Bridge Opening Delayed, Delayed, Delayed
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The current guesstimate for the bridge opening is February 19. Of course, this bridge missing an opening deadline is not exactly news anymore - in April, this little bridge will have been closed for a full three years. Amazing.
Snow Plowing
Monday, December 21, 2009
Steve Burnett (973-5184) - does not do this full time but has plowed (and has done other work) for Advance Mills Village for years and does a great job.
Bridge Opening Delayed
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Fielder's Choice Enterprises, Inc. folks have let the community know that the bridge opening will be delayed. Don Cantores. VP of Operations appologized but explained the recent bad weather has unavoidably pushed the schedule back. The new schedule is:
- Week of December 14 – Pour the concrete deck
- Week of December 28 to January 8 – Complete miscellaneous items
- Week of January 11 – open bridge to traffic
Dixon Trash Disposal goes "Green"
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tony Townsend tells us that the Dixon trash contractor, used by most of the people in our area has upgraded its service. Dixon's website explains " If you are a customer of Dixon Trash Disposal, you'll be happy to know that your garbage will no longer be dumped into landfill. Thanks to a new relationship with van der Linde Recycling, Dixon Trash Disposal has now added a service for trash removal that will help reduce their customers' impact on the environment by allowing more than 90% of their garbage to be recycled. The service is called Single Stream Recycling (also known as 'fully commingled')."
What this means for Dixon customers is that you can save a trip to the recycling center and just put all your trash and recyclables out and Dixon will cart it away ... and at no extra charge!
VDOT announcement below...
Friday, September 11, 2009
NEWS RELEASE
VirginiaDOT.org
RELEASE: IMMEDIATE September 11, 2009
CONTACT: Lou Hatter CULP 2009-106
540-829-7537 (office)
540-717-2890 (cell)
Lou.Hatter@VDOT.Virginia.gov
ROUTE 641 IN ALBEMARLE TO CLOSE FOR PIPE REPLACEMENT
One-day project will close road to through traffic on Sept. 15
CULPEPER — Route 641 (Frays Mill Road) will be closed to through traffic at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15 so a crew from the Virginia Department of Transportation can replace two lines of 36-inch culvert pipe that carry storm water underneath the roadway. The road will reopen to traffic by 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
The pipe is located approximately 3/4 mile from Route 29 and 1.9 miles from Route 643 743 (Advance Mills Road). Traffic will be detoured via Route 606 (Spring Hill Road) to Route 607 (Cedar Grove Road) to Route 643 743 and back to Route 641. Local traffic will be able to use the road on both sides of the work area. The road work may be postponed due to bad weather.
Motorists can get up-to-the-minute traffic and weather information from any telephone in Virginia. Before you travel, log on to www.511Virginia.org for road and traffic conditions and weather updates.
(END)
Bridge will be delayed
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Kip Newland (AMVHA bridge representative) reports he spoke with Ken Shirly (VDOT, Culpeper). VDOT reports the bridge is on schedule however the bridge construction company has a different take.
Don Cantorie, VP of Operations for Fielder’s Choice Enterprises, Inc. (bridge construction company) to give a brief report on the bridge construction progress to the AMVHA Annual Meeting. Don reports unexpected problems are delaying the completion date (17 to 20 days) for the bridge. The original completion date will now slip from Nov 25th to “before Christmas”.
Don reports that VDOT’s geological assessment was flawed and drilling has been more problematic than anticipated. The old bridge pylons had been planned to be cut down, reinforced and used, however they found no real support to use.
The old bridge has more lead than originally estimated and the cost to remove the lead has gone by 400% (to $12,000).
There has been some vandalism – a small boat required by state regulation to be on site was stolen.
The original delivery date for the bridge to arrive for site assembly was pushed back from August 15th to September 21st.
The abutments for both sides should be completed within the next couple of weeks.
The bridge should be set in place sometime in October.
Jim Burns Video of Bridge Move
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Earlysville Meeting on the Advance Mills Bridge
Tuesday, May 19 2009
VDOT and the local contractor that was awarded the bridge contract briefed the Earlysville Area Residents League members on the status iof the bridge. Ten or so Advance Mills residents also attended. There is not much to report beyond the fact that the bridge is scheduled to be completed sometime in November.
The area is a construction zone so people are urged to stay away. The smaller section of the bridge has been taken down and the larger section will require a larger crane. The larger crane is expected to arrive soon.
No graphic of the new bridge was available but they did say that the bridge will be galvanized and not painted - so the next bridge can be expected to look asthetically similar to the current bridge only the superstructure will be silver/gray in appearance rather than the green/rust we've all gotten used to over the years.
For many Advance Mills residents there is a sense of relief that the bridge is finally getting replaced, even though it is long overdue and expected to be every bit as ugly as the one coming down.
Update: ...click on photos below to see similar bridge
Bridge Update ...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
You may have noticed that things are beginning to happen at the bridge. The contractor, Fielders Choice, is a local corporation and is being very helpful.
Don Cantore, the director of operations lives in Earlysville. He has agreed to meet with all of us on Tuesday, May 19th at 7PM at Broadus Woods Elementary to discuss the plans for the new bridge and their schedule.
This is a very gracious offer and I hope many of you will attend. Looks like we are on our way to reconnecting our community.
Weather Report::
The forecast for the next few days is rain with a chance of thunderstorms. This may slow things up a bit since working in a big erector set in a thunderstorm is a bit risky.
Good News - Bridge Contract Awarded to Local Company
Saturday, April 11 2009
Kip Newland is reporting that VDOT has signed a contract for the bridge with the local area company Fielder's Choice Enterprises, Inc.. The company hopes to start work on May1st and is targeting Oct.1st for completion.
The VP for Operations is Don Cantore and he lives in Earlysville. Kip also mentioned that Don would be happy to meet with the local community and give us as much information as he can.
April marks the 2nd anniversary of the closing of the Advance Mills Bridge.
Friday, April 10, 2009
June 6, 2009 - click on photos
Draft Planning Commission Report - Two "High Priority" Studies
Monday, April 20 2009
Places29 Master Plan would:
- Widen 29 to 6 lanes from Polo Grounds, past Forest lakes and on up to Hollymead. Effectively this would push the major traffic congestion to the north side of Airport Rd.
- Extend Berkmar Drive (between Lowes and Sams) across the South Fork Rivanna to provide a new way to access Earlysville Rd. This would give commuters going north on 29 from Charlottesville and alternative to the traffic jam at Airport Rd by giving them easier and more direct access to Earlysville Rd then they have now.
When the Advance Mills Bridge was open, traffic continued to grow on Earlysville Rd. That growing traffic trend should take a new jump with the "high priority" VDOT "Places29" and a bridge able to handle more and heavier traffic.
Click below for graphics
Places29 Implementation Table
ADVANCE MILLS BRIDGE TIMELINE
1790-1830: Local farming begins shift from tobacco to grain
1833: John Fray opens a Mill and the economic development in the area begins to grow.
1880s: The size and scale of the Mills operations were comparable to others in Albemarle and Charlottesville.
1907: Advance Mills has telephone and Post Office. Along with Earlysville, Advance Mills was most important community in this part of Albemarle County. In the first decade of 1900, Frederick Neve described in his memoirs that he crossed the (Advance Mills Bridge) and it was a plank structure with no sides (…and no truss).
1910-1940: Advance Mills declines ecomomically, yielding to Earlysville and Charlottesville.
1942: Last historic wooden Advance Mills Bridge washed away.
1943: A two-span used (built before 1901) cast iron (west span: Pratt pony, east span: full Pratt) truss bridge moved to Advance Mills. The bridge is 204 feet and is supported by two poured concrete piers. This is the first truss bridge ever put into Advance Mills.
1945, March 15th: Frays Mill burned down to the foundation.
1946: Fray's Store burned down to the foundation.
1950: Cinder block store built on old historic Fray store foundation opened for business.
1988: Walter Eades, resident of Durrett Ridge Road, circulated a petition to upgrade and pave Durrett Ridge Road and everyone in the area signed the petition. He was told “in 5 or 6 years” – in 1999 he came back to the BOS and was told they had no money to spend in Advance Mills.
1999 inventory by VDOT, VDHR and FHWA of bridges in Virginia finds that Advance Mills Bridge is a common type that is not historic.
1999 (April 7): Advance Mills Bridge has a weight limit of only 8 tons. Board of Supervisors rejecst VDOT request to replace bridge and opts to "maintain" bridge for 10 to 15 years. BOS also decides to pursue historic designation. BOS decisions at this meeting were the groundwork for all the future problems in Advance Mills.
Late 1999/2000, Historical designation given to Advance Mills Village is one of local significance. The bridge, however, is designated as only a contributing structure.
Between 2000-July 2006 VDOT incrementally reduces load limit of bridge from 18 tons to 3 tons.
Spring 2007 VDOT permanently closes bridge and declares that it cannot be restored due to major structural failure.
Spring 2007 Advance Mills Homeowners Association circulates petition requesting Board of Supervisors (BOS) to request immediate bridge replacement with a temporary structure. Petition results in signatures from over 540 local homeowners.
Summer 2007 BOS and VDOT confer on the problem.
August 2007 BOS requests VDOT to scope and plan for removal of bridge and replace it with a temporary bridge because VDOT indicates that a permanent solution cannot be completed until at least early 2012.
Late August 2007 VDOT indicates to BOS that it will proceed with planning for the temporary bridge utilizing available state maintenance funds.
September 2007 VDOT works with Virginia Department of Historical Resources (VDHR) and FHWA to ascertain if the temporary bridge can be decoupled from the permanent bridge replacement for the purpose of fulfilling the Federal Section 106 process.
October 9, 2007 VDHR provides consultative input to the FHWA with regard to the need for a Federal Section 106 review of the state funded temporary bridge and FHWA co-funded new bridge as a single undertaking.
October 29, 2007 FHWA formally responds to VDOT/VDHR that they have “concluded that the permanent bridge replacement improvement and temporary bridge replacement improvement are mutually exclusive and neither is dependent upon the other for its justification”.
November 2007 VDOT moves ahead to scope the temporary bridge project in preparation for a January RFP and an April 2008 opening of the temporary bridge.
December 7, 2008 Carol Legard of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation sends VDHR an opinion that the projects should be reviewed together if Federal funds are assumed to be part of the long term solution.
December 18, 2007 VDHR writes VDOT and FHWA expressing their concern about the decision to separate the two projects while acknowledging that “it is ultimately the Federal agency’s responsibility to establish the scope of its undertaking and to define the project’s APE. The role of the state historic preservation office which in Virginia is DHR under Section 106 is one of consultation” only. VDHR also notes the prospect of a legal challenge if the project is separated, but concludes by agreeing to “accept the proposed mitigation “with additional stipulations to be included in a MOA.
Early January 2008 VDOT informs BOS that RFP for the temporary bridge will be advertised on January 29th 2008.
January 28, 2008 FHWA informally informs VDOT that they would like to reconsider their decision to separate the two projects based upon their concern that the current detour is not adequate. Since that inadequate detour is presumably the local unpaved road that residents have been forced to use, resulting in school bus accidents, residents are flummoxed. VDOT requests that FHWA hold off sending a formal reconsideration pending VDOT’s exploration of alternate detours possibilities. VDOT also decides to not issue the RFP.
January 31 2008 VDHR emails Mary Kostishak (President Advance Mills Village Homeowners Association) stating “you must understand that DHR’s role in the process is one of review and comment. We do not “approve” projects and we can only respond to what is provided to us by VDOT and FHWA”.
February 5, 2008 VDOT provides FHWA with two alternate detour proposals.
February 6, 2008 VDOT informs BOS of their decision to not issue the RFP.
February 7, 2008 members of BOS, Advance Mills Village Homeowners Association (AMVHOA) and VDOT meet with FHWA. FHWA indicates that they hope to issue their formal reconsideration in approximately one week. FHWA also indicates that they are reviewing the VDOT alternate detour proposals but have reached no final conclusion. FHWA requests a letter from BOS reaffirming their support of the Temporary Bridge and their support of the alternate detour.
February 7, 2008 – Members of Albemarle BOS & AMVHOA meet with Senator Deeds and Representative Bell to reaffirm the Community’s desire for the immediate Temporary Bridge. Rob Bell contacts Congressman Goode to enlist his assistance.
February 13, 2008 – Albemarle BOS provides FHWA with the letter of support that was requested.
February 15, 2008 – FHWA advises BOS/AMVHOA that they reaffirm their decision that VDOT may move ahead with keeping the Temporary Bridge separate from the permanent solution and may immediately advertise it for an April 2008 opening, thereby allowing citizens almost immediate access to a bridge crossing.
February 22, 2008 - Quintin Elliot, VDOT meets with members of Albemarle BOS and Neighborhood Association to review current status of bridge. Mr. Elliot opened the meeting by announcing that he has decided to now recommend to Pierce Homer, the Virginia Transportation Secretary that, despite a year’s work on this project, VDOT withdraw its approval of this project, utilize the committed funding for other projects such as repairing the Dickerson Road bridge, and begins plans for a more permanent solution that would cost over $3M, require $2.4M in Federal funds and not be open to traffic until October 2010, almost two and a half years later than originally proposed. Should the Transportation Secretary approve Mr. Elliot’s recommendation next week, Albemarle County will have to begin the planning process anew with really no assurance of future funding since VDOT will be requesting most of the needed money from the Federal Government. While Mr. Elliot contends that these Federal funds are already available in VDOT’s six year master plan, the fact is that the Federal government has only provisionally allocated this money and has yet to authorize it. Without this specific authorization, VDOT has no assurance that money will actually be available for this new project when needed in FY2010.
February 25, 2008- Representative Bell informs AMVHOA that he continues to try to contact VDOT Commissioner and VA Transportation Secretary on our behalf. To date, neither has returned his phone calls.
February 28, 2008- AMVHOA Reps and Ann Mallek meet with Butch Davies, senior member of VA Transportation Board. Butch informs us that decision has been made to not install the temporary bridge.
February 29, 2008- VDOT Commissioner sends letter to Albemarle BOS informing them that VDOT will not install temporary bridge and will, in stead, pursue an accelerated, reduced scope permanent solution.
Hunting in Advance Mills
Some area landowners have expressed concern over finding hunters on their land without their permission. Click on Virginia Hunting Regulations for a detailed listing of Virginia's regulations governing hunters.
Here are a few brief items from Virginia's Hunting Regulations:
Hunting on Private Property
Hunters are reminded that it is unlawful to hunt on private property without the permission of the landowner and hunters must have the permission of the landowner to track or retrieve wounded game on private property.
Property not posted
It is unlawful to hunt any unposted property without permission of the landowner and is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
On Posted Property
it is unlawful to hunt without written permission of the landowner and is punishable by a fine of up to $2500 and/or 12 months in jail.
Shooting From the Road is Illegal
Shooting at wildlife from a vehicle and/or from or across a public road is illegal.
Penalties include: fines, license revocation and confiscation of firearms.
Hunting With Dogs
When the chase begins on other lands, fox hunters and coon hunters may follow their dogs on prohibited lands, and hunters of all other game, when the chase begins on other lands, may go upon prohibited lands to retrieve their dogs, but may not carry firearms or archery tackle on their persons or hunt any game while thereon. The use of vehicles to retrieve dogs on prohibited lands shall be allowed only with the permission of the landowner or his agent. Any person who goes on prohibited lands to retrieve his dogs must identify himself when requested by the landowner or his agent.
In Albemarle County
It is unlawful to hunt within 50 feet of the road.
It is unlawful to transport, possess, or carry a loaded rifle or shotgun in any vehicle on any public street, road or highway.