For every acre paved, many more will be lost to inevitable development as truck stops and motels spread from interchanges. Farms far from exits will suffer, as losing just a few acres to a road fragments fields. Scores of houses will follow any road into farmland, compounding the problem. Local farms provide much more than food. Saving farmland saves scenic views, wildlife habitat and an essential element of our economy.
Farms keep taxes low, as they demand few public services.
When we lose farmland, we lose our identity and everybody suffers. Such destruction must be avoided when alternatives exist. VDOT will encourage the CTB to approve its decision. The Transportation System Management option to fix U.S. 220 will give us 90 percent of what we want at 10 percent of the cost. Under the new-terrain options, between 340 and 707 families will be.