Regional MPOs Hold Joint Policy Board Meeting

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAW-MPO) and Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (CA-MPO) came together on September 30, 2025, for their biennial Joint Policy Board Meeting at the North Fork Meeting Center in Charlottesville. This meeting represents a continuation of the collaborative partnership formalized through a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, which established a framework for inter-regional transportation planning along the critical I-64 corridor.

The meeting featured presentations on several significant regional initiatives, including updates on the Afton Express transit service, which has seen steady ridership growth since its 2021 launch and serves stops from Staunton to Charlottesville. Other presentations topics included the newly founded Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (CARTA), the Virginia Statewide Rail Plan, and the Three Notched Trail project. Representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Culpeper and Staunton Districts also shared progress reports on corridor improvements, including the I-64 Afton Mountain Congestion Warning System, interchange upgrades, and the new Exit 107 Park and Ride Lot scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2026. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) provided an update on statewide transit initiatives of interest to the region, such as the Virginia Breeze expansion, the update to the Coordinated Human Service Mobility Plan update, and the ongoing review of the MERIT Capital and Operating funding formulas.

The joint meeting underscores the continued commitment of both MPOs to coordinate transportation planning across jurisdictional boundaries, addressing the needs of the 37-mile I-64 corridor that serves as a vital link for inter-regional and interstate commerce. Through these collaborative efforts, the organizations continue to advance projects and initiatives that benefit the entire region’s transportation network. The SAWMPO will host the next meeting in 2027.

Transit Staff Host Pop-Up Events to Engage Afton Express Riders

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

CSPDC transit staff hosted two early morning pop-up events in late September at Afton Express stops to celebrate the commuter bus service’s fourth anniversary while engaging directly with riders and sharing information about service improvements and commuter resources.

The events took place at the Staunton Crossing Park and Ride on September 23 and the Waynesboro Park and Ride on September 29. Staff greeted riders with cookies, Afton Express swag, and provided an opportunity to discuss the commuter bus service and gather feedback on schedule revisions—all before 7:00 AM!

Staff also highlighted benefits of the Rideshare Commuter Assistance Program in recognition of September’s Try Transit Month, including the Ride Home Rewards program that provides emergency rides home for regular commuters, and the opportunity to earn rewards through the ConnectingVA platform.

The pop-up events were part of a broader outreach campaign to raise awareness about transit as a commuting option. During this initiative, the number of transit riders logging trips in the ConnectingVA platform increased by 27% from August to September.

These direct engagement efforts reflect CSPDC’s commitment to enhancing regional transportation options and connecting the communities of the region.

GO Virginia Region 8 Charts Course for Economic Growth with Updated Strategic Plan

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

The CSPDC recently updated Region 8’s Economic Growth and Diversification Plan. The Plan provides a blueprint to guide Region 8’s grant funding decisions, establishing a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the Shenandoah Valley’s economy through targeted investments in workforce development, entrepreneurship, industrial clusters, and site readiness.

The 34-locality region, spanning the CSPDC’s and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission’s footprint, demonstrated strong economic momentum, with employment growing 4.4% over the past five years and average wages increasing 8.3% to reach $53,347. The region now supports over 253,000 workers across a diverse economic landscape.

The Plan identifies five targeted industries that are driving regional growth, collectively representing 56,158 jobs and accounting for more than one-third of recent employment gains:

Agriculture & Value-Added Food
Transportation & Logistics
Manufacturing
Life Sciences
Information Technology & Emerging Technology

To support long-term growth of the targeted sectors, the Plan then develops economic strategies through GO Virginia’s Four Strategic Investment Priorities.

Talent Pipeline initiatives will increase skills availability, align career pathways with employer needs, strengthen regional talent retention, and attract workers to high-paying regional jobs.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem strategies focus on filling early-stage funding gaps, supporting student entrepreneurship, and encouraging technology, innovation, and startup hubs throughout the valley.

Cluster Scale-Up efforts will build business-to-business connections, support expanding R&D capabilities, encourage sector partnerships, and increase access to capital for business growth.

Site Development investments will enhance the readiness of the region’s 75 business-ready sites, identify necessary infrastructure improvements, and explore opportunities for mega-site development through regional collaboration.

The GO Virginia Region 8 Regional Council will vote to adopt the Plan at their next meeting on October 28^th. Once adopted, the Growth and Diversification Plan will be available at the GO Virginia Region 8 website.

GO Virginia is a statewide initiative that fosters private-sector growth and job creation through incentives for regional collaboration by business, education, and government. Region 8 encompasses 34 localities across the Shenandoah Valley, including the Central Shenandoah Planning District and Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission.

BRITE Bus Demonstrates the Value of Transit

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

BRITE Transit has debuted a promotional campaign highlighting the vital role that public transit plays in strengthening communities across the Central Shenandoah region. Through a variety of outreach efforts including social media and videography content, this initiative spotlights the ways public transit contributes to economic growth, social connection, and community resilience in our region.

The campaign began with a series of educational posts across its social media platforms with a clear message: investing in transit is investing in the health, strength, and future of our region.

This campaign is a celebration of the value of public transportation and reinforces the message that transit is an essential service. We hope you all will stay tuned as we share stories and BRITE Faces interviews with our riders, drivers, and partners who help make BRITE and Afton Express the vital services that they are for our community.

To follow along and share in the campaign, find BRITE on social media @britebus

Rocks to Roofs: A Housing Symposium for Tomorrow

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

Community leaders, developers, policymakers, and housing advocates will soon convene on Tuesday, October 21, from 8:30a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, to explore the area’s most pressing housing challenges. Through presentations from Virginia Housing, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and other partners, attendees will explore ways to advance housing opportunities across the Rockbridge area.

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) will also share its findings and housing solutions from its Regional Housing Study. In February, the CSPDC released its Regional Housing Study, funded by Virginia Housing and developed in partnership with Virginia Tech’s Center for Housing Research and HousingForward Virginia. The study offers an in-depth analysis of housing markets across the Central Shenandoah region and presents locally tailored strategies to address housing needs.

Rockbridge-area solutions featured in the study include:

Empowering Economic Development Authorities to support housing development
Expanding incentives for residential construction and rehabilitation
Laying the groundwork for high-quality mixed-use development

Rocks to Roofs: A Housing Symposium for Tomorrow is a collaboration between Virginia Housing, Rockbridge County, Cities of Buena Vista and Lexington, Rockbridge Highlands Realtors Association, Central Shenandoah Planning District, and The Chamber of Commerce, Serving Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County. The official speaker lineup will be announced soon.

To learn more or register:
🔗 Rocks to Roofs: A Housing Symposium for Tomorrow

To explore additional materials related to the Regional Housing Study, visit our CSPDC Connects page.

CSPDC Undertakes Strategic Agency Assessment

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

In early 2025, CSPDC engaged the Southeastern Executive Research Institute (SERDI) to conduct an assessment of the agency. Through surveys and in-person focus groups, SERDI staff engaged with the Commission, local government managers, planners, and CSPDC staff to understand what’s working well, and how the agency can best serve its member localities.

SERDI executive director Jim Youngquist will present draft recommendations from the assessment to the Commission at the October 20^th meeting, and then finalize the report. The surveys and focus group discussions were generally positive about the value that the CSPDC provides to localities and the ways in which we strengthen the region. It also recognized the need to expand awareness and understanding of our mission to all local elected officials and explore opportunities to provide new services to our localities such as enterprise GIS data management and mapping and water resources and stormwater management expertise.

VDOT Completes Phase 2 of Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment

Posted on October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Paula Melester

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has published its Phase 2 report for the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment. The report evaluates track and structure conditions in relation to requirements for the feasibility of future rail operations along the 49-mile stretch of the Norfolk Southern-owned corridor between Broadway and Front Royal.

The Phase 2 report, released in September 2025, includes five appendices: environmental desktop review, drainage and stormwater management, track rehabilitation, bridge load ratings, and public input from spring 2025 meetings in Timberville, Front Royal, and Woodstock. The assessment compares the engineering requirements and costs of restoring rail service with an adjacent trail to the previously studied rail-to-trail conversion. VDOT is conducting this as a fact-finding effort to assist the Commonwealth in determining next steps for the $35 million allocated for the corridor by the General Assembly through the 2020-2022 budget.

The final phase, Phase 3, will include cost estimates and documentation of assessment outcomes. VDOT expects to release the Phase 3 report this fall, followed by public engagement with in-person meetings and an online survey.

For more information and to view the Phase 2 report, visit the VDOT’s project page here: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/staunton-district/rockingham-shenandoah-and-warren-counties—shenandoah-valley-rail-with-trail-assessment/

VDOT I-81 Public Input Meeting at Blue Ridge Community College on October 29

Posted on October 20, 2025October 27, 2025 by Paula Melester

VDOT is holding a public meeting at Blue Ridge Community College Plecker Center on October 29 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. to review the final prioritized list of recommended projects in the new I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). The meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the CIP process, the proposed projects identified for funding along the I-81 corridor in our region, and to provide comment on the draft prioritized project list. The current CIP builds on the 2018 CIP, which identified 65 construction projects worth approximately $3 billion that are now completed or in development.

In our region, the new CIP recommendations include over 70 lane miles of 3-lane widening along I-81 in both directions between Staunton and Harrisonburg to compliment the current and planned widening projects. After the public input review, the Commonwealth Transportation Board will finalize project selections in December. Additional information and meeting details are available at improve81.org.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Blue Ridge Community College, Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center, One College Lane, Weyers Cave, VA 24486

CSPDC Awarded $4.5 Million in SPARC Funds to Support First-Time Homebuyers

Posted on September 16, 2025September 17, 2025 by Paula Melester

Virginia Housing’s Sponsoring Partnerships & Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) Program awarded CSPDC $4.5 million to help first-time homebuyers across the Central Shenandoah Valley. The announcement was shared with local lenders on September 8, 2025. This is the third consecutive year that CSPDC has sponsored the program, and its largest allocation to date.

Through the SPARC program, eligible buyers earning up to 120% of Area Median Income (AMI) receive a 1% reduction on Virginia Housing’s prevailing mortgage interest rates, a benefit that can save families thousands of dollars over the life of their loan. The program also complements CSPDC’s existing First-Time Homebuyer Program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to income-qualified households earning up to 80% of AMI.

Due to strong demand, allocations are often fully reserved in a matter of months, with the funds being offered on a first-come, first-served basis. With the previous allocation, the CSPDC was able to assist 11 households in purchasing homes: seven in Rockingham County, three in the City of Harrisonburg, and one in the City of Waynesboro. Each program participant completed a Virginia Housing Homebuyer Education course and received housing counseling from the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP).

“With this year’s allocation, the CSPDC is excited to help even more families achieve homeownership,” said Regional Planner Philippe E. Bone. “Our goal is to assist approximately sixteen buyers across the Central Shenandoah region,”

For more information about the CSPDC’s First-time homebuyer’s program and our other housing initiatives, visit the SPARC Program page on CSPDC Connects.

The Afton Express Celebrates Four Years While Planning for the Future

Posted on September 16, 2025September 17, 2025 by Paula Melester

The Afton Express is celebrating its fourth anniversary this September, marking a major milestone for a service that has become a key asset for commuters traveling along the I-64 corridor. Since its launch in 2021, Afton Express has seen steady growth, with ridership increasing by 56% from its inception to the end of 2024, with a projected increase of 84% from inception to December 2025.

In addition to the anniversary, a new proposed schedule for the Afton Express is now available for public comment. We are revising the schedule using rider and stakeholder feedback as well as ridership data to better align with passenger needs. The public can provide feedback on the proposed schedule by visiting the Afton Express page on CSPDC Connects.

To celebrate the anniversary and discuss the future of the service, CSPDC staff are hosting pop-up events at the Staunton and Waynesboro Park and Ride lots and the UVA Bavaro Hall stop in Charlottesville. These events will provide an opportunity for staff to thank riders, share Rideshare resources, and engage with the Afton Express community.

Following the public comment period, we will make necessary revisions and implement the new schedule on Monday, November 3.