Several years ago in Crozet, before the Old Trail neighborhood was as populated as it is (and is yet to be), before Haden Place neighborhood had broken ground … before the new Crozet Library was finished, Jarmans Gap was a challenging road on which to walk or ride a bicycle – so very few people did.
After about a year of construction, the road was finished, complete with bicycle lanes and sidewalks – connecting not just Old Trail, but Homes for sale in Grayrock neighborhood in Crozet, Homes for sale in Waylands Grant neighborhood in Crozet, Bargamin Park, and a lot of homes not in subdivisions.
It’s taken some time for the people to warm up to the idea of not using a car to get everywhere, but this photo from Saturday morning (I rode my bicycle to show a house) shows that, in this case, if you build it, they will come.
As I noted on RealCrozetVA:
It is truly awesome to see Jarmans Gap being used by so many-
– kids on bicycles.
-Parents pushing kids.
-Joggers.
– People walking back from the Crozet farmers market.
Sidewalks and bike lanes are cool.
The average resident of a walkable neighborhood weighs 6 to 10 pounds less than someone who lives in a car-dependent neighborhood .
Related reading:
– Paying more for walkable homes in Charlottesville? (2013)
– Where Are the Walkable Neighborhoods in Charlottesville/Albemarle? (2008)
– Charlottesville is the 3rd Most Walkable City in Virginia (2010)
– Choosing Where you Want to Live in Charlottesville – Walkability and Safety Top the List(2013)
– Walkability=Affordability= Profitability=Livability (2009)
The Charlottesville area in general is still a challenging place to ride a bike but I do see signs of progress. I wasn’t aware of this one so thanks for pointing it out. I hope that with the recent release of the City’s update to the bike and pedestrian master plan the progress will continue and perhaps come a little more quickly.