Would have been nice to see a notice yesterday on the Patch stating MP Schools where closed by you guys as a courtesy heads-up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There should be another road built to get to the schools and businesses in that area not just one way in and one way out that's ridiculous. They also need sidewalks built for the kids that walk to school. Right now they walk in the street because the side is all messed up and if a driver is coming through there in the dark you can not see the kids until you get right up on them. It's very unsafe down Euclid ave towards the schools!!!!!!!

They are to build a sidewalk but unless the company contracted adjust for severe erosion that has already happen on that side of the road. Then the sidewalk will crumble within 3 years. I will bet it will happen.

There should be a way to connect the end of Euclid with the Maplewood/Oak/Lake area, but I HIGHLY doubt the people living there would want that. Otherwise, you have the train tracks to the east. Not many options. How about Park Center Ct (behind city hall) connected to Venture Ct? That would help with some traffic.

I agree with Toni and Shawn's comments. With the number of children you see walking to school everyday, I'm surprised that roads haven't been built already. I drive my daughter to school daily and am always cautious and concerned about the kids I see walking in the dark with dark clothing on, half awake and not paying attention either to the oncoming vehicles. What bothers me about yesterday is that I don't understand why the schools would initially just say that it was a 2 hour delay knowing the extent of the damage on that street. It caused me to be late to work since I scheduled my time differently as I planned to get my daughter to school at the later time. If they had closed, then I could have avoided being late knowing my daughter was safe and sound at home. Nevertheless, this was an aggravating day for many MP residents, but the bigger picture is that no one was hurt and that is really what is important!!!

On the sidewalk note, wasn't there an article last year sometime about a sidewalk plan? What happened to that???? I too drive my daughter to school and am shocked at the conditions that the kids have to walk in and if a huge tractor trailer can't miss a large power pole, whats to say it will be able to see the kids? On the note about what happened yesterday, it is very concerning that you have not only alot of businesses, but 2 schools full of children that have 1 entry/exit route!? Really, what sense does that make? So had this happened during school hours, please advise how the kids would have gotten out? This may not be the forum for these comments, but with already crowded schools and 2 new developments being built, the school system needs to consider some of these things.

We really need to continue the bike/walking path that leads from Belmont Station down to the VRE station and then goes behind City Hall and to the middle and high schools. There would have to be an elevated bridge over the tracks - this would help VRE folks also who have to park their cars over at City Hall, and allow our kids to avoid heavy traffic.

"We really need to continue the bike/walking path that leads from Belmont Station down to the VRE station and then goes behind City Hall and to the middle and high schools."

Where are we getting the money for that. You want to raise taxes on the residents again

Might it be possible that the VRE has a stake in providing their passengers with a safe and less frustrating way to get to their vehicles? Currently they cannot take a direct route to their cars parked in the overflow lot at city hall. Their passengers even have to cross the railroad tracks at a great distance at the train signal or are tempted to cross the tracks in an unsafe manner for a more direct route. VRE could be prevailed upon to lend assistance to this project. Perhaps a trail could be begun with volunteer help and neighboring business support? I think there are options worth exploring without raising taxes.

Then VRE will push that cost onto the riders.

Perhaps a trail could be begun with volunteer help and neighboring business support?
Will never happen!!!!

We badly need an Optimist Club.

You have to understand a simple principle. If a business build a building or a new product. They have to pass along that cost to its customers. depending on the size of the project and how many customers the push cost can be from a few cents to several dollars or even thousands of dollars.

Of course that is true however businesses also build capital improvements into their budgeting... Where that money goes may be determined by which squeaky wheel is the loudest. This is a safety issue and money spent on a very visible improvement is good PR for a company. Where there is a will...

And capital improvements is the first that get wacked from the budget when business is slow.

I can understand that the schools had to assess the situation before closing for the day. And I certainly understand that there needs to be a contingency plan... and a better way to walk to school is important. Bottom line -- this is school board business and then appropriate channels can be developed for implementation. All this costs money -- but most importantly there needs to be a plan. A resident task force would be best suited for this with input from the school board and eventually the council.

Dean Sprague good idea

98% of the people would rather drive from Digital Drive to VRE than walk, so additional trails aren't needed. I see it everyday. A parking garage would be preferred where the existing lot is, but even a bridge over the traks to a parking garage might be acceptable. But VRE has already stated they won't pay for it, its MP's to fund. If some type of streetscape were being developed on Euclid, a sidewalk makes sense, although I understood it to be approved a while ago anyway. Otherwise there are no businesses there worth walking to. Another access should have been built from Euclid to 28 a long time ago, but I'm afraid it would just become a cut through for non-MP residents like Manassas Drive is now. Sorry for not belonging to the optimists club, but I've been let down too often.

The amount of traffic in the Manassas Park area has become increasingly worse. With the timing of traffic lights and 4 way stops it takes forever to go just to drive down Manassas Drive. The fact that they are adding more Townhouses at the corner of Manassas Dr. and Signal Hill/Andrew Dr. will only make the commute that much worse. They need to add more roads somewhere since we are the cut thru for alot of commuters now.

That's ok. There's room for realists too in an Optimist Club. :-)