Editor, The Smithfield Times:

We were very disappointed in the Isle of Wight County Planning Commission’s approval vote on May 27 regarding the Bridge Point Commons proposed development, which includes a connection to an existing cul-de-sac (Britt Way) in the Ashby neighborhood. 

During the April 22 public hearing, there were 30 to 40 Ashby neighbors in attendance and many of them spoke against the Britt Way connection. The Britt Way connection will bring a large increase in traffic through the existing 40-plus-year Ashby neighborhood, which was never designed for this increase. The new traffic will cause many additional safety concerns. 

There were many questions raised by Planning Commission members that did not get adequately addressed and seemed to cause more confusion. There was a discussion regarding the developer coordinating with the Ashby neighborhood to find a reasonable solution. This never happened, then the vote on May 27. 

Connecting new developments to existing neighborhoods is an approach used to decrease traffic lights on major thoroughfares, but it can be very unsafe if the current neighborhood is not designed and constructed for this new development, as is the case with our Ashby neighborhood. And then there is this crazy right turn in/right turn out only connection at Route 17 for this Bridge Point proposal, which is a discussion for another day.

We want to be clear: The existing Britt Way road in Ashby is a solid paved road with a solid cul-de-sac at the end with a solid curb all the way around it. It is not a dead-end road with a “stub out,” and we are not sure where this discussion of “proffered future connection” came from? And Britt Way has 28 existing homes on it, along with others, which will see a decrease in value if this connection is finalized.

We are totally against this Britt Way connection to the existing Ashby neighborhood for many reasons, with safety concerns at the top of the list. And be careful: This decision will have precedence for future developments. It could easily come to your neighborhood!

 

John and Sharon Springfield

Carrollton