The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) worked with the Town of Grottoes and its public works staff to complete the Grottoes Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Multimodal Master Plan, which identifies potential project including 17 sidewalk segments, 12 pedestrian crossing improvements, and 7 trail and greenway projects. Altogether, the projects outlined in the plan reflect a $13.8 to $15.6 million investment in multi-modal improvements to the Town of Grottoes.

The projects are prioritized and ranked within the Plan, giving the Town a roadmap of what to pursue first. Three projects are positioned to lead the way: completing the 14th Street sidewalk loop between Holly and Forest Avenues, extending the Painter Park riverwalk along the South River, and advancing a signal study at the US-340 and 3rd Street intersection. The prioritization of these projects reflects the Town’s growing need to connect people to important destinations like the grocery store and parks, and the need to provide safe crossings as traffic increases. The plan also provides recommendations on non-construction activities that will help make the town more walkable and bike-friendly such as developing a new bicycle ordinance.

Following the completion of the plan, CSPDC staff assisted the Town of Grottoes in applying for Ready, Set, Go! funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The Ready, Set, Go! program provides 100% funding to develop concept drawings and cost estimates to increase project readiness for future VDOT funding cycles.

Grottoes was awarded funding through this program for the Augusta Avenue sidewalk project Over the coming months, VDOT staff and consultants will work with the Town staff to get the project ready to apply for construction funding in 2027.

The Harrisonburg-Rockingham MPO (HRMPO) and the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro MPO (SAWMPO) each began a transportation study to plan for increasing growth along key regional corridors. Both studies will produce recommendations that localities can use to guide development review and pursue future funding.

HRMPO and Kimley-Horn began the Stone Spring Road and Ridgedale Road Transportation Master Plan with a September 29 kickoff meeting with Rockingham County, the City of Harrisonburg, and VDOT. The study will identify roadway needs for Stone Spring Road, Ridgedale Road, Greendale Road, and Ramblewood Road, evaluate an alignment for a future Peach Grove Avenue extension, and address bicycle and pedestrian connections. Once the consultant completes the study in spring 2027, Rockingham County plans to use the recommendations to guide future rezoning and proffer decisions and to update its Stone Spring Urban Development Area (UDA) Plan.

SAWMPO and Timmons Group began the Frontier Drive Corridor Study with an August 5 kickoff meeting with Augusta County, the City of Staunton, VDOT, and BRITE Transit. The corridor runs from US 11 in Augusta County to Richmond Road (US 250) in Staunton and carries about 9,300 vehicles per day. Current and proposed development could add approximately 2,000 new housing units along the corridor, which would add a significant amount of new traffic beyond current volumes. The consultant will develop improvement alternatives this winter, hold a public open house in early 2027, and complete the study in spring 2027 to support future funding applications.