A new threat to the Wilderness Battlefield

[Jeffers]

The Orange County Planning Commission recently accepted a study that recommends the widening of State Route 20 to four lanes through the Wilderness Battlefield. The Board of Supervisors will meet next month to decide on including the study in the new Comprehensive Plan for the county.

While the study group was smart enough not to widen the roadbed through Saunder's Field, their proposal is to relocate the road a few hundred yards north of the current right of way. The new alignment, however, will put the road through section of the field where Gen. Gordon made his flank attack late on the second day of the battle.

An article on the meeting was in the Fredericksburg newspaper over the weekend.
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/062006/06032006/196294

Although they claim not to need to widen Rt. 20 before the year 2030, things seem to be starting to roll around here to get the project started sooner rather than later.

Jeff Douthit, Mine Run

[Jeffers]

Less than a month after the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to include four laning State Route 20 through the Wilderness Battlefield in the county's comprehensive plan, a developer is proposing to build a large hotel and shopping complex on land along the proposed highway. The land is within the boundries authorized by Congress, but not yet owned by the Park Service. This local developer is already building strip centers at Locust Grove. Rezoning for several large residential developments in the area has been turned down by the Board, but some supervisors are wanting to use this project to force the NPS to allow a wider right of way through the park.

More info on this proposal is at: http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/082006/08072006/211669