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. 

  1. 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). 

  2. 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 

  3. 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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