George,

Some forty years ago, a former resident of Charlottesville who had been transferred to Philadelphia wrote of his return visit after many years absent.

I cannot remember the publication, but I do, however, recall his words. He said, "What has happened to Charlottesville? I don't expect cobblestones and gaslights but this community had such natural beauty, and if Route 29 is any indication of the transformation of the area, I am sad for the future.

Talking with a friend earlier today, the subject of the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway came into discussion, I mentioned the article above and how I have had a similar reaction to the transformation of Pantops Mountain. Apparently, we both had a similar experience coming here for the first time from the east side and seeing Charlottesville from the top of Pantops. We were both struck by the beauty and as I later was deciding to leave General Motors for a job offer here, that initial sight of the community certainly was persuasive as part of my final decision..

Recently, I had reason to be at the new Martha Jefferson campus on Pantops, as I returned to town I had a flashback to that first view and my reaction was a pang of sadness. The single word I could muster in my mind was "clutter".

Again, I thought, maybe not gaslights and Williamsburg but surely a coordinated plan could have spared the massive eyesore that replaced that beautiful entrance to our "world class city."

Having mentioned in earlier writings of the experience of watching a beautiful historic community in New Jersey be transformed into an ugly defacing by the "men on the make" who promised beauty and progress need not be mutually exclusive. Sadly, their promises did not hold up. Their excuses were costs and commerce did not allow for their initial plan to be fulfilled (read: they did it on the cheap).

Go there today and it is "Sunset Strip," full of fast food joints, tattoo parlors and gridlock as it still remains a major north-south artery.

Not for a moment do I see the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway becoming Sunset Strip, but I do see it becoming a "if you build it, they will come" highway with congestion wherever it goes, a convenience, once again, dedicated to the automobile.

So as in New York City where the mayor wants to eliminate automobile traffic dissecting Central Park and Pacific Palisades park in San Francisco, now totally devoted to bicycle and pedestrian traffic without automobiles and countless other cities and towns press for alternative means of transportation, Charlottesville-Albemarle build wider highways, beltways and "Parkways" for "progess."

If the road through the park gets built, I hope my predictions are shortsighted and all will be rosy as planned. Stay tuned.

Harry Tenney (Electronic mail, August 21, 2011)