. Bus stops can be improved with more benches, information, and trash service. The sign for the stop at 9th and Cherry is hidden by a utility pole and should be collocated. The shelter for the stop at the Cherry Avenue shopping Center could be moved out of the sidewalk for better pedestrian circulation. A continuous sidewalk between the Hospital and Main Street along 11th Street would improve access to bus stops on Main Street.

CTS Route 4 could be improved by creating a "loop" rather than a "dumbbell" style circuit. This loop would run through Fifeville along Cherry Avenue and connect to Jefferson Park Avenue via Cleveland Avenue or serve a larger area by continuing on Willard to Harris and over to JPA extended. After the Fry’s Spring area, the bus would travel up JPA to Main Street and downtown, and back along Cherry Avenue, with a loop through Prospect Hills.

Railroad tracks are a barrier that CTS buses cannot cross at grade. The new 9^th/10^th Street connector could provide for another alternative bus route to better serve Fifeville. Route 4 could be split into two loop routes which use the 9th/10th Street Connector as a common segment. Each goes a different direction along Cherry and Main, one downtown, the other through UVA and Fry’s Spring. Proper timing would allow transfer on the 9th/10th Connector, with a shared stop. Busses at the stop would alternate from one route to another, so riders need not even cross the street to transfer. This method allows better coverage of Prospect Hills and Forest Hills than the previous option.

Because many hospital and University employees live in the neighborhood, UTS should come through Fifeville serving Cherry Avenue, the new 9th/10th Connector, and the hospital complex. Provision of free service generally improves mass transit use tremendously.

Fifeville is located in close proximity to both the Amtrak rail station and the Greyhound bus depot. These facilities offer links to the world beyond Charlottesville. Pedestrian service to both will be improved with adequate train track crossing points. Train station access will be an issue during future renovation and improvement plans currently underway. Options may include a pedestrian fly-over bridge near 7^th Street. Access to the Greyhound station would be improved by connecting 4^th Street over the tracks, but adequate service exists currently.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)

Belmont

Belmont is located south and east of downtown Charlottesville and consists of the area bounded by Sixth Street on the west, the railroad tracks on the north, Carlton Road and Monticello Avenue on the east and the city line and Moore’s Creek to the south. For this study, Belmont includes two city neighborhoods, Belmont Northeast and Belmont South. The area has mostly grid streets, and residential land use is complemented with stores, restaurants, and employment centers, as well as many parks. Hills are numerous and large in the neighborhood. Belmont is listed as a priority neighborhood in the City Comprehensive Plan.

Major Service Areas

The area is adjacent to downtown Charlottesville, which offers numerous services and employment. Recreational parks include Belmont, Quarry, Rives Street and Jordan Parks. Carlton Elementary school serves the neighborhood and is used for recreation programs during the summer. Churches are sprinkled through the neighborhood and nearby.

Commercial areas within the neighborhood are concentrated in four major areas: Avon Street at the Belmont Bridge, Monticello Road from Goodman to Carlton Road, the intersection of Carlton Road and Carlton Avenue, and the southern end of Monticello Rd. The commercial district at the intersection of Monticello Road with Hinton and Carlton Avenue is often called downtown Belmont. It contains a convenience store, restaurant, beauty salon, and some specialty shopping.

Industry, including plumbing and heating, landscaping, auto-repair, a factory employing blind persons exists in the area as well. Two business parks include Carlton Road and Keystone. Industrial activity is connected to the Carlton Road park, and may expand.

Automobile

Route 20, Monticello Avenue and Avon Street are the major automobile routes through the neighborhood, linking Charlottesville’s downtown with points south. Route 20 runs north-south through the city and beyond, and also provides access to Interstate 64.

Links - Belmont residents can reach whatever services they require with an automobile. The Belmont Bridge ensures that trains do not interfere with traffic. Rush hour congestion may interfere with these links.

Interior Access - Avon Street and Route 20 carry large volumes of traffic, and can get congested during rush hours. With implementation of traffic calming measures such as 4-way stops along Rialto, traffic is slowing down through the area, but remains dangerous along major streets, like Avon. Parking, both on- and off-street appears plentiful, although residents have listed parking as a problem area. Roads are wide, and usually straight. Lighting is poor, pavement markings could be improved, and signage appears fine.

Pedestrian

With many nearby services and decent facilities, many people choose to walk in and through the area. The pleasant views along rolling hills of well-treed streets help make the walk enjoyable in this part of town.

Links - Residents can walk easily to downtown Charlottesville, which provides houses multiple services and employment centers. Mixed land use allows links to services without leaving the area. Downtown Belmont provides good pedestrian facilities and offers a few regular use services. Avon Street is home to a few convenience stores and restaurants, and many small business which provide employment are accessible to pedestrians. Children can walk to Carlton school. Numerous pedestrian controlled traffic lights help as well.

Interior Access - Over half of the neighborhood has walks, including most of the larger roads. There are numerous crosswalks, especially on major roads like Avon Street. Traffic is generally calm, but long open streets can be inviting to speeders. There are many signs in the walkways, as well as some mailboxes and utilities. Lighting is adequate, often even pedestrian oreinted. Handicapped access is not always provided. Trees are common, offering weather protection, buffered walks grace some streets, and litter and debris is hard to find in most areas away from downtown and larger streets.

Bicycle

Although Bicentennial Bicycle Route 76 runs through the neighborhood along Monticello Avenue, bicycle lanes currently do not exist in Belmont. Hills in the area may limit travel for some people.

Links - There are no lanes connecting Belmont residents to the many nearby services. Racks exist downtown.

Interior Access - Traffic is calm on all but the major streets. Most streets are pretty wide, and clear of obstacles and debris, but on-street parking may clutter the roadside. Interior destinations, except Belmont Park, lack racks.

Mass Transit

CTS provides extensive service to the area on Routes 1, 3, 4 and 6.

Links - Belmont is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. Four routes run through the area, with two buses per hour mornings and afternoons on weekdays and hourly buses otherwise. Routes run from 6:30AM till 6:45PM. Because CTS does not run on Sundays, only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service. Only one stop provides information.

Interior Access - There are numerous stops in the neighborhood, but only about half of them are reasonable places to wait for a bus. A small number of them have benches, some even have shelters and crosswalks help get riders safely to and from stops in a few spots. There are still some that lack a platform to stand on, handicapped access is rare, as are trash cans and service information.

TRANSIT STOPS IN BELMONT
Location	Bench	Shelter	Walkway	X-walk	Handicap	Trash	Info / Maps
Mont Rd @ Rives	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mont Rd @ Altavista	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mont Rd @ Elliott	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mont Rd @ Carlton Rd	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes
Bainbridge @ Mont Rd.	yes	yes	yes	no	near	no	no
Carlton / Bainb	no	no	no	no	driveway	no	no
Carlton Ave @ Carlt Rd	yes	tree	yes	yes	yes	no	no
Carlton Rd. near Leonard	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
Meridian @ Mont. Rd.	post	no	yes	x Merid.	yes	yes	no
Hinton @ Church	stairs	near	yes	no	no	no	no
Hinton @ Avon	no	near	yes	yes	yes	near	no
Avon @ N. Belmont	stairs	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
Avon @ S. Belmont	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no
Avon north of Bolling	no	no	yes	x Bollg	no	no	no
E Avon @ Blenheim	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
W Avon @ Blenheim	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
E Avon @ Montrose	yes	no	yes	no	near	no	no
W Avon near Montrose	no	no	yes	no	near	no	no
Avon near Hinton	no	no	yes	no	driveway	no	no
E Avon @ Elliott	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
Druid @ Avon	yes	no	yes	no	yes	yes	no
Stonehenge @ Rialto	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no
Altavista @ Rialto
Altavista near "Castalia"	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Altavista near Mont Ave	no	no	no	at Mont.	no	no	no
W Monticello @ Elliott	no	no	yes	x Elliott	no	no	no
E Monticello @ Elliott	no	no	yes	x Elliott	no	no	no
W Mont Ave @ Bolling	no	trees	yes	no	yes	no	no
E Mont Ave @ Castalia	no	trees	yes	yes	near	no	no
Mont Ave @ Meridian	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no
Mont Ave @ Meridian	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no
Mont Ave @ Meridian	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no
Mont Ave @ Rialto	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
Rialto @ Bolling	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Rialto @ Blenheim	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Montrose @ Rialto	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mont Ave @ Church	no	tree	yes	no	driveway	no	no
6th / Mont Ave	yes	no	yes	yes	near	no	no
6th @ Garrett	no	no	yes	yes	near	no	no
N Elliott @ 6th	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
S Elliott @ 6th	no	tree	yes	no	no	no	no

Community Input

(From Belmont Neighborhood Study Website)

Residents want better connections to downtown. They point out a lack of enough quality sidewalks, including at Belmont Park and would like to see more, as well as continued drainage, curb and gutter improvements, which go hand-in-hand with new sidewalks.

On-street parking is a concern, as is through traffic, especially trucks, that enter the city through the neighborhood on the larger streets. Residents want to improve these primary entry corridors including Monticello Ave, Avon Street, Elliott and Hinton with traffic calming, lower speeds, and entry features. Design improvements on Monticello at Hinton/Carlton, and on Avon between Belmont and Garret as entry features include walks, seating, trees, lights, and trash cans. Safety is a concern, and adding lighting in deficient areas is a desired step towards improving the situation.

The neighborhood would like to see bicycle routes constructed as shown in the city Bicycle Plan, and would like to take advantage of Greenbelt opportunities on Moore’s Creek, Pollock’s Branch and possible connections, including trail link to Azalea Park

Other desires include working with the County to provide city access to land adjacent to Moore’s Creek and Livestock Market, extending street under bridge at flour mill to 6th Street, and encouraging the planning and design of new development to fit neighborhood (which is accessible).

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Total Score (out of 200)	127.5
Out of 100	64
Letter Grade	C

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

Traffic calming improvements to gateway and cut through streets in the form of lower speed limits, chokers, more trees, crosswalks, and bike lanes will improve safety in the neighborhood.

Belmont Park Road could be made one-way to reduce through traffic and improve safety for those crossing to the park.

Vegetation should be trimmed from signs and lighting improved where needed. The CTS shelter on Carlton Ave and Monticello Avenue is blocking the view of oncoming traffic and should be relocated out of the sidewalk.

Traffic Calming requests

Residents have asked to see a choker at on Monticello Avenue at Clarke School, signals at Monticello/Carlton and Carlton/Carlton, and crosswalks over Monticello Ave at Elliott.

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

Belmont is blessed with a grid pattern with a combination of large avenues and smaller streets. This should be taken in consideration (and advantage of) when implementing pedestrian improvements such as walks and crosswalks. The main streets (Avon Street, Monticello Ave, Monticello Road, and Elliott Avenue) should be made fully accessible, creating a continuous circuit of the neighborhood and connecting to major destinations, such as downtown. After these improvements are complete, these larger "blocks" should be broken up with another level of improvements for highly traveled streets connecting popular points, such as Rialto and Druid. Streets with some existing walkway may be completed before those lacking walks, as connecting small pieces can quickly create a larger network.

Walks recommended for installation by the city include (in priority order) Palantine from Green to Quarry (the park), the west side of Avon Street from Bolling to Blenheim and from Altavista to Druid, the west side of Monticello Avenue from Druid to Elliott, eastern Monticello Road from Linden to Mt. View., one side of Douglas Ave., western 6th Street SE from Elliott to Altavista, Florence Road from Rives to Nassau, the 600 block of Belmont Avenue, one side of Meridian street from Elliott to Belmont, western Chestnut street, Cherry Street from Spruce to Chestnut, southern Myrtle Street, Goodman Street at Graves and Monticello Road, the southern side of the 700 and 800 blocks of Blenheim Avenue, eastern East View Street, one side of Vine Street from Nassau to Franklin, one side of the 100 block of Montrose Avenue, Palantine from 6th to Green (completing a link between Jordan and Quarry Parks), western Spruce Street from Cherry to Carlton, both sides of Levy Avenue from Avon to Monticello Road, and Castalia Street from Belmont to Monticello Road.

Other walks which should be added to the list are the west side of Elliott from Avon Street to Monticello Road, Monticello from Quarry to Linden, Montrose (east) from Monticello Road to Avon, and all of Druid (the north side), which runs from one store (Amoco) to another on 6th. 6th Street should be complete along its entirety, with gaps near Druid and Rockland filled.

To help residents fulfill wishes to improve links to downtown, it is recommended that the Levy Avenue sidewalks into the neighborhood be moved up to a very high priority as good crosswalks with signals exist at Levy and Avon. Also, after crossing Avon Street, residents can reach Fourth and Second Streets downtown, which offer pedestrian track crossings, and, therefore links to downtown. Monticello Road near Levy Ave will need some vegetation cleared as well.

Improvements including sidewalks and better definition of the pedestrian realm would give access to services near Quarry Ave., including a restaurant, a small grocery/deli, and a convenience shop. This access should be provided along Monticello Road as well as along the "driveway" off Route 20. A gate in the fence between Keystone businesses and the condos next-door may dramatically reduce commutes for some walkers. Top 100 Video at Route 20 and Druid Avenue may benefit with a pedestrian walk to its door. Belmont Park improvements should include steps (or ramps) up into the park at Druid and Rialto entry points (North and West). Crosswalks should be provided at all four entry points of the park. This will not only allow access to, but also through the park. Stairs would be beneficial at the end of Blenhiem linking to Monticello. Connections to the Greenbelt are possible at many locations in Belmont, including Jordan Park, Quarry Park, and Avon Street, and can provide the desired link to Azalea Park. There is a well maintained, grass right-of-way at Keystone Place that may be easily added to the Greenbelt.

Crosswalks should be placed at every cross street along Avon, Route 20 and Monticello Road. This is needed especially along Monticello Road because the existing sidewalk is across the street from most of the neighborhood. The crossings should be placed on the main streets and the cross street, to create a complete square (or U-shape), especially in places like Elliott and Monticello, where residents attend church. Using stone pavers on these main roads will calm traffic as it enters the city and provide an attractive streetscape. Palantine’s crossing of Avon St. may require a raised walk as it will link two parks and serves as a gateway to the city. Stoney’s Market on Avon Street may benefit from a mid-block crossing after walks are installed on the west side of the street. Druid Avenue crosses Monticello Avenue at an awkward spot in a curve, but given that plans only have walks on one side of Monticello, a crossing is necessary, especially with the stores and restaurant at Quarry and the park on Druid. Druid should also have a crosswalk at 6th Street when a walk is installed up to Avon. Pedestrian controlled crossings with audible signals may help improve access to the factory for the blind.

Numerous signs can be relocated out of pedestrian right-of-way to improve the dignity of walking. Vegetation should be trimmed back in some areas.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

Streets in the neighborhood slated for lanes in the city Bicycle Plan include: Monticello Avenue from Avon Street to Piedmont Community College, Avon Street including over the bridge to downtown, Rialto (to Belmont Park), Elliott, Quarry, Linden Avenue, Franklin Street, and to 5th Street at Harris Street along the proposed Greenbelt. Hinton Avenue from Avon Street into downtown Belmont should be striped for bikes, as should Carlton Road, and perhaps Carlton Avenue. Traffic calming on Avon Street, Monticello Avenue and Elliott Avenue will improve the situation for riders. Racks are needed in the Belmont Market Area, and at parks. Bicycle improvements alone can add a whopping 45 points (more than one letter grade) to the neighborhood’s accessibility score.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

Many bus stops in the area are in need of improvements, especially those lacking platforms and crossings. Benches, shelter, information and trash cans should be added as well. Residents have asked for trash cans and litter control, and this is an excellent opportunity to contain the problem. Service improvements should include provision of Sunday and later daily service.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)

Fry’s Spring

Located in the southeast corner of the city, Fry’s Spring consists of the area bounded by Moore’s Creek, Cleveland and Sunset Avenue, and 5th Street. Natural springs located in the area give the neighborhood its name, and in the past have attracted tourists and other guests who would enjoy bathing in and drinking the water. Many UVA students, staff and faculty live in the area. There are numerous trees along both the main roads and the side streets, which do not form any particular pattern. Neighborhood services are nearby and larger centers, like UVA and downtown are not far. Fry’s Spring is a priority neighborhood in the City Comprehensive Plan.

Major Service Areas

The Willoughby Square Shopping Center houses a Food Lion grocery store, CVS Pharmacy, Family Dollar, a video rental store, chinese food, pizza, and an american food restaurant. There is a bank at the corner of Harris and 5th Street that is not attached to the shopping center. Just south of the shopping center is a Texaco mini-mart, Burger King and pet supply store. Across from the shopping center are an Exxon mini-mart gas station, Hardees, a Pizza-Hut/Taco Bell Express, and a Waffle House (one of very few open 24 hour restaurants in the area). Spencer’s convenience store is located just across Harris Street from Food Lion. None of these facilities, except the bank, are fully accessible to pedestrians or cyclists.

The JPA/Maury crossroads area offers three convenience stores, a deli, a chicken and burgers restaurant, Chinese food, German food, pizza, a guitar sop, barber, pub, dry-cleaners, and two laundromats spread along the street front of a medium-sized intersection. This area is also not entirely pedestrian or bicycle friendly, but comes close. Downtown and the University represent two major service areas, although both are about a mile and a half away.

Jackson-Via and Johnson Elementary Schools serve the area. Azalea Park offers community gardens, basketball courts, dog recreation, softball fields and river access. Fry’s Spring Beach Club offers entertainment and recreation. Various churches sprinkle the area, a few offering day care.

Automobile

Fry’s Spring has a street network consisting of a few larger streets running through the middle of the neighborhood, which provide access to most residential streets. Because of the layout of the residential streets, through traffic stays mainly on Jefferson Park Avenue Extended, Harris Street, Cleveland Avenue, and Old Lynchburg Road with a moderate flow, heavier at rush hours. There are a few narrow spots (JPA Ex.), but most roads are wide with large radius curves. A 25 mph speed limit, coupled with well-spaced stops keeps traffic relatively slow, but with relatively open and straight sections of street in some areas, speeding is a temptation. Parking is ample, both on and off-street. Old Lynchburg road is slated for improvements in the comprehensive plan.

Links - The only complaint Fry’s Spring residents may have about access to services is that most large discount stores are located on the other side of downtown (Route 29, especially northern, and Pantops Mountain). These are either too far away or require driving through too much traffic to be considered convenient. Although access to these types of stores is not required, and everything they sell is sold at other locations, they are preferred by many shoppers, and draw customers from everywhere. It is rumored that a new store such as a Wal-Mart may be built on 5th Street, between Harris Street and the Interstate. If so, this inconvenient situation would change. Given that these types of stores count as frequent use services, the neighborhood’s linkage scores would all rise. Otherwise, this area is, like most other parts of America, fully linked to services for those who drive cars.

Interior Access - Road conditions in Fry’s Spring are about average. Harris Street, JPA Extended and Cleveland Avenue provide access in and out of the area. On-street parking is abundant on both sides of most streets. Most homes have driveways as well, but garages are not common. There is adequate signage, although some signs have vegetative overgrowth that needs cleared. Traffic may need to be calmed on some roads like Old Lynchburg and Harris, and perhaps Willard. Lighting is generally well provided by street lights, and road surfaces seem to be fine.

Pedestrian

Sidewalks exist in many parts of the neighborhood, although the network is not continuous and is often lacking at the most critical connection points. Some walks are utility free in this neighborhood, and some streets have buffered walks.

Links - Jackson-Via school is the only fully linked frequent use service in the neighborhood. Willoughby Square Shopping Center currently does not have pedestrian access from the sidewalk to the door(s). The new hotel under construction includes sidewalks to help the situation. Spencer’s convenience store on old 5th Street is nearly connected. The JPA/Maury intersection is better for pedestrians, but still lacks definition and appropriate facilities. Walks through the neighborhood and out to services are nearly completely handicapped accessible. Azalea Park has many pedestrian friendly trails leading to it though the woods.

Interior Access - The neighborhood is well covered with walks, although patchy streets can leave walkers stranded. A good number of obstacles exist in walkways, including utility poles. The streets closest to 5th street feeding into Harris (Longwood, Welk) have nicely buffered walks. Some crosswalks exist, but these are not highly visible. The relatively calm traffic makes walking low-stress. Lighting is generally well provided by large street lights, although this style of lighting leaves gaps and is not very attractive. Litter is a problem, especially nearer the commercial areas and along major streets.

Bicycle

Conditions for riding in Fry’s Spring recently improved with the addition of lanes to Jefferson Park Avenue Extended and Harris Street. These sections of lanes provide links to the service areas. They do not connect through the neighborhood, and on Harris, are not continuous on one side of the street. The wide roads and generally low traffic volumes add to the safety and comfort of some roads, but high traffic streets, such as Old Lynchburg are dangerous to ride on.

Links - Lanes connect riders to the Willoughby Square shopping center on Harris Street, and to the convenience store on Old 5th, although racks do not exist and riders must merge with traffic to enter the store areas. If the lanes to the JPA/Maury Crossroads were linked over the bridge, another group of services would be available, especially if the lanes were also connected to the JPA lanes up to the University. The same is true for finishing lanes along 5th Street to downtown. A recreational trail may link 5th Street at Harris Street and Azalea Park along the Greenbelt to Jordan Park in Belmont. Racks are needed at parks and in the Downtown Belmont area.

Access - Calm traffic and wide roads make riding pleasant on the smaller streets of Fry’s Spring. On the larger through roads, riding can be hard during rush hours. The lanes that exist and do not connect to each other mix bikers with traffic along a narrow section of JPA Extended. Litter and debris can be a problem, but permanent obstacles don’t exist. Both Johnson and Jackson -Via school have racks, as well as Fry’s Spring Beach Club, which attracts children to its pool.

Mass Transit

CTS Route 4 runs through the area along Cherry, Willard, Camelia and JPA extended.

Links - Fry’s Spring is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. Route #4 runs from 6AM to 7PM, for 13 hours (6 1/2 pts). Buses come every half hour for most hours, on weekdays only (1 1/2 points). Because CTS does not run on Sunday, only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service.

Interior Access - Most stops are on sidewalks, except those along JPA Extended near the Beach Club. A few are provided with benches and trash cans, one has a shelter, and a few others are located under trees. Crosswalks are lacking, especially at JPA Extended. Handicapped access is only provided for at JPA and Monte Vista.

TRANSIT STOPS IN FRY’S SPRING
Location	Bench	Shelter	Walkway	X-walk	Handicap	Trash	Info / Maps
JPA / Sunset	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
JPA / Cleveland	yes	yes	yes	no	at corner	no	yes
JPA / Old Lyn.	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
JPA / Mont. Vista	no	no	yes	no	yes	no	no
JPA / Azalea	no	no	storm drain	no	no	no	no
Willard / Allen	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
Willard / Mosely	yes	tree	yes	no	no	no	no
Willard / Clev	no	no	yes	no	near	yes	no
Woodld / Clev	no	no	yes	no	near	no	no

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

High-volumes and speeds of through traffic automobiles must be reduced in the area. Speed limits on the major through streets, JPA Ext., Harris, and Cleveland are 25 mph, so other measures must be taken. Adding sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks will create an environment where drivers are more aware that pedestrians are near and can calm traffic somewhat. Wide roads and intersections can be improved by reducing curve radius or adding traffic triangles, such as at Mobile/Middleton, Allen/Willard, McElroy/Troost, Woodland/Cleveland and Baker/North Baker. A triangle should also be installed at Woodland and Cleveland, McElroy and JPC, and Old Lynchburg and JPA, where one is painted on the street already. A four-way stop may improve the intersection of Cleveland, Cherry, and Willard Streets, as will reducing the size and openess of the intersection.

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

Streets in the city’s sidewalk improvement plan include the south side of Cherry from Cleveland to Shamrock, one side of Moseley from Cleveland to Harris, east Old Lynchburg from Middleton to Azalea Park, the 2600 block of Willard, one side of McElroy Drive from Park, and Sunset Ave from JPA to Sunset Road. A small gap on JPA Extended southeast of Sunset Avenue should be filled to complete a gap between Fry’s Spring Beach Club and the Church, and provide continuos sidewalks from JPA to the Beach Club on both sides of the street. Because bus stops are located on the south side of JPA Extended, walks would be a great improvement. Completion of the sidewalk on Azalea Street will connect it to JPA Extended, completing a link to the park. Bruswick Rd., Park Rd, and the inside loop of Jefferson Park Circle may be enhanced with walks. Woodland Dr., Naylor St. and Park Lane could use walks, but are low traffic volume. Naylor St. should have walks on one side, preferrably the western side with the church. The trail from Monte Vista to Fry’s Spring Beach Club could use some improvement. Trees should be planted in buffered walks, such as Longwood Drive.

The city already plans to construct walks along Old Lynchburg to Azalea Park. A sidewalk link along Old Lynchburg Road under Interstate 64 to 5th Street neighborhoods will enhance county/city accessibility. A separate paved walk and bike lane exists in the county from 5th Street to just shy of the city line. Because it is on the opposite side of the road from the Park, a crosswalk will be needed either at the park entrance or on the county side of the interstate. Adequate right of way exists under the bridge to create a walk on either side of the road. Walks should connect Old Lynchburg from Middleton to JPA Ex as well, or be placed fully along Monte Vista to connect residents to the park.

Pedestrian controlled crosswalks should be provided across 5th Street where traffic signals exist at Harris Street and Bent Creek Road. A crosswalk should be painted across Harris Street at Old 5th Street, connecting the services on either side, and to the CTS stop at Willard. The crossing to Jackson-Via school could be raised, and another should be installed at the east end of the property. The three-way stops in the neighborhood lack crosswalks. Old Lynchburg should have crossings at Middleton and Azalea Park, and where the trail cuts through to the Beach Club from Monte Vista. Crossings should be provided along JPA Ex. to the bus stops between Camelia and Cleveland, especially if walks are not constructed. The Cherry/Cleveland/Willard intersection should be greatly reduced in size and brought to proper corners.

The JPA Extended bridge over the railroad tracks will be replaced in the next few years. Residents should ensure that sidewalks are included in designs for the new bridge. The Sunset Avenue bridge over Moore’s creek may have been closed to automobile traffic, but remains open to pedestrians and cyclists. Improvements to the bridge and the road approaching include clearing vegetation, changing to more attractive and functional barriers, such as posts, and removing bridge and weight limit sings. A trail could lead from the bridge, through the woods along the edge of the Dymond property, out of the old driveway posts, which will connect to the sidewalk which will be built from Sunset Road to JPA. This would separate walkers from vehicular traffic on the tight curve and steep hill of Sunset Avenue leading down to the bridge Extended. A bridge or connection where Flint Drive and Keene Court meet could connect Moseley Drive residents through Longwood to the Greenbelt and shopping. The termination points of Porter, Woodland and Camelia streets may be connected by pedestrian and bicycle trails, and possibly be used for a small open space area or sitting park.

The Rivanna Greenbelt will extend along the neighborhood’s western edge at Moore’s Creek and provide links to the University, Azalea Park and the city as well. The foot trail running from the Sunset Avenue bridge to McElroy Drive along Moore’s Creek will be improved to become Greenbelt. The proposed new development on the Dymond property near the bridge supports plans for continuing the Greenbelt. The trail has parking at the bridge, and should link to sidewalks on Sunset Avenue. McElroy Drive walks can be made continuos to Old Lynchburg walks when the Greenbelt is improved.

According to the city tax maps, a public right-of-way exists at the end of Longwood Drive that should connect to a park, and possibly the shopping center on 5th Street. Residents say there is no park, but if the right-of-way exists, it would link to the Greenbelt. This area is listed as deficient in recreation in the city Recreation and Open Space Plan, adding to the benefit of providing this link.

The intersection of Fontaine and Maury Avenue will soon be enhanced and pedestrian/bicycle right-of-way designated out to the Fontaine Avenue Research Park. Efforts should be made to include pedestrian and bicycle access in the intersection upgrades with better crosswalks, better road definition, and shorter crossing paths.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

The wide roads provide excellent opportunity for bicycle lane addition throughout much of the neighborhood. Sunset Road, Cleveland Avenue, Harris Road, 5th Street, Azalea Street the Greenbelt and more of Jefferson Park Extended are currently slated for lanes in the city Bicycle Plan. The city has plans to connect the Harris St. and JPA Ex. lanes at the intersection of these two roads. Willard Drive should have lanes also, to provide deeper penetration into residential areas and offer more routes. Lanes on 5th Street should connect to Ridge Street lanes, to complete the link downtown. Other lanes which should be added include Cherry Avenue towards the hospital and Camelia Drive, to create a loop with Azalea Drive. Commercial areas at 5th Street and JPA/Fontaine should have racks installed, as should Azalea Park.

Sunset Avenue lanes will extend into the County, connecting to 5th Street and Route 20, which will have lanes into the city. These lanes will intersect with the Greenbelt at the Sunset Avenue bridge over Moore’s Creek. This bridge is not open to vehicular traffic, and should be improved for riders by replacing the blockades on the Sunset Avenue bridge with posts, allowing freer movement on and off the bridge. Creating a paved connection to either side of the bridge from the dead-end roads would also make travel easier for bikes, especially street bikes with narrow tires. Vegetation will also need to be cleared around and on the bridge.

It may be possible to negotiate with the developer of the Dymond property just southwest of the bridge to build a path connecting the bridge with Sunset Avenue/Sunset Road without using Sunset Avenue. This would make travel would be less steep and would separate bikers from automobile traffic. There is an existing driveway marked with stone pillars that would start the trail, which could then follow along the small creek bed down to the bridge. A link from Sunset to Fontaine Avenue, which will have lanes to the Maury Avenue intersection and beyond, will be made when the Greenbelt is complete.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

CTS service in the area may be better served with a loop route which would include the Willoughby Square shopping center, Fifeville, downtown, and Jefferson Park Avenue. Extension of service until 8PM would be a tremendous help, and Sunday service should be provided for week-long access.

UTS does not serve the area, but with high numbers of faculty, students and staff in the neighborhood, probably should. This new route can run through the neighborhood, into Fifeville, which also has a good number of students and staff, along the 9th/10th Connector to the Hospital area, and down JPA, re-entering Fry’s Spring at JPA extended. This loop, which might only run one bus every half hour may also serve the Fontaine Research Park.

Bus stops in the area can be improved with crosswalks, benches, trash service, shelter and more information.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)

Locust Grove

This neighborhood consists of the area northeast of downtown Charlottesville, bounded by the Rivanna River, Pen Park, Park Street and Route 250 (Long Street). Route 250 creates a barrier between most non-vehicular traffic and services on the other side. Park Street and Locust Avenue each have overpasses to carry travelers over the highway and towards downtown. Park Street, which becomes Rio Road at the county line, is a major cut through from downtown to Route 29 north.

Major Service Areas

The intersection of River Road and High Street with Route 250 is the major service area for the neighborhood, at least until the grocery store closed. The area still holds a CVS pharmacy, a mini-mart, Riverside restaurant, a bank, dry-cleaners, a car wash, and an automobile supply store. River Road is home to many small, light industrial or service businesses, including auto repair shops, fuel depots, contractor equipment yards, and also boasts a technical training center.

Pantops Shopping Center, located southeast of the intersection of Routes 250 and 20 and across the Rivanna from Locust Grove, offers Food Lion groceries, Eckerd Drug, Roses, hardware, a bank, pizza, chinese, subs, greeting cards, clothes, an ABC store, automobile service, a chiropractor, and a florist. Fast food establishments and gas stations surround the intersection.

High Street is service oriented near Locust Grove, with a few restaurants, automobile dealers and services, and a window shop. Downtown Charlottesville, offering near complete services and employment centers, is 3/4 mile to the south, and can be reached along Park Street, Locust Avenue, and High Street.

The MACAA YMCA is located at the southeast corner of the neighborhood at Davis Street. Charlottesville High School is within a mile and a half of most residents and Burnley-Moran Elementary is located across 250 near High Street. The Charlottesville Albemarle Tech-Education center is located north of the neighborhood on Rio Road.

The development of a co-housing project in the neighborhood has lead to concerns about traffic volume increases.

Automobile

Streets in the area provide full automobile access. There area a number of cul-de-sacs, but this does not detract from overall accessibility.

Links - The area has easy access to downtown and major roads leading to other destinations, such as Route 250 and Rio Road. Full points are scored for links.

Interior Access - Rush hour can lead to thick traffic on 250 and continuous cars along Park Street. Traffic on interior streets is generally calm and low-volume. Locust, St. Clair, River, North and Holmes are the larger neighborhood streets. There are numerous entry points in all directions except north, which has only Rio Road. Parking is more than adequate on-street and is generally available off-street as well. Roads are in good condition, clear of debris, and lighting is adequate in most areas. Pavement markings are average.

Pedestrian

Links - Park Street and Locust Avenue have overpasses taking walkers across Route 250 towards downtown, which is a long walk to the south. Locust and Park Avenues have walks from 250 to downtown, as does much of High Street. Martha Jefferson Hospital is within reach of pedestrian residents. Walks on 250 provide access to services located there, like the CVS drugstore and Riverside restaurant, but amenities across the highway are not accessible because no crossing facilities exist. Pantops Shopping Center has sidewalks leading part way to Route 250, but stops short of reaching the network along the highway. Walks lead west on 250 to McIntire Street, and then to the County office building and downtown, but crosswalks are lacking. Northeast Park, in the heart of the neighborhood, is easily reached on foot, with access from one direction provided by a wonderful foot trail and wooden bridge over a stream. Melbourne Road has sidewalks all the way from Park Street to Charlottesville High School.

Interior Access - About half of the neighborhood has sidewalks or foot trails. The best network is in the northwest portion of the neighborhood, as many other areas have fragmented walks. Route 250 has walks, as does much of Locust Avenue, and Park Street. Meadow Creek foot trails have trailheads at Holmes Avenue and Locust Court, and lead to Rivanna River trails that will eventually become part of the Greenbelt. Crosswalks are found along Park and Locust, and at Holmes and North, but generally nowhere else. There are a good number of walks in the area with utilities located out of the pathway. There are also a few newer developments where utilities are buried. Lighting is sparse, except in the newer areas, which have great pedestrian lighting.

Bicycle

Links - Racks were not observed at any destinations, except downtown. Pen Park is listed as the most visited park among local riders.

Access - There are currently no bike lanes in the neighborhood, or near it. Traffic is relatively calm on most neighborhood streets, so riding in these areas without lanes is safer. Larger roads, such as Park Street and Route 250 as well as Locust Avenue and River Road have heavier traffic volumes and are generally unsafe, especially during rush hours. Commuting to downtown or riding to any service destination is unpleasant at the least.

Mass Transit

Links - Locust Grove is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. Hours of operation for Route 2 are 6:30 till 6:30, for 12 hours. Route 8 is CTS’s demand responsive route, and has an endpoint at Park Street and Melbourne Road, in the northwest tip of the neighborhood. This route runs to Kroger at Route 29 and 250, and operates 6:30 till 6:30, Monday through Friday. Rides on Route 8 must be called in four hours in advance. Because CTS does not run on Sundays, only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service.

Interior Access - Many stops in the neighborhood lack facilities, including sidewalks to stand on. Handicapped access is rare, but is sometimes nearby or provided by driveway cuts.

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

Traffic along Park Street, if not alleviated by the proposed Parkway, should be interrupted somehow during rush hours. It is often impossible to find enough of a gap to either enter the road in the car, or cross it otherwise. A four way stop may slow traffic to much, but might be useful at the Route 250 interchange. River, St. Clair Avenue, and Locust Avenue may also benefit from calming measures like chokers to slow traffic.

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

Walks recommended by the Planning Commission include either side of Holmes near the creek, eastern Locust Avenue from Calhoun St. to River Road, and the western side from the 250 By-pass to Poplar, the west side of Martin south from Smith St., the north side of the 1200 block of Agnese St., and the west side of St. Charles Avenue from Watson to Calhoun Street.

Locust Avenue walks should continue from River Road to Locust Lane. The western side of River Road should be completed, and improvements made to vehicular entry points in the service area near Belleview and Smith Streets. Calhoun Street walks should be extended from Locust Avenue to St. Clair Avenue and walks on Belleview Avenue will complete a link from there to River Road. Completing the gap in walks on Park Street between this neighborhood and Melbourne Road would provide a long, although adequate link to the school. Agnese and Elizabeth Street walks would create a complete circuit in this portion of the neighborhood.

Although many utilities are absent from walks in this area, there are still a number of obstacles, including signs, mailboxes and some utilities in the path of pedestrians which should be relocated where possible. Although some streets have excellent pedestrian lighting, levels are low along many streets because sources are high and widely spaced, creating shadow zones. More curb cuts should be installed. Vegetation should be removed from walks, especially on Smith and River near Smith.

Pedestrian controlled crosswalks should be provided over Route 250 at River Road/High Street to give walkers adequate access to services across the highway. A controlled crossing should also be installed at McIntire and Route 250 to complete the pedestrian network in that area. Crosswalks should be placed along all streets leading downtown, especially at the 250 overpass intersections. Raised crossings may help with safety and calm traffic. Crossings are needed to Northeast Park and bus stops.

The Greenbelt will provide pedestrian access under Route 250 and then up towards downtown, allowing children safe access to many services without having to interact with vehicular traffic at this major intersection. It seems there is a need to negotiate right-of-way with the VFW property in order to make the link to the existing underpass trail. Existing foot trails along the Rivanna and Meadow Creek can be improved for bicycle access. A permanent bridge over Meadow Creek will eventually be needed to create a continuous circuit around the city, and will provide Locust Grove residents with a direct link to Penn Park, reducing reliance on the current adventurous route over downed trees. The trailhead on River Road for Meadow Creek East trails can be marked with stenciled green foot prints to guide visitors from the street down to the trail. This trail leads directly to Charlottesville High School, so links should be made.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

Lanes are listed for future installation in the bicycle plan for Locust Avenue (Route 6a) and Park Street (Route 4d) as well as along both the Rivanna Greenbelt and the Meadow Creek Trail System. Lanes are planned along the proposed and much disputed Meadow Creek Parkway, which may or may not be constructed in the future. Lanes on Park Street will only be installed if the Parkway is not used. A lane connecting Locust Avenue lanes to Park Street lanes via North Avenue / Calhoun Street would also provide link to Northeast park. The Greenbelt will provide a link under Route 250 to High Street services. McIntire Road will have lanes up to West Main Street, linking to many services, but the neighborhood will not have a link to these lanes, because Route 250 is not marked for lanes. River Road, North Avenue and Holmes Avenue should be considered for lanes as well. The Holmes and North lanes will penetrate a large portion of the neighborhood and provide a crossing link between Locust Avenue and Park Street Lanes. River Road has many employment centers and access to the Greenbelt, and St. Clair offers a link over 250 to downtown. Melbourne Road can easily be improved with lanes, adding a link to the high school when Park Street lanes are installed.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

Service provision on Sundays and later in the evening would boost scores. There have been attempts to link service to Pantops shopping center that have failed. This link would give residents access to another route providing more buses per hour than they have with only the existing route. Bus stops can be improved with benches, trash cans, shelter, and information, and crosswalks in some places.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)

Carrsbrook, Woodbrook, Old Fields

This neighborhood consists of the area bounded by Rio Road, Route 29 North, the railroad tracks, and the Rivanna River. It is a medium-density, mostly single family residential northern area of Albemarle County’s Neighborhood 2.

Major Service Centers

Woodbrook Shopping Center, located at the entrance to Woodbrook, houses a 7-11 convenience store, a barber, a custard shop, and some specialty shops. The Gardens Shopping Center offers more specialty shops just north of the Woodbrook center. and there are some stores to the south.

Albemarle Square occupies the northeast corner of the Rio Road/US 29 intersection. It provides restaurants, a fitness center, health care, specialty shopping, a theater, a library, and transit stops.

Rio Hill Shopping Center, located across 29 from the Woodbrook shopping center, offers groceries, a pharmacy/general store, restaurants, specialty shops, and more.

There is a pool and small park at the southeast corner of the area (across the tracks), and some services along East Rio Road, including a bank and Putt-Putt golf area. Woodbrook Elementary provides schooling for neighborhood children.

Automobile

The neighborhood is interested in calming and reducing through traffic.

Links - These neighborhoods are located just outside the heart of the automobile serving commercial district of Route 29. This is the major corridor for services in the area, and although congested, offers full links to most possible service destinations.

Interior Access - Standard suburban roads provide access into and within these neighborhoods. Woodbrook has only one entry/exit point, and Carrsbrook only two, each on Carrsbrook Road. The Route 29 entry/exit for Carrsbrook does not have a traffic signal, and only allows entry from the south and exits to the north. Lighting from houses and yards is often the only lighting available, but some streetlights exist. Speeds are limited to 25mph in Woodbrook and 35 in Carrsbrook. Pavement markings are less than adequate. Route 29 and Rio Roads suffer congestion during rush hours, making travel difficult. Road surface conditions are fine.

Pedestrian

Walking within these neighborhoods is generally pleasant due to low traffic volumes, even though there is a near total lack of pedestrian facilities. Traffic on Carrsbrook Road is often too fast for comfortable foot travel. Continuos right-of-way exists along Westmoreland/Old Fields Drive out to Rio Road, which has walks along its northern side in this area. In the commercial areas, the necessary right-of-way only exists along Route 29, Rio Road and along the storefronts of shopping centers. A foot trail runs along the stream behind Woodbrook, offering a wonderful escape from suburban roads.

Links - No amenities exist in the neighborhoods, but services are nearby. Residents can reach 7-11 and specialty shops at Woodbrook shopping center and restaurants, theater, specialty shopping, library and gym at Albemarle Square.

Interior Access - Walks do not exist within the neighborhoods, but traffic is relatively calm. Walks along 29 are handicapped accessible, but don’t exist in the neighborhoods, making wheelchair use unsafe. In residential areas, lighting is sparse, but so is litter; while the opposite is true on Rio Road and 29.

Bicycle

There are currently no bicycle facilities in this area. Riding in the neighborhoods is relatively safe and pleasant. Larger roads, especially 29 and Rio Rd. are not safe for riders. The 1998 TIP includes bike lanes on Rio Road from Rt. 29 to Rt. 743, on the west side of the highway. The City/County Bike Plan designates Route 7 as the UVA Fashion square bikeway. This route would run from Albemarle Square shopping center north along 29 to Woodbrook and then into the neighborhood, where it splits. One path would lead north to Carrsbrook Road, up to Northfields Road and out to Rio Rd. The southern split would link into the Gardens shopping center.

Links - Bicycle links do no exist at this time in this area. A rack exists at the new ACAC gym at Albemarle Square, but that is the only one observed in the area..

Access - There are no existing lanes in the neighborhood. Traffic on neighborhood streets is calm enough for riding, but the major roads, including Carrsbrook Drive, carry faster traffic. Because these are suburban streets, they generally lack curb and gutter, so storm drain grates are not a problem. Tree limbs, litter or other debris may accumulate on the road edges where cyclists ride.

Mass Transit

CTS Routes 7 and Route 5 serve Albemarle Square Shopping Center.

Links - The neighborhood is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. 2 routes offer 4 buses per hour at Albemarle Square shopping center, both operating for eleven hours between 7AM and 6PM. CTS does not run on Sundays, so only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service.

Interior Access - Stops at the shopping center are near shelter, seating (planters), trash cans, and services. They are handicapped accessible. Crosswalks are provided into the parking lot.

TRANSIT STOPS IN CARRSBROOK/WOODBROOK
Location	Bench	Shelter	Walkway	X-walk	Handicap	Trash	Info / Maps
Rio Road @ Raintree	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
Albemarle Square North	yes	yes	yes	n/a	yes	near	no
Albemarle Square South	yes	yes	yes	n/a	yes	near	no

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

Through traffic cuts through the area at high speeds along Carrsbrook, Old Brook, Hunington, and Northfield Roads. Traffic calming can greatly improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in the area. Speed limits must first be lowered to 25mph. Tree islands will eliminate the open road feel of Hunington and Northbrook, reducing the need for speed and giving pedestrians a safe zone if needed. Chokers installed at intersections along Old Brook will squeeze traffic, while creating shorter crossing distances for walkers. Creation of a system of parking bays may be the best overall improvement, especially if they are planted with trees. Carrsbrook Road can be calmed with speed humps, especially with a pair near the curve which will allow for the trail crossing to the Greenbelt.

A few key road cuts could also stop through traffic while allowing residents access to services. This would be an extreme measure, and would need to be studied and tested before being made permanent.

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

Carrsbrook and Hunington Roads should have walks or asphalt trails built, if any are to be placed within the neighborhoods. The walk along northern Rio Road stops short of reaching Route 29 and should be connected. Walks on 29 should be improved with crossings or other support at vehicular entry points to shopping areas. Sidewalks should be built into Woodbrook, Albemarle Square, Fashion Square and Rio Hill shopping centers. Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Kegler’s Bowling also lack walkways. With the volumes of vehicular traffic flowing in and out of these access points, pedestrians must have safe travelway. Woodbrook Road should have walks in to the elementary school to give staff a link to lunch-time errands. Walks should extend to new apartments near Putt-Putt as well.

The largest barriers to services for pedestrians and bicyclists in this area are Route 29 and Rio Roads, which, in combination with the Rivanna River, create a virtual moat around these neighborhoods. To help remedy this, a pedestrian-controlled crossing should be installed at Woodbrook Road. Because there is an existing light here, we believe it is possible to allow for safe pedestrian crossing without any major engineering or expense. Right-on-red can be eliminated to ensure safety of crossers. Within the neighborhoods, connections should be created to this crossing point. This will serve the double purpose of creating a quick link to a neighborhood store and others located at Woodbrook Shopping Center. Carrsbrook residents can reach it on the sidewalk along the east side of 29 North. A Rio Road crossing could be made at the light on the north side of the mall. This intersection is less dangerous than Route 29 and could be served by walks leading into each shopping center.

The Route 29 Corridor Crossing Study is currently underway to determine the feasibility of creating other pedestrian accesses over the highway. Draft recommendations include crossings over Route 29 at Albemarle Square, Hilton Heights Rd., and Kegler’s bowling. A mid-block crossing complete with pedestrian controls could be placed on Rio Road east of Rt. 29. The south fork Rivanna River bridge is an existing separated grade crossing point which will be part of the Greenbelt, and should be made accessible to the sidewalk system along the highway.

The creek trail between Carrsbrook and Woodbrook offers great opportunity for establishing neighborhood connections and a safe, pleasant pedestrian and bicycle recreation area. The main spine runs north-south along the streambed, and east-west connections would strengthen ties between the various neighborhoods. The County has right-of-way for ten feet on either side of the sewage lines running along the creekbed area. They have the lines bush-hogged regularly to allow for service access, which will keep trails clear. Public trail heads can be established at key locations such as the access points for the stormwater detention ponds and along undeveloped properties such as Ramblewood Court. In Woodbrook, opportunities for trail heads may exist on Brentwood and Eastbrook. Such a system would allow more children to walk to school, reducing the need for bussing (on sunny days). With a bridge and trail at the end of Idlewood Road in Woodbrook, a connection can be made to the theater, library, gym, and shopping center at Albemarle Square. This trail could also connect north to the Greenbelt. A crossing of Carrsbrook Road, with speed humps and signage will lead walkers into the main trail at the Rivanna River and to the new development at Still Meadows. Westbrook Court has a small trail leading to the school, which can be improved with stairs and bicycle access, allowing easier passage of children who walk and ride.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

The TIP includes Rio Road bike lanes to Route 743. The city plans to extend bicycle lanes on Rio Road to its limits, and the County should ensure full bicycle coverage of Rio Road. Lanes should be provided on Carrsbrook, Old Brook and Hunington Roads. The middle neighborhood trail may provide some bicycle access, and should be designed to if connected to the Greenbelt in the future.

Racks in Albemarle square should especially serve the theater, gym and library for children’s use. Rio Hill Shopping Center will need racks, if connected. Woodbrook Elementary school and the pool should also have racks.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

A crossing over 29 will connect residents with transit at Rio Hill. Parking arrangements may be made with the shopping centers to allow commuters to park there and ride into town to jobs. Parking slots can be returned for shoppers’ use during peak times, such as during the holidays. Better seating may improve stops at Albemarle Square and Rio Hill. Extended hours of service and operation on Sunday would improve service.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)

Georgetown Road

Including parts of both the county and the city, Georgetown Road consists of the area bounded by Barracks Road, the western neighborhoods of Georgetown Road, Hydraulic Road to Whitewood Road, Route 29 South and the Route 250 By-pass. It includes the "Meadows" neighborhood area in the city and many apartment and townhouse developments in the county. The large roads create a "box" around a residential area. The neighborhood streets have few connections to each main road, but residents can reach each main road via the proper streets. This design makes access easy and cut-through difficult. This neighborhood is a pocket of quiet surrounded by motion.

Major Service Areas

Barracks Road Shopping center provides groceries, banks, restaurants, and specialty shopping galore. Located within a half mile of the neighborhood, it is nearly accessible by foot and bike, fully by bus or car. Crosswalks do not exist at Millmont Street, which is the logical place to cross Barracks Road to go shopping, or anywhere between residents and the center, although there are striped crossings at Route 29.

Kroger, across 29, includes a branch bank. A Big-K (K-Mart) store, Food Lion grocery, bank, movie theater and entry to Meadow Creek walking trail is located across both 29 and Hydraulic from the neighborhood. Virginia Power has its main office behind Kroger. The services are not accessible by foot or bike because nearby crossings do not exist over 29.

Seminole Square shopping center, with interior access for car, foot, or bus travel, is across Route 29 from the neighborhood, and is not served by crosswalks. It offers groceries, restaurants, specialty shopping, and transit stops.

There are numerous services and employment centers along Hydraulic Road and Route 29. Greenbrier Road and Whitewood Drive offer some restaurants and shops, a park, and as well as offices. This area is well served by sidewalks. There is a convenience store/deli and nursing home complex about 3/4 mile west on Barracks Road, partly sidewalked and serviced by CTS.

Employment centers include Sprint/CENTEL and Sperry Marine, the local schools and the University of Virginia. Schools include Albemarle High School, Jack Jouett Middle School, and Mary C. Greer Elementary, all located in a complex northwest of the neighborhood on Hydraulic Road.

Automobile

Routes 29, 250 and I-64 are within easy reach for cars. Speed limits are 35-45 mph on major roads around the neighborhood and 25 mph on interior streets.

Links - Access to all services is available with a car from Georgetown Road. Route 250 provides a quick link to downtown and Route 29 is dense with services adjacent to the neighborhood.

Interior Access - Parking is ample, and is available both on- and off-street in many parts of the neighborhood. Pavement markings exist in many places. There are multiple entry and exit points. Lighting can be lacking in some areas of the neighborhood, but larger roads are usually adequately lit. Traffic on Route 29, Barracks, Georgetown, and Hydraulic roads can get congested during rush hours. Multiple traffic signals in the area can lead to slow travel times.

Pedestrian

Georgetown, Barracks and Hydraulic Roads each provide a walkway on at least one side, and Route 29 has walks on both sides, so the "box" around the neighborhood can be walked. A lack of facilities along neighborhood streets makes walking unpleasant and in some areas, unsafe. Townhouse and apartment developments tend to have walkways from parking spots to doorways, and generally little else. Route 250 is a significant barrier between residents of this area and services to the east, and Route 29 is difficult to cross, making services on the other side inaccessible. Neither road provides anywhere near adequate crossings in the area, and even these are not at convenient locations.

Links - Services on Hydraulic, including the schools and employment centers are accessible on foot. The restaurants and bank on 29 near Angus can be reached on sidewalks. Foot travel over Route 29 is risky at least, so services to the east such as two groceries, a department store, and other high scorers do not count. A pedestrian crossing of 29 at Hydraulic Road is needed to get to services and transit routes. The intersection Route 29 and Barracks Road has four crosswalks and is handicapped accessible. Signals, however, do not exist for pedestrian control, even though there is a traffic light. Sidewalks do not provide safe travel under the Route 250/29 overpass, creating a significant barrier to north-south movement of pedestrians on Route 29.

Interior Access - The walks that do exist in the area are generally clear of obstacles, except Ricky Road, which has mailboxes along the sidewalk. Pedestrian controlled crosswalks exist to carry travelers over Route 29 at Angus Road and over Hydraulic and Whitewood Roads at that intersection. Crosswalks elsewhere are rare. Trees are dense in residential areas and rare in service areas and along major roads. Lighting is sparse in residential areas and common along main roads. Handicapped access exists in many places along major roads, but without walks, residential streets are not accessible.

Bicycle

Georgetown Road has an asphalt trail separated from the roadway. This can be used by bicyclists, but connects to sidewalks on either end, and not services or roads with lanes. The trail is also heavily used by pedestrians, making bicycle travel dangerous. Otherwise, cyclists have not been provided for in this area. Lanes are in place along Hydraulic Road to the north. Neighborhood roads are relatively safe to ride on. Traffic on major roads is dense and high speed, making safe travel questionable.

Links - There are no links to services in the area. Racks are also lacking. Barracks Road Shopping Center has racks.

Interior Access - Traffic is calm within the neighborhood. Obstacles in the roadway do not exist, storm drains are rare because roads are not curbed in this area. The guardrail along Hydraulic Road at the Meadow Creek Trail head could be cut to allow free movement of cyclists. Debris can be common as many trees in the area drop litter. Humans have this problem on main roads.

Mass Transit

The Georgetown Road area is served directly by CTS Route 5, along Barracks and Georgetown Roads. Route 6 can be reached at Route 29 and Angus Road and Routes 2, 7 and 9 can be reached at Barracks Road Shopping Center.

Links - Georgetown Road is served by CTS and therefore scores 8 points. 5 routes are available to residents. Because CTS does not run on Sundays, only 2 1/2 points are scored for days in service. Service is available from 6:30AM till 7:00PM, with hourly buses on each route, except 6 which runs doubles morning and afternoon, and 7 which always runs three an hour.

Interior Access - Stops are not well equipped in the area, many even lack platforms.

TRANSIT STOPS IN GEORGETOWN ROAD
Location	Bench	Shelter	Walkway	X-walk	Handicap	Trash	Info / Maps
Colonnades Entry	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Colonnades interior	yes	yes	yes	n/a	yes	yes	no
W G-town @ G-town Wy	no	trees	close	no	no	no	no
E G-town @ G-town Sq	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
W G-town @ G-tree Pk	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
E G-town @ Inglewood	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
W G-town @ Old Forge	no	no	yes	no	yes	no	no
W G-town @ Terrell East	no	no	gravel	no	no	no	no
E G-town @ Court Place	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
E G-town @ Hydraulic	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
W G-town @ Hydraulic	no	no	yes	yes	gravel	no	no
Hydraulic @ Trtl Creek	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Barracks @ Barracks Ct	no	no	yes	no	yes	no	no
Barracks @ Surry Rd	no	no	yes	no	yes	no	no
Barracks @ Bennington	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
N. Barracks @ Cedar Ct.	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
S. Barracks @ Cedar Ct.	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
Brks Rd Shp Ctr (McD’s)	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes
Brks Shp Ctr (Frm Jck)	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
Brks Shp Ctr (Texaco-2)	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Millmont (south) +UTS	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Millmont (north) +UTS	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes
S Rt. 29 @ Hydraulic	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
S Rt. 29 @ Angus Rd	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
N Rt. 29 @ Holiday Dr.	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	no
S Rt. 29 @ Fed. Ex. Ctr	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no
N Rt. 29 @ Morton Dr.	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no

Real Accessibility Score (Present)

Opportunities for Improvement

Automobile

Traffic calming in the area should include lowered speed limits followed by a narrowing of wide streets with either sidewalks or bike lanes. Georgetown Road should be changed to speed limit 25, especially if traffic calming is to be considered under VDOT regulations. Tree islands would work well at a few spots along Georgetown Road. 4-way stop on N. Berkshire at Inglewood and Cedar Hill. Traffic triangles at Angus Rd. / Angus Ct., and at the intersection of Hydraulic Road and Georgetown Green will help control traffic movement. Narrowing intersections with either sidewalk extensions or removal of extraneous asphalt will help calm traffic in places such as Inglewood / Woodstock and Biltmore / Georgetown Rd. A Children at Play sign may be needed at the curve on Middlesex.

Proposed interchanges to serve UVA’s north Grounds from Route 250 will increase access for residents in this area by providing a faster, smoother and less congested trip.

Automobile Improvements

Pedestrian

This neighborhood has a small and patchy sidewalk network, and almost completely lacks crosswalks. In the city portion of the neighborhood, walks have been recommended by the planning commission along the north side of Angus Road from Route 29 to Cedar Hill, then along Cedar Hill Road from Angus to Hydraulic(the west side is best to connect existing pieces and to Berkshire walks), and also for either side of Wayne Avenue from Angus to Ricky Road. Hydraulic Road should have walks on both sides, from end to end. Walks should be completed along Ricky Road as well as Bennington, Inglewood, Solomon, and Berkshire Roads. Walks on Angus should extend its length, and a shorth segment on oodstock will complete a link through the neighborhood. The school complex should have sidewalks throughout and out to Hydraulic Road. The Georgetown Road walk and bike trail needs to be cleared of roots and other impediments and have crosswalks provided at intersections. Improve path to apartment building at Hydraulic & Inglewood.

A pair of mid-block crossings of 29, one at the Federal Executive Center and one at Krogers near Hydraulic, have been recommended in the Route 29 Pedestrian Study. Crosswalks should be provided at all side streets along Barracks Road and Hydraulic Road to provide a safe, continuous link to shopping and service areas on and near Route 29. Georgetown Road should have crosswalks at CTS stops. Pedestrian controls exist at Whitewood and Hydraulic, but only allow crossing from the high school to the other side of Hydraulic Road. Another is needed across Whitewood to connect to Vinny’s Pizza, the convenience store, and neighborhoods further north on Hydraulic Road. Hydraulic Road intersections at Georgetown Road and Commonwealth Drive would benefit with pedestrian controlled crosswalks. Intersections in the area are often very wide and should be narrowed wherever needed.

Two projects listed in the TIP are bike/walk improvements to Hydraulic and better pedestrian access for Georgetown Road.

Many townhouse areas like Westgate and Barclay Place should have pedestrian links to roads and other sidewalks, not just from parking to the door. A link the Greenbelt will exist at Barracks Road, just beyond the By-pass, and should be connected to the neighborhood with sidewalks. A cut in the guardrail along Hydraulic Road would allow better access to the walking trails at Meadow Creek.

Lighting should be provided wherever there are walkways. Ricky Road is black at night, and that makes walking difficult, and crime more likely. Trees should be planted along major roads and in service areas for better weather protection. Trim vegetation at 2210 N. Berkshire. More curbs cuts are needed along walks.

A switch to walking postal service would eliminate the need for mailboxes in the sidewalks, as found on Ricky and Berkshire Roads. First, the area must be made pleasant for mail carriers (safe, shady, available parking), and then the system can be cleared of these obstacles.

Pedestrian Improvements

Bicycle

The city plans to extend bicycle lanes to the city limit on Barracks Road. If the county continues these lanes, a connection to Georgetown Road will be made, enhancing planned lanes on that route. Barracks Road lanes would also provide a link via Millmont Lane to UVA Law and Business Schools. A route can be created along Ricky, Angus, and Cedar Hill Roads to provide links out to Barracks, Hydraulic, and Route 29. Hydraulic Road to the High School should have lanes as well, which would connect to Rio Road lanes to the north. The schools and shopping centers should have racks. Cutting the guardrail at the entry to the Meadow Creek trails on Hydraulic Road will improve access, if the trail can be used by riders.

Bicycle Improvements

Mass Transit

The CTS stop on Barracks Road at Surry Road is a good example of how an incomplete network makes for less than comfortable arrangements. The stop has been made handicapped accessible with construction of a ramp. the only problem is there are no sidewalks connecting to the ramp, and the ramp is not located where the bus stops, it is on the corner of the street, just away from the actual stop. When walkways do get built, this stop will already be prepared, but it is currently in a peculiar situation.

Mass Transit Improvements

Real Accessibility Score (Future)