Rockbridge Outdoors along with Rockbridge County, The City of Lexington, and The City of Buena Vista will commemorate the Maury River’s designation as a Virginia Scenic River this October. The local jurisdictions are throwing a community ceremony and reception at Jordan’s Point Park on October 16th at 2:00 pm. In early April, legislation passed to designate the remaining portion of the Maury River as a Virginia Scenic River. Now the entirety of the Maury, which flows through Rockbridge, Lexington, Buena Vista, and Glasgow, is part of the statewide program. Virginia’s Scenic Rivers Program intends to help protect rivers that possess outstanding scenic, recreational, and natural characteristics. To be awarded this designation, the local governing body asks DCR to conduct an eligibility study and then requests their state legislator to sponsor a bill.
Category Archives: News
Bath-Highland Network Authority Public Meeting
The Bath-Highland Network Authority will hold a meeting on October 17, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., at the Bolar Ruritan Club, 38 Bolar Ln Monterey, VA 24465. For more information about the meeting, please contact Ms. Hunter Moore at 540-885-5174, ext. 118 or hunter@cspdc.org.
CSPDC Releases RFP for Lewis Street Hub Project (Staunton)
Work to renovate the Lewis Street Transit Hub located at 240 N. Lewis Street in Downtown Staunton is moving forward. The CSPDC received a 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities Grant from the Federal Transit Administration to rehabilitate the lot that is used for BRITE Transit, and City of Staunton free parking. Currently, BRITE Transit buses and trolleys hub at the lot throughout the day, providing a central boarding and transfer location for public transit riders. The City of Staunton also utilizes parking spaces in the lot for free city parking. This federal grant funding will allow the CSPDC to improve lot conditions, create a designated bus boarding area, and improve the overall experience of those using the lot for transit and parking needs.
A Request for Proposals is being issued to solicit qualifications from firms for Architectural and Engineering Design services. The RFP and necessary documents were published to this page on September 19, 2022 and are available below. Any addenda to the RFP will be posted here if/when necessary. Proposals should be submitted through DemandStar. Instructions are included in Attachment E. The deadline to submit proposals is 5:00 pm (EST) on October 21, 2022.
Click the links below to download the RFP Document:
RFP Cover Sheet and Certificates
RFP Document
Attachment A – GSA Form SF330
Attachment B – KH Memo
Attachment C – FSA Provisions
Attachment D – Virginia Procurement Clauses
Attachment E – DemandStar Instructions
Addendum #1 – Questions and Answers, Recording of Pre-Proposal Conference (posted 10.07.22)
Addendum #2 – Clarification to Addendum Regarding SF330 Form Instructions (posted 10.11.22)
CSPDC Staff to Attend Fall Conferences
Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference
CSPDC staff will be attending the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference at the Virginia Beach Convention Center from October 26 – 28, 2022. The conference attracts hundreds of industry and transportation leaders to come together to network, exchange ideas, and discuss key transportation issues.
Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference
Shenandoah Rail Trail Update
September is Discover Transit Month & Afton Express Marks 1-Year Anniversary
During September, the CSPDC and BRITE Transit are partnering with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to celebrate Discover Transit Month. September also marks the 1-year anniversary of the launch of the Afton Express. Throughout the month we will be highlighting local transit options and highlighting the success of Afton Express.
The Afton Express began operations on September 1, 2021, and in the last 365 days passengers took 8,174 trips between the Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro region and Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The service continues to grow each month, with recent monthly averages of 46 passenger trips per day.
We will be hosting events throughout the month to celebrate transit and thank our riders with pop-ups at Afton Express and BRITE Transit stops (September 15, 21, 22), fare free days (September 1 and 21), and a live radio broadcast from the Waynesboro Park and Ride Lot bus stop (September 29).
Both BRITE and Afton Express, along with others, provide necessary and valued transit services to our riders in the Central Shenandoah Planning District. Explore all the possibilities offered by transit agencies in our community at transitva.org! You can also celebrate Discover Transit Month by taking the Try Transit pledge, which will enter you in a sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets for the Amtrak Northeast Regional train or Virginia Breeze Bus Lines.
Celebrate with us on social media! Follow BRITE Transit, Afton Express, and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation on social media to stay up to date, and learn more about transportation connecting the Commonwealth at drpt.virginia.gov.
BRITE Transit | Facebook
Afton Express | Facebook
Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) Public Meeting Comes to Staunton in September
CSPDC Hosts Housing Focus Groups in Rockbridge Area
The Regional Housing Study is well underway, and CSPDC staff in partnership with the Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) have kicked off a series of focus groups and interviews with stakeholders across the region. On August 24th, CSPDC and VCHR staff went to Buena Vista to hold a day of focus groups with realtors, lenders, housing service providers, small, medium, and large employers, and university representatives in Rockbridge County, Buena Vista, and Lexington. During the sessions, staff provided an overview of the study timeline as well as preliminary data findings, and then opened the floor to participants to discuss the major housing-related challenges, barriers, gaps, and opportunities for growth in their area. Common themes included a lack of available housing inventory at all levels, the impact of the student population, opportunities for first-time homebuyers, and potential incentives for affordable housing development. CSPDC and VCHR staff also interviewed several large employers in the region to learn more about the housing needs of their staff.
Rockbridge Submits VATI Grants
Rockbridge County submitted two 2023 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) applications in August to bring universal, high-speed internet coverage to the County. The CSPDC assisted the County with both applications, and if awarded, the CSPDC will provide grant administration services for the County. Awards will be announced in late December 2022.
Rockbridge County submitted an application with co-applicant BARC Electric with a total project cost of $24,161,207 and VATI funding request of $16,154,509 to serve 1,413 locations. Rockbridge County submitted a second application with co-applicant Brightspeed with a total project cost of $11,112,180 and VATI funding request of $7,395,160 to serve 2,020 locations in the County.
VEDA Remote Work Panel Presentation Features CSPDC Localities
Attracting the remote workforce is a new strategy for many communities, with the potential for big impacts on local economies without a big investment in infrastructure. The Fall Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) Conference will feature a panel presentation with Main Street America, Virginia Main Street, the CSPDC, and the City of Buena Vista. The panel will highlight Virginia Main Street’s Remote Work Pilot Program and discuss how communities can identify existing assets and infrastructure needs to successfully attract and retain remote workers. This session will explore the key commonalities and unique market positions to inspire economic developers across the state.
CSPDC Planner, Grace Blanchard, will share efforts within the Central Shenandoah Region to analyze remote work trends and capture remote work related growth. The CSPDC has provided technical assistance to DHCD’s Work from Home Pilot Program, supporting studies in Harrisonburg, Highland, and Buena Vista. Additionally, the CSPDC’s COVID-19 Economic Impact Report, prepared by Chmura Analytics, includes a remote work analysis, and information on telework plans, remote work trends, and broadband are available on the CSPDC’s COVID-19 Recovery Webpage.