News
Afton Express Sees Ridership Surge
The Afton Express recorded a 38% increase in ridership this February compared to February 2025, a milestone for BRITE Transit’s commuter route connecting the Central Shenandoah Valley to Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
The increase follows a marketing campaign that launched in fall 2025 and runs through the end of June, 2026. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) provided grant funds for the campaign which includes television and streaming commercials, interviews, and digital display advertising. Staff also engaged a professional photographer and a graphic designer to develop polished, consistent promotional materials for the route.
Afton Express also implemented a new schedule on December 1, 2025 to better align departure and arrival times with employer schedules and rider requests — another driver of the ridership surge. For more information on Afton Express, see our 2025 Annual Report.
Weigh In on the Future of the Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail Corridor — Survey Open Through May 13
VDOT is now in Phase 3 of the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment — the final phase — and is gathering public input through a survey open through May 13. Respondents are asked to weigh in on whether the existing corridor should be converted to a trail (Rail-to-Trail), or should take a Rail-With-Trail approach. We encourage everyone across the region to participate.
CSPDC and our member jurisdictions along the corridor support a trail for the Shenandoah Valley’s 49-mile corridor. As members of the Shenandoah Rail Trail Exploratory Partnership, we see a dedicated trail as an economic driver and lasting public investment for the communities along the corridor — one that supports economic development, transportation, tourism and outdoor recreation for the long term.
VDOT is holding three in-person public meetings along the corridor to present findings and take feedback:
- Woodstock — Thursday, April 16, 5–7 p.m., Peter Muhlenberg Middle School
- Front Royal — Thursday, April 23, 5–7 p.m., Warren County Government Center
- Timberville — Tuesday, April 28, 5–7 p.m., Plains District Community Center
Take the survey at publicinput.com/svwt, or visit VDOT’s project page for full details.
Town of Goshen Awarded DOE Power CORE Grant for Solar-Powered Backup Generators
The Town of Goshen was awarded a grant through the Virginia Department of Energy’s Community-Oriented Resilient Energy (CORE) program to purchase and install two mobile solar-powered backup generators at its critical public facilities. The CSPDC assisted the Town in preparing and submitting the winning application.
Like many rural communities, Goshen is susceptible to extended power outages caused by severe weather, and until now, none of its essential public facilities had a backup power source.
The $122,430 CORE grant will fund the purchase and installation of two mobile solar-powered generator trailers — each equipped with solar panel arrays and lithium battery storage capable of providing grid-independent power. The units will be housed at the Goshen Town Hall and Volunteer Fire Department, but they can be deployed wherever they are needed most during an emergency.
This project represents a significant leap forward for a community that has had limited emergency backup power capacity. Beyond keeping the lights on during outages, the solar generators will also give the Town access to FEMA and Virginia Department of Emergency Management funding streams that were previously unavailable because Goshen lacked a certified emergency shelter. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
The CORE grant is part of a broader revitalization effort in Goshen that has brought more than $2.35 million in investment into the heart of downtown.
Finding Funding for the Future: May Workshop Tackles Aviation and Affordable Housing
The funding landscape for local governments has never been more complex—or more consequential. On May 13th, VAPDC is bringing together local government staff, economic developers, state agency partners, and EDA/IDA board members in Staunton for the first installment of Finding Funding for the Future, a workshop series built around one practical goal: helping regional partners compete more successfully for the resources that move communities forward.
This session features two deep dives that couldn’t feel more timely.
Cleared for Takeoff will examine innovative funding mechanisms for aviation infrastructure, drawing on real-world case studies that show how communities have secured—and used—resources to modernize and expand regional air capacity. Whether you’re new to aviation finance or already working on a project, you’ll leave with a clearer picture of what’s possible and how to pursue it.
Unlocking the Capital Stack turns to one of the region’s most pressing needs: affordable housing. Who actually funds housing development? How do federal, state, local, and private sources layer together—and where do competitive proposals typically fall short? This session breaks down the capital stack and highlights what approaches are working on the ground.
The event takes place at Hotel 24 South in Staunton. CSPDC encourages our member jurisdictions and regional partners to attend—registration is open now at this link.
Hot Off the Press: New Socio-Economic Data Profiles
CSPDC supports regional economic development as a comprehensive resource for data about the region and our localities. Every other year, we publish easy-to-read data profiles covering people, jobs, schools, and other unique attributes for every locality and sub-region in the Central Shenandoah region. The profiles highlight the defining characteristics of a locality or sub-region, offering a quick but meaningful picture of what makes that area distinctive.
The 2025 Facts & Figures brochures are now available on the CSPDC website. Whether you’re researching workforce demographics, educational attainment, employment trends, or community assets, these updated profiles are your starting point for understanding the Central Shenandoah region. Visit the CSPDC website to download the latest edition for your locality.