John W. Warner Parkway Opens Amid Minor Protest

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Updated: 6:09 PM Jan 6, 2012 John W. Warner Parkway Opens Amid Minor Protest Traffic is now flowing on the newly-named John W. Warner Parkway. However, the man who the controversial road was named after was a no show at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Posted: 12:51 PM Jan 6, 2012 Reporter: Rachel Ryan Email Address: rachel.ryan@newsplex.com

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January 6, 2012

With a snip of the ceremonial scissors, state and local government officials did what four decades of their predecessors didn't, open the parkway in Albemarle County.

The newly-named John W. Warner Parkway officially opened to traffic Friday morning. However, the controversial road's namesake was a no show at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Parkway Protesters

The John W. Warner Parkway opening was not met with 100 percent approval. Two protesters expressed their displeasure with the road during the ribbon cutting ceremony Friday morning.

"Not everybody in the area is excited about the opening of another road," said Wick Hunt. "I like to call it 'the road to nowhere'. It's not going to solve any traffic problems and it's going to dump traffic downtown."

Besides traffic, Wick is worred the new road means less space for outdoor activities. "I really don't want to see McIntire Park utilized for more traffic. It needs to be used for recreation," he said.

Joining Wick to protest was Richard C. Collins, a member of the Coalition to Save McIntire Park. He has been fighting the construction of the parkway for decades.

"It's a half-nice road through a beautiful piece of landscape. It should be reserved for quiet use by people who are walking, biking and trying to enjoy the landscape, not for people looking through the windshield as they travel from one place to another. It's too good for that lousy purpose," he argued.

--Rachel Ryan

Warner spent 30 years in public office as a U.S. Senator from Virginia. He secured millions of dollars in federal funding for the parkway, but the 83-year-old wasn't able to see the fruits of his labor after being hospitalized with pneumonia Thursday night.

Several of Warner's friends and other local leaders were on hand for the ceremony in front of the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC). Previously named the Meadow Creek Parkway, the 1.5-mile road stretches from East Rio Road south to the city limits at Melbourne Road.

"We wanted to honor the man for all that he has done for this community, and it's a lot," said former Albemarle County Supervisor Forrest R. Marshall Jr.

The road has been in various stages of discussion, debate and development since 1967 and construction didn't begin until 2009. It was completed in October, and a few months later, the new John W. Warner Parkway street signs were unveiled, followed by a police motorcade that led the first cars onto the road.

Proponents are happy to see the road finally open and say it will provide drivers an easier commute into town.

"I think people were frustrated when it opened then closed again," Supervisor Rodney Thomas said, referring to the road's brief opening in 2010 to alleviate traffic congestion. "It's going to be flowing now, and you don't have to go thru all those curves. I'm just hoping and praying that the rest of it can be built as fast they can do it."

The "rest of it" is Charlottesville's portion, currently called McIntire Park Extended. That project is about 25 percent complete, but work has not begun on the important and controversial Route 250 interchange, which continues to be tied up in lawsuits.

With the county's portion opening and the city's portion still needing work, police will be out helping drivers and pedestrians navigate the new lanes and interchanges.

"You will see an increase of law enforcement officers in the area in marked and unmarked police cars to manage some of the driving behavior and to monitor motorists as they venture onto this part of the roadway," said Charlottesville Police Lt. Ronnie Roberts.

The signals were in flashing mode on Thursday, but regular phase operation began after the ribbon cutting. The temporary signal that was installed at Dunlora Drive was also taken down Friday.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Allen Location: Eastham, VA on Jan 7, 2012 at 11:07 AM

You give the comments of two protesters almost as much space as the article on opening the road. Who cares if they're opposed to it? So what?

Posted by: watts on Jan 6, 2012 at 09:34 PM

Poor choice of words on the author's part. "No show" implies a choice was made not to attend. It probably would have been better to say "was unable to attend" but yes, reading the next sentence would have made it clear.

Posted by: Read Much? on Jan 6, 2012 at 05:41 PM

C'mon Lisa and Dee! Read and comprehend before you comment. And if that's too hard, the freakin video story even mentions he was hospitalized. Sheez.

Click here to post or read all 8 comments.

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