Date published: 9/5/2005

In 1997, the Virginia Department of Transportation signed an agreement with the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration, and preservationist groups that requires them to account for how the proposed bypass running from State Route 208 across Brock Road would affect several battlefields.

VDOT also implied it would purchase and turn over the northern part of the Alrich tract to the National Park Service, and would limit access to the road. Now VDOT seems to be going back on these prior agreements ["VDOT's raid," Aug. 30].

The location of this bypass will severely impact the nationally registered Spotsylvania Courthouse district and several battlefields.

Furthermore, the increase in access points is a huge change from the initially agreed-upon farm access. Multiple curb cuts are an invitation to builders to put up additional access roads with hundreds of homes, condos, and strip malls--something Spotsylvania does not need any more of.

These additional access points would make this "bypass" just another State Route 3, a slow road with numerous traffic lights, turn lanes, and congestion.

This would not serve the intended purpose, which is to get traffic flowing more quickly and smoothly around the courthouse area. Fewer curb cuts will speed up traffic and will help the county abide by its slow-growth policy.

Please encourage VDOT to do everything in its power to limit any negative impact on the battlefield and to limit the access points on this bypass.

Merritt Woznick

Spotsylvania

Date published: 9/5/2005