The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has published the draft FY23 SYIP. The SYIP documents all transportation projects (roadway, transit, bike/pedestrian) that will be funded in the next six years in Virginia. Residents and localities in our region had an opportunity to review the projects in the draft SYIP, and provide comments to the Secretary of Transportation, our Staunton District CTB representative, VDOT and DRPT staff on Monday, May 2nd at Blue Ridge Community College. Localities in our region will receive funding through multiple funding programs for paving, bike and pedestrian, safety, and transit projects in the FY23 SYIP. The CTB will approve the FY23 SYIP at the June 22, 2022 meeting.
Category Archives: News
Localities Selected to Participate in Work from Home Pilot Program
This April, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) launched a Work from Home Pilot Program and selected three localities in the Central Shenandoah Region to participate: Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, and Highland County. (DHCD also selected the Town of Luray and Marion.) Through the Pilot Program, the National Main Street Center and Virginia Main Street will provide technical assistance to assess remote work and residential attraction as a community revitalization strategy. The program kicks off this May and will result in place-based recommendations and a feasibility report.
COVID-19 accelerated remote work trends and enabled many to relocate and telework. DHCD’s Work from Home Pilot Program will help localities pursue, prepare for, or respond to remote work migration. At a regional level, remote work has been discussed in terms of COVID-19 recovery and economic development. 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. More remote work resources are available on the CSPDC’s COVID-19 Recovery Webpage.
New Statewide Broadband Mapping Tool Unveiled
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) recently revealed the statewide broadband mapping tool, ‘Commonwealth Connection’. This online tool developed by DHCD and Virginia Tech allows users to view broadband coverage in their area, filter the data by speed and technology type, find vertical assets and public WiFi hotspots, and conduct speed tests. The information is based on information submitted by internet service providers (ISPs) in Virginia and can be compared with FCC’s broadband coverage data. View this new mapping tool here.
CSPDC Staff to Present on Housing Programs at Shenandoah Valley Partnership Spring Forum
The Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP) will be hosting a Spring Economic Development Forum on Friday, May 20th from 9am-11am at Blue Ridge Community College’s Bettie Plecker Center. The meeting will center around housing challenges and opportunities in the Shenandoah Valley. Developers, local officials, housing providers, realtors, builders, and economic developers around the region are invited to attend.
CSPDC staff will be attending the event and will provide a brief presentation on the PDC’s housing programs and initiatives, including the PDC Housing Development Program, which provides affordable housing gap funds to regional housing developers, the upcoming Regional Housing Study, and the HOME Down Payment Assistance program. Local government representatives will present on policy changes they are implementing to provide expanded housing choices as well as the housing-related challenges they are facing. Additionally, SVP has invited experts from across the state, including representatives from Virginia Housing, to speak to the future of housing in the Shenandoah Valley.
FTA Awards CSPDC $1.2 Million for Transit Hub Rehabilitation
The Federal Transit Administration awarded CSPDC a $1.2 million Bus and Bus Facilities Discretionary Grant to rehabilitate the BRITE Transit Hub at 240 North Lewis Street in downtown Staunton. The federal grant is matched with state and local transit funds, and will rebuild the surface parking lot with a concrete bus lane, defined parking, ADA sidewalks and a passenger boarding area with shelters and safety lighting. CSPDC will also coordinate with public and private partners to install 4 electric vehicle charging stations on the lot. The PDC anticipates construction of the new Hub in 2023.
Virginia Association of MPOs (VAMPO) to Host Environmental Justice Virtual Training
VAMPO will host a free 90-minute virtual training on Friday, April 29th that will explore recent developments surrounding equity, and discuss best practices that planning professionals can incorporate into their work to reflect rapidly evolving policies and legal requirements. The training will be led by Fred R. Wagner, Esq. with Venable LLP. Registration is required. Training is eligible for 1.5 AICP Certification Maintenance Credits, including 1 Equity CM credit. Click Here to Register.
Office of Drinking Water Announcing Funding Programs
The Virginia General Assembly allocated the Office of Drinking Water (ODW) $100 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to improve drinking water infrastructure in disadvantaged waterworks over the next four years. $50 million was allocated in FY21, with the remainder available for FY22 eligibility. Types of projects can include, but are not limited to: water treatment, storage, transmission/distribution lines, and water source needs (limited). The ARPA program provides 100% granting funds to awarded projects. Additionally, ODW is soliciting applications for their Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund concurrently with their ARPA program and will provide split grant and loan options. Applications for both programs are due May 6, 2022. Additional information can be found on the Office of Drinking Water’s website: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/arpa/
CSPDC Awarded Community Impact Grant
On April 1st, the CSPDC was awarded a $200,000 Community Impact Grant to complete a regional housing study from Virginia Housing. The study process will begin immediately, concluding in spring 2024. The first year of the study will focus on data gathering and analysis and stakeholder engagement, and will result in an interim data report. In year two, the CSPDC will work to develop regional, partner-based, locality-specific recommendations and strategies.
The CSPDC will be working with the Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR), the Commonwealth’s official housing research agency, to complete the study. VCHR has a successful track record of analyzing regional housing data, and has led several PDC-wide housing studies. VCHR’s strategies and recommendations will be developed in partnership with HousingForward Virginia, a statewide housing policy and research agency.
To begin the study process, the CSPDC and VCHR will be holding a series of kick off meetings with local government staff over the next month, where VCHR will introduce the housing study scope and garner feedback about what local government staff would like to see from the study results. For questions about the housing study, contact Olivia Raines at olivia@cspdc.org.
Re-Discover Your Ride Campaign
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) has launched a campaign called Re-Discover Your Ride to celebrate the return to public transit after two challenging years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign highlights the safety measures public transit agencies are taking to ensure rider health and safety. As more individuals return to an in-person working environment, now is the perfect time to encourage riders to return to the public transportation services they used in their commutes prior to COVID-19. DRPT acting director, Jennifer DeBruhl noted that the Transit Recovery Initiative aims to “rebuild confidence in transit service.”
DRPT has also launched a website with rider safety tips, FAQs, and a transit locator tool to help riders find their nearest transportation providers. Locally, BRITE Bus and the Afton Express are participating in this exciting campaign – reaching out to riders through their social media platforms and through radio commercials to remind riders that public transit is still here and is ready to get them where they need to go. The campaign runs through the month of April and features a contest where riders can win prizes for logging their public transit trips in the AgileMile commuter app. For more information, visit http://transitva.org
Public Input Requested on Future Transportation Projects
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) is conducting a spring meeting to allow the public to comment on transportation projects recommended for funding in the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP). Our region’s in-person meeting will be on Monday, May 2nd at 4:00 p.m. at Blue Ridge Community College’s Plecker Center.
You can also submit comments online from April 25 through May 23.
The CTB will consider comments as it develops the FY2023-2028 SYIP. The program allocates public funds to highway, road, bridge, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, and public transportation projects. All federally eligible projects in the SYIP will be included in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to document how Virginia will obligate its federal funds.