News
Afton Express Bus Begins Service
The Afton Express bus service connecting Staunton, Augusta County, and Waynesboro to Charlottesville began operations on September 1. Ridership has continued to grow throughout the month.
A survey is being distributed to current riders exploring their satisfaction with the routing and schedule and soliciting any suggestions for potential service improvements. Surveys will be evaluated in October and will impact upcoming marketing efforts.
During the month of September, Afton Express passengers rode fare-free. Beginning October 1, a $3 one-way fare started to be collected. A cost saving ten-trip fare card for $25 is also available to frequent riders. Follow the Afton Express Facebook page for up-to-date information.
Elkton Hosts Rural Transportation Meeting
Local government representatives gathered in the Town of Elkton for the CSPDC’s Rural Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (RTTAC) to discuss transportation planning issues and tour several sites in the Town. In attendance were representatives from the counties of Augusta, Rockbridge, Rockingham, the towns of Elkton and Timberville, and the City of Buena Vista.
The meeting featured a roundtable discussion with VDOT Staunton District staff regarding transportation grant funding opportunities. The meeting concluded with a walking tour of a potential site for the Town’s planned greenway trailhead, and the newly renovated Jennings House, a 180-year old historic building now serving as Town Hall.
The RTTAC meets every quarter and facilitates regional coordination for smaller communities on transportation-related issues. The next RTTAC meeting is scheduled for December 16, 2021.
BRITE Kicks Off Transit Development Plan
The CSPDC/BRITE Transit Development Plan (TDP) kicked off at the BRITE Transit Advisory Committee’s (BTAC) September meeting. The BTAC serves as the advisory committee for developing the plan with KFH Group serving as lead consultant. During the kick-off meeting, KFH Group reviewed the scope of work and schedule for the plan, as well as discussed unmet transit needs in the service area and the existing BRITE transit goals.
A TDP is a state required, multi-year planning document that is intended to provide direction for a transit system and its community partners. The planning process identifies transit needs, develops potential improvements, and identifies the resources needed to implement the projects.
2020 Census Data
In August, the U.S. Census Bureau launched state-by-state profiles highlighting the preliminary findings of the 2020 Census. In addition to data on population growth, race, and the Hispanic population, the rollout also included totals for housing units and vacancy.
The total number of reported housing units in the CSPDC region is 131,088, a 4.5% increase since the 2010 Census estimate. In comparison, Virginia has seen a 7.5% increase in housing units over the past 10 years. Some localities have experienced more rapid housing unit growth than others; for example, housing units in Harrisonburg increased by 6.8% over the past decade.
Vacancy in the CSPDC region is estimated at 10%, which is a 2.6% decrease from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS) five year estimate. The State has consistently maintained a slightly lower vacancy rate, where vacancy currently sits at 8.2%.
The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service announced that more detailed data, including information on age, gender, family type, and homeownership, will not be released until 2022. The Weldon Cooper Center also cautions that there are significant data reliability concerns with Census 2020 data. Every data element has been injected with “noise” through a new method called “differential privacy” – which involves artificially increasing or decreasing numbers. Additionally, the pandemic negatively impacted Census participation and results. The CSPDC will monitor the Census website for any updates regarding future data releases.
CSPDC Welcomes Joe McDonald
The CSPDC welcomes new Fiscal Technician, Joe McDonald. Joe received his BS degree in Accounting from Ball State University and Master’s degree in Accountancy from Indiana University. Joe has over 45 years of experience working as a farmer, restaurant owner, accountant, and financial analyst, including 8 years in accounting at Anheuser-Busch and 6 years with A-B’s major glass supplier Saint-Gobain Containers. Most recently, Joe worked as the controller at Harrisonburg -Rockingham Free Clinic. A native Virginian, Joe and his wife, Elissa, reside in Staunton, with their rescue Labradors and barn cats.