Speaking of misinformation campaigns, our Daily Progress continues to support an orchestrated, self-serving propaganda campaign. Having some limited experience in what it is like to start and operate small business in Albemarle, I fully comprehend the challenges faced by local entrepreneurs. That said, there is considerable help out there to advise, nurture, and grow your business; we are uniquely blessed, in fact, in this community. When I get a chance, Ill add to this post a list of resources. The most egregious and blatant errors in Mr. McKenzies piece are these: 1) His description of the grade-separated intersection planned for 29/Rio is about as bad as I have seen yet, from referring to two full local through lanes in each direction as ramps, to characterizing an open air underpass for through traffic as a tunnel. The arguably pejorative description is deliberately intended, in my view, to paint a false narrative -- and that is, the GSI inhibits local traffic flow to the permanent detriment of small business. 2) The representation that businesses NOW have clear access and visibility that changes materially with the GSI, when in fact, they do not. The Poster Entrepreneur featured in this article operates a side business in an extremely bad location -- on the second floor of the Merchants Tire building, inaccessible NOW from Westbound traffic on Rio. The entrance is a nondescript doorway on the back side corner next o a large refuse bin. To suggest that the GSI makes this business any less accessible or visible is extremely laughable and disingenuous. Ill attach some photos to visibly demonstrate how absurdly misleading Mr. McKenie is. 3) Repeating the narrative that through travelers are denied visible evidence of businesses, or vice versa. The truth is, IOF you travel in the to leftmost lanes in either direction on 29N, you are not looking to stop, let alone look around. THOSE are the drivers being served by the GSIs uninterrupted lanes. Moreover, the EXISTING roadside visibility of businesses along 29N is limited by terrain and by other features. For example, you cannot see much of any of Fashion Square from Northbound lanes -- ANY of it, from ANY lane -- there is a huge berm with landscaping blocking any such view. Similarly, Albemarle Square is hidden by a concrete retaining wall. Similar situations exist Southbound. But here is the kicker: NOTHING changes if you continue to travel in the four (two each way) local through lanes. NOTHING.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 19:00:48 +0000
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