The Virginia Breeze has added additional weekend service to its route, allowing riders to make a weekend trip to Washington, D.C. and get back home in time for Monday classes and work. The bus makes nine stops along I-81 and I-66 from Blacksburg to Union Station in D.C. Updated brochures listing the full schedule of stops are being developed and will be available in the coming weeks. Three stops in the CSPDC region include Lexington, Staunton, and Harrisonburg.
Category Archives: News
Bike Safety Guides Available
The 6th edition of the Share VA Roads bicycle safety guide is now available in print and by download. The guides are produced through a partnership between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and state and local agencies. The guides offer a set of safety procedures and traffic regulations for all users of the State’s roads. CSPDC has ordered guides in English and Spanish and will share them at events and based on requests from our member jurisdictions.
CSPDC Launches Rebranded Website for Bike the Valley Program
STAUNTON (November 29, 2018) — Shenandoah Valley visitors and residents have a refreshed resource for exploring cycling opportunities in the region, thanks to the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation. BiketheValley.org went live earlier this month, offering expanded options for on-road, gravel, mountain biking, and family-friendly, paved-trail cycling. Developed with input from local cyclists, the site features information on bike-friendly lodging, bike shops, local events and rides, as well as interactive maps that can be downloaded to GPS devices.
Bike the Valley is a CSPDC program that helps promote bicycling for exercise, recreation, and as a means of transportation, as well as the Shenandoah Valley as a bicycling destination. The addition of this updated, mobile-responsive website provides bicyclists of all skill levels access to current information on classic rides of varied length and difficulty throughout a five-county region.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Program provided partial funding for the new site. An expanded Facebook presence and interface with Ride with GPS will accompany the site launch.
For more information about the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee please visit the www.bikethevalley.org or call the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission at 540-885-5174.
BRITE Bus Offers Free Rides on Election Day
Many polling places in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County served.
BRITE Bus is offering free rides on Election Day – November 6th. BRITE Bus routes serve many of the polling places in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County.
BRITE is the public transit system that serves the City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro and parts of Augusta County including Stuarts Draft with stops at Augusta Health, Wilson Workforce Rehabilitation Center, and Blue Ridge Community College.
For more information on BRITE Bus routes and times, visit www.britebus.org or connect on Facebook.
Virginia Telecommunications Initiative Grant Announced
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) grant for FY19. The primary objective of VATI is to provide financial assistance to supplement construction costs by private sector broadband service providers, in partnership with local units of government, to extend service to areas that presently are unserved by any broadband provider.
The goal is to enhance sustainability and competitive advantages of communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure. Consistent with the enabling legislation, DHCD will award the $4 million FY 2019 appropriation to eligible applicants to provide last-mile services to unserved areas of the State.
October is Rideshare Month
In celebration of Rideshare Month, the CSPDC will be sending out Rideshare postcards and brochures to regional employers, as well as highlighting Vanpool!VA, a website launched by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation as a single resource for vanpool matching across the state.
RideShare is a program of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission that provides outreach and other services to reduce single-occupant vehicles on the road by facilitating the use of alternative transportation, such as carpooling, walking, biking, and using transit.
Tour de Farm Unveils Logo
Tour de Farm is a developing bike-to-farm program that combines the Bike the Valley and Fields of Gold Farm Trail programs, both administered by the CSPDC, and is guided by a working group of bicyclists, Fields of Gold members, tourism staff, CSPDC staff, and community leaders.
The working group is identifying and mapping routes, determining potential Farm Trail stops along routes, creating a marketing plan, and identifying funding opportunities.
At a recent meeting of the working group, the Tour de Farm logo was unveiled. Pulling elements from both the Fields of Gold and Bike the Valley logos, the Tour de Farm logo is comprised of a bicycle wheel tread encircling the Blue Ridge Mountains, a rooster in the foreground, and a bold Tour de Farm ribbon with a golden bike gear as a focal point. The costs to create the logo were supported with funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Ultimately, Tour de Farm route and event information will be available on both Bike the Valley and Fields of Gold websites and widely marketed and promoted.
CEDS Public Notice
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) is seeking public comment on the draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS document is an economic development tool designed to leverage assets from across the Central Shenandoah Region to bolster the regional economy. The CEDS will prepare the CSPDC to pursue future funding opportunities with the Economic Development Administration and act as a roadmap for future economic development endeavors across the region.
The document, as well as the mandatory criteria used in the creation of the document, is available for review here or at the CSPDC Office, 112 MacTanly Place; Staunton, VA 24401. Comments may be submitted to the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission at elizabeth@cspdc.org or the above address. Comments will be accepted from September 12-October 12, 2018. The CEDS Committee will consider adoption of the CEDS document during the CSPDC meeting on October 15, 2018, at the CSPDC Office.
GO Virginia Region 8 Council Now Accepting Project Proposals
The GO Virginia Region 8 Council is pleased to announce that it is accepting proposals for projects to be funded through the State’s GO Virginia initiative. The Region 8 Council has approximately $1.6 million in GO Virginia funds to award to projects in the region. The upcoming application deadline is October 5, 2018, for per capita and enhanced capacity building proposals.
For a project to be considered by the Region 8 Council complete the application available on the Shenandoah Valley Partnership’s website at: https://theshenandoahvalley.com/govirginia/ Also at that link is an application guide that offers background information on GO Virginia and the Region 8 Council, provides the criteria for eligible projects, and outlines the application and award process.
September is National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month is a nationwide campaign held each September to educate about the importance of preparation before disasters occur. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on planning. The theme is “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.”
Each week of National Preparedness Month, the Ready Campaign emphasizes a unique aspect of preparedness:
Week 1: Sept 1-8 – Make and Practice Your Plan
Week 2: Sept 9-15 – Learn Life Saving Skills
Week 3: Sept 16-22 – Check Your Insurance Coverage
Week 4: Sept 23-29 – Save For an Emergency
The CSPDC provides year-round resiliency and disaster preparedness education and training in our region through its public awareness program, Shenandoah Valley Project Impact, and by coordinating the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Community Emergency Response Team.