The commute: 8am Blackometer updates
7:49am Tuesday near Emmet on Ivy Road, where the path is still snow and ice.PHOTO BY HAWES SPENCER
The following is an 8am update of some of the major roads in the area using the "Blackometer," the Hook's estimate of the percentage of black asphalt available on key local roads:
• Route 29, South of City - 70%
• Route 29, North of the City: 95%
• Route 250W, Ivy to 29/250 - 80%
• Route 250W, 29/250 to Emmet - 20% and bumpy (c'mon, city crews)
• Emmet Street - 80%
• Main Street - 80%
• Rugby Road - 50%
• Grady Avenue - 60% (but 1.5-lanes in spots)
• Preston Avenue - 80%
• Market Street - 80%
• Barracks Road - 90%
• Old Lynchburg Road - sorry, but we're not going back there again
4 comments
Just returned to the area from Philadelphia where the roads were almost entirely clear after 20" of snow by Sunday afternoon. I had my longish, two-car driveway clear of snow in 2 1/2 hours using nothing more than a good shovel. Meanwhile, the Keystone Cops that are our local governments and VDOT cannot clear US-29!?!
Beyond sheer incompetence and idiocy, I have to think that the local authorities simply ignored the more severe forecasts late last week. Accuweather had predicted more than a foot of snow in C'ville as early as Wednesday, so this wasn't entirely unforeseen (though the heaviest snows did come earlier than most had projected).
As poorly as VDOT has performed, I must congratulate The Hook for stepping up and providing very good coverage of the aftermath of this storm. Reading the local Media General rag's god-awful website, you'd almost think nothing unusual had happened here.
Entire Fry's Spring area Blackometer--0%, and you're right avoid Old Lynchburg, unless you want to end up in the trees.
Why no bus service in the City ? How are we suppose to get to work ?
Only Route 7 (downtown to Fashion Sq.) and the Trolley are operating.
Agree with Local. And how can UVa expect us to get to work? I wouldn't mind walking to downtown, but there are (of course) no sidewalks cleared...