Category Archives: News

HRMPO Launches Long Range Plan Survey on Proposed Projects

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The Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (HRMPO) 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) will create an effective framework to address current and future community needs.

HRMPO, which is staffed by CSPDC, is in the process of developing the 2045 Plan, and is offering virtual and in-person opportunities to get involved. Phase 2 of the Plan is focused on gathering feedback on a list of proposed transportation projects, known as the draft Universe of Projects.

Projects on the list were checked against public input as well as regional and statewide data sources to determine whether they met defined transportation needs, and align with the community’s vision, as identified through the Phase 1 Visioning Survey.

Community members are invited to share feedback on the draft Universe of Projects through September 16, 2022. You can:

  • Explore the interactive map and leave feedback on specific projects via Metroquest
  • Register for and participate in our webinar on August 16 at 7 p.m.
  • Drop by one of our open house community meetings
    • August 18 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Lucy F. Simms Community Center
    • August 31 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Turner Ashby High School

Feedback on the draft Universe of Projects will be used to identify which projects will be included in the final Plan, guiding transportation investments over the next 25 years to support the needs of the region and its future growth.

Visit hrvampo.org/lrtp for more information and to sign up to receive email updates on the LRTP.

CSPDC Staff Helps “Stuff The Bus”

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On Fridays, for a small charitable donation, CSPDC employees are allowed to wear jeans to work. Throughout the year, “jeans money” is used to help those in need in our region and beyond. Every August, staff use some of this money to buy school supplies to help the United Way “Stuff The Bus”. This year the CSPDC dropped their school supply donation off at the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, a new collection point this year. CSPSDC staff enjoy seeing their “Casual Fridays” help children start the school year off with everything they need.

Senator Warner Visits Region

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Senator Mark Warner visited the region Friday, July 15, and made a stop at the BRITE Transit Facility in Fishersville. The Shenandoah Valley Infrastructure Discussion event highlighted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the positive impacts of the subsequent five-year funding for transportation through the new law. Additionally, Senator Warner applauded the work and effort of BRITE for providing an essential service to the community. “I think the BRITE system that services your communities here in central Virginia, is probably if not the most successful, one of the most successful transit systems in a rural community all across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Warner. The Senator also hosted a question-and-answer session for event attendees.

CSPDC Forms Housing Study Leadership Group

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With the CSPDC Regional Housing Study well underway, CSPDC staff alongside the Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) have partnered with stakeholders around the region to form a Leadership Team that will guide the housing study process. The Leadership Team will meet every two to three months throughout the study period, which ends Spring 2024. The group will serve as an advisory board for the study process, review report drafts and data findings, and guide the study’s eventual strategies and recommendations.

The first Leadership Team meeting was held on Wednesday, August 3rd, and more than 20 stakeholders representing local government, non-profits, lending agencies, realtors’ associations, housing authorities, economic development and workforce organizations, and community services boards were present. At the first meeting, participants previewed a preliminary housing data analysis for the region and discussed potential topics for further exploration. The housing study scope allows for the inclusion of up to five additional subtopics, which the leadership group will work to identify in the coming months. The leadership group explored subtopics such as an analysis of unsheltered/unhoused individuals, housing accessibility, housing conditions, the impact of the student population, and innovations in housing.

The Leadership Team will meet again on October 26th, and will review additional data findings as well as takeaways from focus groups and interviews taking place across the region.

TAP/DRPT Grants Approved

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The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the FY 2023 Six Year Improvement Program (SYIP) at the June, 2022 meeting. The FY23 SYIP includes funding for seven Transportation Alternatives (TAP) projects around the region, as well as operating and capital grant funding for the public transit and human service transportation providers in the region. TAP grants will fund the construction of sidewalk, intersection, and greenway paths in Augusta County, Bridgewater, Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, and Waynesboro. The transit funding includes an additional year of demonstration grant funding for the Afton Express, allowing for an expansion of the route to serve 12-hour shift workers at the UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville.

HRMPO Public Engagement Process to Be Featured at National Conference

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Director of Transportation and VAMPO Chair Ann Cundy will present at the National Association of MPOs (AMPO) Annual Conference in October, 2022. Ann will share the conference session with Chet Parsons, Director of Transportation for the Richmond Regional MPO, and Ashley Dobson, Director of Operations and Strategic Communications at Avid Core. The session will focus on post-pandemic public engagement strategies that MPOs of varying sizes can use for any planning process, but particularly on Long Range Transportation Plans. The HRMPO is currently developing the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan with assistance from Kimley-Horn and Avid Core.

CERT Graduates Volunteers

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On May 26, 2022 ten new volunteers graduated from the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Community Emergency Response Team (S-A-W CERT)’s basic training course. CSPDC staff coordinates the S-A-W CERT program for Augusta County and the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. The Spring 2022 basic training course was the first training offered since the COVID-19 Pandemic began in early 2020.

Since September 2003, the basic CERT course has been offered 39 times, training over 600 people in the Central Shenandoah Region. S-A-W CERT doesn’t just offer the Basic CERT training course; the program has more than 100 active volunteers who meet throughout the year for training, volunteer opportunities, and engagement activities. In June, S-A-W CERT members were excited to finally be able to meet in a large in-person group for the first time in over two years. The next basic CERT training course will start in September 2022. For additional information, please contact Rebecca Joyce at rebecca@cspdc.org or 540.885.5174 ext. 112.

2022 Virginia Outdoors Survey Launched

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The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has launched the 2022 Virginia Outdoors Survey. Survey findings will help shape the 2023 Virginia Outdoors Plan, a blueprint for the state’s future outdoor recreation programing and infrastructure that is updated every five years. Current Virginia residents are eligible to participate in the survey and responses are due by August 15. Click here to begin the survey.

The Virginia Outdoors Survey provides the opportunity to share your personal preferences and experiences when it comes to outdoor recreation. The survey is a key element of the Virginia Outdoors Plan. Survey responses inform regional recommendations and data, including the most-needed outdoor recreation opportunities and most popular recreation activities in the Central Shenandoah Region. Click here to view the 2018 Virginia Outdoors Plan.

Ag Innovation Center in Buena Vista Awarded ARC Grant

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The Ag Innovation Center project, known as the Virginia Innovation Collective, will receive a $700,000 grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Area Development Assistance Program. On June 30, Governor Youngkin recommended the project as one of eighteen projects in Virginia for ARC Funding. The grant will support The Advancement Foundation’s redevelopment of a vacant manufacturing building in downtown Buena Vista into a multiuse, business incubation facility. More specifically, the ARC grant will fund the renovation of a commercial kitchen and ADA compliant entrances and restrooms. CSPDC staff provided grant writing assistance for the project. The Advancement Foundation is also the recipient of a GO Virginia grant, supporting entrepreneurial programming and staffing at the Ag Innovation Center.

 

Rockbridge and Goshen Broadband Projects Close Out

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In 2020, the CSPDC was awarded a $2,202,000 VATI grant to bring high-speed internet to areas in Rockbridge County with co-applicant BARC Electric. Construction began December 2020 and ended in April 2022.  This project provided broadband access to approximately 470 serviceable units, including 31 businesses in Rockbridge County. Specific areas include Glasgow, South Buffalo, Vesuvius, and Big Hill with a total of 118 miles of fiber. Construction to 22 homes in the Vesuvius area were not completed due to a Blue Ridge Parkway permitting issue. BARC intends to complete construction and serve these 22 homes after the project closeout.

BARC’s 2019 ARC POWER Initiative broadband project in Goshen began construction in April 2021 and completed in November 2022. This project closed out in May 2022 and deployed a high-speed fiber optic broadband network in and around the Town of Goshen. There are 309 serviceable units including about 301 households and 8 businesses and approximately 33 miles of fiber installed for this project. The CSPDC provided grant administration services for this project and the Rockbridge VATI project.