Road Construction

Our house backs onto businesses that, in turn, front onto US Hwy 17. For some time now they've been talking about making some improvements to US 17. I thought they were supposed to be starting about any time now. Apparently, this has been pushed out. Still, the guy that owns the tire store right behind us in whining:

Some business owners are not pleased. Michael Sawyer, owner of Good Tire and Wheel said he isn't against the construction plan, just the payment proposal he was given. Sawyer complained that he was offered only $8-9 per square foot for an easement and loss of three driveways.

"How can VDOT's appraisals be fair?" he asked. "It's kind of like asking lawyers to look out for lawyers. Someone else needs to police them. We need an unbiased third party to do appraisals."

Hey, if you don't like it, you can take it to court. They'll appoint a third party appraiser, for you.

The only business that will be eliminated is the first thing you see coming out of the toll booths - a tatoo parlor.

"I'm not going to cry over it," John Adams, a Board of Supervisors representative of Gloucester Point, said of the tattoo shop's demise at that location. Adams has said in the past that the shop's presence created a negative first impression of Gloucester.

Obviously Mr. Adams doesn't remember that however tacky a tatoo parlor may be there, we all thought it was a big improvement over the last tenant in that property - an adult bookstore.