News
Afton Express Featured on Virginia Public Radio
This past spring, Virginia Public Radio reached out to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and the CSPDC to develop a feature story on the Afton Express as part of a series about how CARES funds have been used across the Commonwealth.
RadioIQ reporter Mallory Noe-Payne traveled to Fishersville in April to ride the Afton Express, talk to staff, and interview passengers. Paula Melester, a Regional Planner for the CSPDC, joined Mallory on her round-trip ride over the mountain. Along the ride, several passengers shared their personal experiences with the Afton Express and how this service has contributed to the quality of their commute. Their stories are captured in this radio segment.
DRPT’s Director of Rail and Public Transportation, Jennifer DeBruhl is also interviewed. Funding for the Afton Express through FY23 was provided by DRPT through a demonstration grant, partially supported by CARES Act funds. Director DeBruhl says that using these funds to help launch the Afton Express was a “no brainer”, as the service connects workers in the Shenandoah Valley to the Hospital System at the University of Virginia. During the pandemic, the service offered a transportation option for essential workers.
The story aired on Virginia Public Radio on June 21 and was shared on the WVTF/RadioIQ website. You can read or listen to the story here.
CSPDC Receives Housing Grants
In July, the CSPDC received notice of two grant awards from Virginia Housing. Collectively, these grants bring $1,725,000 in housing funds to the region. The CSPDC received an allocation of $1.7 million in funds through Virginia Housing’s Sponsoring Partnerships & Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) Program, a special allocation of reduced rate funding which provides a 1% adjustment to interest rates below Virginia Housing’s prevailing home loan rates. These funds will be used to complement the CSPDC’s existing First Time Homebuyer Program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to income-qualified homebuyers at 80% AMI or below. The CSPDC is currently completing initial program development activities with Virginia Housing and will begin outreach to Virginia Housing approved lenders in the coming month.
Additionally, the CSPDC received a $15,000 Community Impact Grant to conduct a Preliminary Architecture Report for a key property in Downtown Monterey. The building is the former home of the Highland Recorder Newspaper, and the property owner is partnering with the CSPDC, Highland County EDA, and Monterey town officials to assess potential future residential use. The study will kick off in August, and its findings will be used to determine best next steps for future re-development of the site for housing opportunities.
CSPDC Earns $100K ARC READY LDD Grant
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced the $100,000 grant award to the CSPDC on June 15. The ARC READY LDD (Local Development District) program seeks to expand district staffing and capacity in order to grow support for eligible communities to identify, access, and implement monies available at the federal level. Funding sources include, but are not limited to, the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The CSPDC serves as the LDD for the following localities: Bath County, Highland County, Rockbridge County, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington, and the towns of Glasgow, Goshen, and Monterey.
“This award will greatly assist the CSPDC in helping our localities identify and obtain federal funds that will be invaluable to our communities, business, and citizens as we recover from the lingering impacts of the pandemic,” stated David Blanchard, CSPDC chair and Highland County supervisor.
Learn more about the latest ARC awards HERE.
Harrisonburg Awarded RAISE Grant
The US Department of Transportation awarded the City of Harrisonburg a $14,368,180 RAISE Grant to convert one driving lane of US-11 (Liberty Street and Noll Drive) to a two-way separated bicycle facility between the intersections of Main Street and Noll Drive, and Grattan Street and Liberty Street. The grant will also construct a shared-use path along Main Street between Grattan Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
The new bicycle and pedestrian facilities are anticipated to increase bicycling and walking in the City, supporting Harrisonburg’s environmental sustainability, mobility, community connectivity, and economic development goals.
Harrisonburg is in the process of getting under contract with US DOT. All funds must be expended by 2032. For more information about this project, view this City of Harrisonburg News Release.
Bath-Highland Network Authority Public Notice Meeting
On July 10th, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., the Bath-Highland Network Authority will hold a meeting at the Bolar Ruritan Club, 38 Bolar Ln Monterey, VA 24465. For more information about the meeting, please contact Ms. Hunter Moore at 540-885-5174 or hunter@cspdc.org.