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Another writer takes
issue with Virginian-Pilot's campaign for voter approval of 22% sales
tax referendum
Editor:
FYI: Here is my response to that totally uninformed reporter for
the Pilot. I can't believe that people believe what they publish in that
poor excuse for a "news" paper.
Just read your article in this morning's paper, concerning the SE
expressway in Chesapeake. I think some things need to addressed
concerning this issue.
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This road was
originally proposed by R.G. Moore, who so happened to own a chunk of
land in the way of this project. It would have given him an
interchange right in the middle of his project, which was catching a
lot of flack from residents at that time (eventually, the rezoning
was denied by a voter referendum in which he sued 6 of us for
opposing his project. His appeal to the state supreme court, upheld
the voters rights to hold a referendum).
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The "only"
off ramp in Chesapeake is at Centerville Turnpike, which is a 2 lane
road where expansion is limited by the 2 lane swing bridge at the
Intercoastal Waterway
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If the road were to
provide economic growth as (Chesapeake) Mayor Ward implies, then the
SE Expressway should be south of the Intercoastal Waterway,
where most of the development occurs today. (There is maybe 1500
acres max that would benefit from this "expansion", most
of it belonging to Eddie Garcia, who owns a corridor between the
Virginia Beach line on Elbow and Kempsville Rd. in Chesapeake.
And, much of that
land is supposedly wetlands, therefore non-developable. So, I cannot see
where this helps the citizens of Chesapeake.
All this road does is
provide a method for Virginia Beach's tourists to travel the "Inner
Loop" to the beaches during the summer.
Why doesn't the Beach, if
it is so interested in moving their people on other roads, continue the
development of the Lynnhaven Parkway from Chesapeake to the existing
roadway, near Indian River Rd?
Perhaps they are afraid
that some of the residents will indeed shop at Greenbrier Mall?
The SE Expressway does
absolutely nothing to bring consumer dollars to Chesapeake, especially
when they are dumped on an already overburdened Battlefield Blvd.
PS: The citizens
along the proposed corridor fought to have the road run either south of
the canal, or just to the north, therefore not destroying wetlands.
Of course, the political
machine, along with developers, who would benefit by the current route,
got their way.
Dick Miale
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