The Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park distributed this Press Advisory on February 21, 2011. The complaint will be posted on this blog tomorrow afternoon after the press conference.
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Dear Park Lovers,
CPMP is taking legal action to Save McIntire Park. Please read the Press Advisory below. We hope you can join us at the press conference on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in front of the federal courthouse.
Thanks for your continued support,
John Cruickshank
Press Advisory: Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park will hold a Press Conference to announce the initiation of federal legal action to save McIntire Park.
Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park
February 21, 2011
Contacts: John Cruickshank 434 973-0373 / Peter Kleeman 434 296-6208
On Wednesday, February 23, 2011, the Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park (CPMP) will commence legal action to prevent destruction of McIntire Park and surrounding historic sites from the construction of the proposed Rt. 250 Bypass Interchange. This action seeks declaratory and injunctive relief for violations of federal law by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in approving and providing federal funding for this interchange. CPMP contends that actions taken by the FHWA have violated Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Details about the legal case will be available at the press conference and from the contacts designated above.
Time: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 3:00 p.m.
Location: In front of the Federal Courthouse Building in Charlottesville (Next to the Omni Hotel)
Background:
This legal action is the reluctantly taken “last resort” of the CPMP, which has made many efforts to convince the Federal Highway Administration and elected officials to abandon plans to build this unnecessary interchange and also the connecting McIntire Road Extended that would cause serious environmental damage and increase traffic congestion in downtown Charlottesville. Many area residents are opposed to this excessive and ill-conceived transportation project. We are determined to use all available federal laws to prevent the destruction of McIntire Park and protect the rights of citizens. Among those is the right to the quiet enjoyment of land donated in perpetuity to our city by Paul Goodloe McIntire for use as a park. Mr. McIntire never intended for a road carrying 24,000 cars a day to bisect this parkland.
The construction of the proposed Rt. 250 Bypass Interchange would destroy beautiful natural parkland, a section of the historic Rock Hill Gardens, and the Skateboard Park on McIntire Rd. It would also increase the number of cars on McIntire Rd. and nearby streets and cause even more congestion on Rt. 250 eastbound at Free Bridge.
The CPMP is working for the protection and enhancement of McIntire Park. We believe public access to the park should be improved for pedestrians and bicyclists. A citizens committee should develop a master plan for McIntire Park that will preserve its beauty for future generations. Our transportation dollars should be invested in pedestrian sidewalks, bike trails, public transit, and the repair of existing roads and bridges.
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