Category Archives: News

The Afton Express Celebrates 2 Years of Service!

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On September 1, 2021, the Afton Express took its maiden voyage across the mountain from Staunton, Fishersville, and Waynesboro to Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the University of Virginia. Now, two years later it is still growing strong!

Ridership continues to grow steadily, improving each month as more commuters learn of the service. From September 2022 to August 2023, monthly ridership increased by 64%.

To celebrate this milestone, CSPDC staff will host pop-up events in Charlottesville and Staunton to engage with current and prospective riders.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Afton Express, or helping us celebrate this occasion, is invited to visit one of the pop-up events below.

September 14, 2023, from 3:30 – 6:00 pm at the University of Virginia, Hospital West Complex bus stop

September 28, 2023, from 4:00 – 7:30 pm at the Staunton Mall bus stop

The CSPDC would like to thank all the community partners who have helped this service succeed in these first two years. Our staff looks forward to year three and beyond!

Rideshare and BRITE Bus Participate in Discover Transit Month

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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is engaged in the second “Discover Transit” campaign of the year.

Between mid-August and mid-September, DRPT is inviting Virginians to discover how public transportation can help connect them to the places they need to go.

The CSPDC’s Commuter Assistance Program, Rideshare, along with BRITE Bus will help promote the use of transit in our region. To encourage travelers to use transit, all BRITE Bus routes (including the Afton Express) will operate fare-free on September 20, 2023.

In addition to fare-free days, during the month of September, travelers who log their transit trips in their regional commuter assistance program’s smartphone app will be entered to win a $100 gift card courtesy of DRPT. Here in the central Shenandoah Valley, that would be the Rideshare App, which is available on both Apple and Android devices.

In addition to the statewide contest, riders who log their commute trips on the Afton Express will be entered to win additional prizes. Rideshare will select four winners in early October. All Afton Express commute trips logged in September will count as an entry for the drawing.

We hope you consider using transit for your daily trips this month. In the CSPDC region, you can explore routes in any of the following transit systems:

Harrisonburg Public Transportation Department (HDPT)

BRITE Bus & The Afton Express

RADAR Transit (Maury Express)

Rockbridge Area Transportation System

Or – visit ConnectingVA.org and use the Virginia Transportation Finder – a tool that will help you locate transportation options in your region.

Highland Inn Receives ARC Grant

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The Blue Grass Resource Center will receive a $700,000 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Construction Grant to support the completion of The Highland Inn Revitalization Project. On August 11th, Governor Youngkin recommended the Inn as one of sixteen projects in Virginia for ARC funding. The grant will fund Phase II of the effort to renovate the historic Highland Inn. Located on Main Street in Monterey, the Highland Inn is part of Highland County’s economic development strategy to increase tourism through retreat conferences and cultural events. In 2021, Phase 1 of the revitalization effort successfully stabilized and restored the Inn’s exterior. Phase II will restore the Inn’s interior, completing the final step necessary to reopen the hotel and restaurant.

For more information see: https://dhcd.virginia.gov/2023-appalachian-regional-commission-award-recommendations

CSPDC Welcomes New Program Specialist

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Allyson Finchum joins the CSPDC as their Program Support Specialist with the CSPDC team on September 5, 2023. A native Virginian, born and raised in Arlington, Allyson earned her undergraduate degree at American University and received her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has extensive planning, code administration and management experience in counties, towns and cities throughout Virginia, most recently serving as Town Manager for the towns of Bowling Green and Port Royal.  Allyson and her husband Mike currently live in Wintergreen.  She uniquely understands the issues facing communities and looks forward to assisting the localities in the CSPDC region.

SAW Walk-Bike Summit Set for October 20

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The 2023 Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro Bike-Walk Summit will be held on Friday, October 20, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Russell Museum in Waynesboro. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The event will highlight the Virginia Capital Trail, Waynesboro’s South River Greenway, and the positive impacts of regional bike and pedestrian projects on health and economic development.

An optional walking tour of Sunset Park and happy hour at Basic City Beer Company will take place in the afternoon. The event is sponsored by Augusta Health, the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, the SAWMPO, RideShare, and other community partners.

REGISTER HERE

Registration Now Open for the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Housing Summit

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Registration for the SAW Housing Summit is open through September 28th. In partnership with the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, Augusta Health, Valley Community Services Board, and Valley Homeless Connection, the CSPDC will be presenting the Summit on October 11th & 12th at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center in Staunton.

The SAW Housing Summit is a result of collaborative work across organizations in the SAW region since March 2020, who joined together to disburse critical funding and resources to underserved communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those experiencing housing insecurity. As the short-term impacts of the pandemic began to lessen, the group turned their attention toward our region’s more persistent housing challenges that remained, from addressing homelessness to providing accessible housing to our local workforce. The Summit will culminate the work that has taken place and provide a forum for planning to address our regional housing issues into the future.

The Summit will take place over the course of a day and a half, and will incorporate a variety of speakers, facilitated discussions, and brainstorming sessions. It will conclude with an action-focused facilitated discussion on Day 2 to chart a path forward.

Topics include defining affordable housing, assessing our region’s housing landscape, the connections between housing, health, and economic development, promoting the development of affordable housing stock, and funding and success stories around the state.

For more information on the SAW Housing Summit and to register today, visit www.sawhousing.com.

VTA Announces Inaugural Class of Fellows for the Virginia Transit Leadership Institute

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The CSPDC is pleased to announce that Devon Thompson, Transit Planner, has been selected to participate in Virginia Transit Association’s (VTA) inaugural year for the Virginia Transit Leadership Institute (VTLI). VTLI is a groundbreaking program aimed at fostering the next generation of public transportation leaders in Virginia.

VTLI is a program initiated by the Commonwealth’s transit systems and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DPRT), and is designed to engage, elevate, and cultivate emerging leaders in the public transportation sector. This nine-month comprehensive program is tailored to mid-level and future executives, providing them with a holistic understanding of transit from diverse perspectives across the Commonwealth. “VTLI represents a significant milestone in the advancement of Virginia’s public transportation sector, providing a platform for emerging leaders to cultivate their skills, collaborate with industry experts, and drive innovation. We look forward to witnessing the positive impact these fellows will make on our state’s transit landscape and the communities we serve,” said Danny Plaugher, Executive Director of VTA.

The VTLI planning committee meticulously chose 16 individuals among dozens of qualified candidates to participate in the program. Other agencies represented in the cohort include: Charlottesville Area Transit, Blacksburg Transit, Bay Transit, RVA Rapid Transit, Alexandria Transit Company, City of Fairfax, Hampton Roads Transit, Fredericksburg Regional Transit, Virginia Railway Express, Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, Ride Source, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, DRPT, Greater Lynchburg Transit Company, and Mountain Empire Older Citizens.

About VTA – The Virginia Transit Association (VTA) is dedicated to enhancing public transportation in Virginia. With over 125 members, including transit agencies, businesses, regional entities, and nonprofit organizations, VTA works tirelessly to advocate for a more efficient and sustainable public transportation network, fostering economic prosperity, environmental responsibility, and community livability.

 

CSPDC Releases Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and Goal

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The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and BRITE Transit in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as set forth in 49 CFR Part 26, as amended, hereby announces its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal for Federal Transit Administration assisted contracts. The overall goal is for a three-year period beginning October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2026 (FFY 2024-2026).

The overall proposed DBE goal for FFY 2024-2026 is .01%.

The methodology used to determine the proposed goal and its rationale are available for public review for 30 days from the date of this notice, in person Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, at the CSPDC office or through the internet as follows.

Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
112 MacTanly Place
Staunton, VA 24401

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program 

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Goal (FFY2024-26) 

The Federal Transit Administration and CSPDC will accept written comments on this proposed goal for 45 days from the date of this notice.

Written comments may be sent to Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director at the address above; FAX (540) 885-2687; or email bonnie@cspdc.org. Written comments can also be sent directly to the FTA, Region Civil Rights Officer, Federal Transit Administration, Region III, 1460 Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Written comments at both locations will be accepted until September 14, 2023.

Karst Workshop Scheduled

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The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will hold a Karst Workshop on September 7th & 8th.

What: Karst Workshop

When: September 7th & 8th, 9AM-4PM

Where: The Sharon Community Center (4017 Nicelytown Rd, Clifton Forge, VA 24422)

Who: Planners, resource managers, administrators, elected officials, and citizens are encouraged to attend.

The soluble limestone found in valleys and along mountain slopes in the Alleghany Highlands is home to a karst landscape with numerous sinkholes, sinking streams, springs and some of the largest caves in Virginia. These caves and the karst to which they belong are home to some of the rarest species on Earth and supply water for human and wildlife alike. At the same time, this karst landscape is sensitive to contamination and poses unique challenges for land development.

Participants will learn:

  • About karst phenomena and the underground life in the Alleghany Highlands,
  • The importance of these valuable yet extremely vulnerable resources,
  • Sensitivity of karst landscapes to contamination,
  • Development challenges that karst terrains pose, and
  • How we can use existing knowledge to live with karst and protect it.

Register HERE.

Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan

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The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation recently kicked off a new initiative, the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan. The initiative views the Blue Ridge Parkway as a catalyst for promoting regional tourism and economic vitality, and aims to strengthen cross-jurisdictional relationships, foster economic development within the Blue Ridge Parkway gateway communities, and establish a unified regional voice. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes through both Augusta County and Rockbridge County in the CSPDC region.

Over the past several months, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation held county input sessions for each of the 29 counties in the Blue Ridge Parkway system, including Rockbridge and Augusta County, to gather feedback from stakeholders about the current relationship of the Parkway to economic development and tourism, and solicit input on potential improvements. Based on that feedback, the Parkway Foundation is now seeking review and feedback on the key takeaways from the county meetings, and will be holding regional input sessions.

The Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan input session for our region will be held on Tuesday, August 8 from 3-5pm at the Hampton Inn in Lexington. The meeting is drop-in style, so participants can come anytime during the two-hour window or stay for the entire time. There will also be an optional, informal social hour to meet other community leaders in our region after the 3-5pm event. For more information and to register for the upcoming session, click here.