The CSPDC applied for eight grants to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). Applications submitted included: urban and rural capital cost of contracting, urban and rural operating, capital assistance, technical assistance, and commuter assistance operating and project assistance.

Grant funds go towards operating and improving transit and alternative transportation in the Central Shenandoah Valley. DRPT will review applications, and recommendations for funding will be made available when the draft Six-Year Improvement Program is released in Spring 2025.

The BRITE bus system celebrated Transit Equity Day on Tuesday, February 4. This day of action honors Civil Rights activist and icon, Rosa Parks, for her commitment to dismantling inequality and racism. Park’s refusal to move to the back of the bus and subsequent arrest, helped spark the Montgomery bus boycotts in 1955, which then contributed to the 1956 Supreme Court decision decreeing bus segregation unconstitutional. The legacy of these battles highlights the importance of equity in public transportation. Public transit is a vital vein and resource to communities, giving access to jobs, appointments, shopping centers, and social gatherings, and historically, this critical infrastructure has not been equally accessible or available to all. February 4 is Rosa Park’s birthday, and Transit Equity Day honors her legacy and contributions to Civil Rights and the equal treatment of all individuals. To commemorate, all BRITE routes, including Afton Express, were fare-free on February 4.

Carrie Sensabaugh, Administrative Assistant

Carrie Sensabaugh joined the CSPDC as Administrative Assistant in November 2024. Carrie brings extensive public and private sector administrative experience, working closely with Office & HR Manager Kimberly Miller to support the planners and finance team and ensure smooth office operations. A native of Augusta County, she balances her professional life with personal passions—enjoying beach getaways and spending time with her young golden retriever, Bella, and her cat, Lily.  She looks forward to contributing to the PDC in her new role.

Rachel Kinzer, Regional Planner

Regional Planner Rachel Kinzer recently earned a Chesapeake Urban Stormwater Professionals (CUSP) certificate from the Chesapeake Stormwater Network funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The certificate program covered essential topics in stormwater management and urban watershed restoration, from stormwater runoff impacts, implementing mitigation strategies, and improving local watershed management practices. Her training included hands-on learning through interactive engagements, live webinars, and study of municipal stormwater program operations. Rachel looks forward to applying key concepts from the program through her work with the CSPDC’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) program and the regional Hazard Mitigation Plan update.