In Memoriam: Frank Friedman
With deep sadness, we share the news that Frank Friedman, our Commission Chair and Mayor of the City of Lexington, passed away on July 2nd.
Frank served as CSPDC’s Commission Chair for almost ten consecutive years. He championed a succession plan that ensured a smooth transition between Executive Directors in 2024, and he represented our region on the GO Virginia Region 8 Council and the Improve I-81 Advisory Committee. He ran lively Commission meetings, brought thoughtfulness to every discussion, and was deeply committed to his life as a public servant. We will miss him and his steadfast support of the PDC.
Frank’s family has established the Frank Wilson Friedman Memorial Fund, administered by the Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath, and Alleghany, as a lasting tribute to his life. For more information visit cfra.fcsuite.com.
CSPDC Receives Virginia Housing Grant for Regional Data Dashboard
The CSPDC has received a $50,000 Capacity Building Implementation Grant from Virginia Housing to develop an interactive regional data dashboard. The grant program supports organizations in enhancing their operations, processes, and resources to better serve their communities.
Developed in partnership with the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the dashboard will build on findings from the Central Shenandoah Regional Housing Study to provide local governments, housing organizations, developers, and other regional partners with timely, accessible demographic, economic, and housing data. Key housing indicators will include housing age and type, occupancy, home values, tenure, and cost burden among renters and homeowners.
Through interactive visualizations, users will be able to compare data across localities and explore connections among income, age, housing tenure, affordability, and other factors.
By putting current, locally relevant information within easy reach, the dashboard will help regional partners better understand housing needs, prioritize investments, and build stronger applications for state and federal funding.
Data collection and analysis are expected to continue through fall 2026, with the dashboard scheduled for completion by early 2027. We look forward to sharing updates as the dashboard takes shape.
Kayla Dixon Joins CSPDC as Outreach and Engagement Planner
Kayla Dixon officially joined the CSPDC as our Outreach and Engagement Planner on July 1. Kayla began working at the CSPDC in the summer of 2025 as a summer intern and then continued her work with us through the 2025-26 academic year as a graduate assistant. During her time in those roles, she developed and implemented a “Value of Transit” campaign in support of the BRITE Transit system.
In May, Kayla graduated from James Madison University with her master’s in public administration. During her time at JMU, she worked as a Research Assistant in the American Political Reform & Innovation Lab, held an internship with the City of Harrisonburg, and traveled to the Netherlands to explore urban planning and sustainability. Originally from Northern Virginia, Kayla is excited to stay in the Valley and continue her work supporting engagement initiatives throughout the CSPDC region. Outside of work she enjoys crocheting, reading, and getting active by weightlifting and hiking with her dog Callie.
VDOT Completes Public Engagement for Shenandoah Valley Rail-with-Trail Assessment
With publication of the Phase 3 Public Engagement Summary, VDOT has concluded the Shenandoah Valley Rail-with-Trail Assessment — a study that began in March 2024 to evaluate options for the 49-mile rail corridor running through Warren, Shenandoah, and Rockingham counties.
Phase 3 public engagement took place in the Spring of 2026 with in-person meetings in the towns of Woodstock, Front Royal, and Timberville, and an online survey that was open from April 8 through May 13, 2026.
VDOT received 8,150 survey responses. Among the 2,552 respondents from Warren, Shenandoah, and Rockingham Counties, 69.9% named converting the corridor to a trail as the best investment for the Commonwealth, compared with 6.7% who favored keeping rail service alongside a parallel trail. 18.4% of these respondents along the corridor said they had no preference, and 5.0% said they liked neither option.
Support for rail-to-trail was similarly strong statewide, at 57.8% of the 6,160 respondents identifiable by Virginia zip code.
In February 2026, the Secretary of Transportation’s office indicated to the Commonwealth Transportation Board that it would begin negotiations with Norfolk Southern to acquire the corridor. The final configuration — rail-to-trail or rail-with-trail — will be decided later, informed in part by this engagement data.
Full engagement summary and project materials are available on VDOT’s project page.
CSPDC to Map Child Care Gaps Across the Blue Ridge Region
Where are the child care deserts in the Blue Ridge region — and what would it take to close them? CSPDC will help answer that question as part of a new statewide effort to strengthen child care access, in partnership with the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.
Over the coming months, we will analyze regional child care supply and demand data, working alongside Ready Region Blue Ridge leadership to turn the findings into an action plan. The data and methodology come from a partnership between VECF, PlanRVA, and the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions — giving every region in the state a common starting point.
The results will feed directly into the region’s economic development strategy, tying child care access to workforce growth — recognizing that families can’t go to work if there’s nowhere for their kids to go.
Findings are due by the end of September.