Woolen Mills Road

Charlottesville Albemarle smokestack
Eastern view from the Rivanna Turnpike aka Woolen Mills Road aka Market Street. Millhouse in the foreground, Charlottesville Albemarle smokestack in the near distance, north shoulder of Monticello Mountain far distance.

uneasy marriage

CA stack CO tracks
It struck me this morning that the park I walk through owes much of its existence to successive technologies. The streetcar technology (smokestack above) has been abandoned. The other technologies that undergird this public space are sewage collection and high voltage electrical transmission.
dog running in snow woods
Rivanna trail, winter weather.
Geology and topography have graced the park with a river. So far, in our political wisdom, we have discouraged building in the river’s channel.
The industrial and the natural features maintain an uneasy balance, remarkably it feels like a park.

One Fine Morning

semi carrying one of 3 bridge sections
Tractor trailers have arrived at the Woolen Mill with sections of the new Moores Creek pedestrian bridge. The bridge comes from Bridge Brothers. I am so pleased. Circumabulation of Charlottesville will be possible without getting wet feet… Thank you Brian Roy and investors.
image courtesy of Bridge Brothers
The Bridge was fabricated by Bridge Brothers Inc in Pickens, SC. The Bridge is 140′ x 8′ and weighs in at 48,500#. The deck is a solid 2″ x 8″ PT Pine with vertical pickets. It is designed to AASHTO standards and is designed for 90 PSF live load, 30 PSF snow Load, and 105MPH winds.