Category Archives: News

May is Bike Month

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During the month of May, the CSPDC and our RideShare commuter assistance program are celebrating Bike Month! Throughout the month, we’re promoting the benefits of incorporating bicycling into your daily commute. The week of May 16th is Bike Week, and Friday, May 20th is Bike to Work Day. RideShare staff will be visiting bike shops throughout our region on Saturdays in May to talk with riders about bike commute benefits.

Biking to work instead of driving has great benefits for your health, and the planet. It also reduces congestion on our roads. Many communities in our region have bike trails for recreation, and bike lanes for safe biking to work, school, or errands.

Now is a great time to try your new commute – During the month of May, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) is hosting a contest and prize drawing for commuters who log their bike-to-work trip. Each trip logged increases your chances of winning a $100 gift card. To sign-up and start logging trips today, visit www.rideshareinfo.org and download the RideShare app. You can also find bike safety tips, bike laws, and other biking information at www.BikeVA.org

In addition to promoting biking to work, the RideShare program promotes other environmentally sustainable alternatives to your typical commute. RideShare offers carpool matching services, vanpool coordination, and resources to get you connected to local transit options.

Safe Streets for All Grant Provides Transportation Safety Funding for Localities

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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), now referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), was approved by Congress in November 2021 and provides $1.2 trillion in infrastructure funding over five years. BIL includes $550 million in new transportation funding, and establishes more than a dozen new transportation grant funding programs.

In May, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released details for the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program that provides $5-6 billion in grants over the next five years for MPOs and localities to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The funding covers comprehensive safety studies, and also buildable projects ranging from smaller projects such as pedestrian lighting to larger intersection improvements such as roundabouts.

Learn more by watching an informational webinar recording about SS4A, and subscribe to email updates to be notified when additional information is available for the SS4A program. Visit the BIL website to stay up-to-date on all of the funding programs as they are announced.

 

Draft FY 2023 Six Year Improvement Program (SYIP) Available

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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.

Localities Selected to Participate in Work from Home Pilot Program

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.