Charlottesville to Monticello
& beyond
How would you walk or ride your bike from Charlottesville to Monticello?
The Saunders-Monticello Trail is a half-mile from Charlottesville, yet there are limited ways to get there. This study focuses on a pedestrian and bicycle trail that would close the gap.
Monticello was once connected to Charlottesville by multiple routes that were mostly severed when I-64 was constructed. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which owns and operates Monticello, opened the Saunders-Monticello Trail in 2000, providing an ADA-accessible path to the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and rustic trails in a public park. It is a popular recreational destination in its own right, yet disconnected from the region’s network.
Our study area is the zone between the city and the Saunders-Monticello trail system. The space is small but complicated, divided by jurisdictions, topography, an interstate, and a high-speed roadway. The various stakeholders are interested in finding a solution.
Monticello was once connected to Charlottesville by multiple routes that were mostly severed when I-64 was constructed. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which owns and operates Monticello, opened the Saunders-Monticello Trail in 2000, providing an ADA-accessible path to the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and rustic trails in a public park. It is a popular recreational destination in its own right, yet disconnected from the region’s network.
Our study area is the zone between the city and the Saunders-Monticello trail system. The space is small but complicated, divided by jurisdictions, topography, an interstate, and a high-speed roadway. The various stakeholders are interested in finding a solution.
Photos: VA-20 (Route B); Saunders-Monticello Trail.