Tag Archives: transportation

Weigh In on the Future of the Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail Corridor — Survey Open Through May 13

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VDOT is now in Phase 3 of the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment — the final phase — and is gathering public input through a survey open through May 13. Respondents are asked to weigh in on whether the existing corridor should be converted to a trail (Rail-to-Trail), or should take a Rail-With-Trail approach.  We encourage everyone across the region to participate.

CSPDC and our member jurisdictions along the corridor support a trail for the Shenandoah Valley’s 49-mile corridor. As members of the Shenandoah Rail Trail Exploratory Partnership, we see a dedicated trail as an economic driver and lasting public investment for the communities along the corridor — one that supports economic development, transportation, tourism and outdoor recreation for the long term.

VDOT is holding three in-person public meetings along the corridor to present findings and take feedback:

  • Woodstock — Thursday, April 16, 5–7 p.m., Peter Muhlenberg Middle School
  • Front Royal — Thursday, April 23, 5–7 p.m., Warren County Government Center
  • Timberville — Tuesday, April 28, 5–7 p.m., Plains District Community Center

Take the survey at publicinput.com/svwt, or visit VDOT’s project page for full details.

Virginia Breeze Launches Tidewater Current, Connecting the Valley to the Coast

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Getting from the Shenandoah Valley to Virginia Beach is about to get a lot easier. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is launching the Tidewater Current, a new Virginia Breeze intercity bus route that will begin service on April 20. This is the first east-west transit service in the Virginia Breeze network, linking Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads with Richmond, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Harrisonburg along the I-64 corridor.

For Valley residents already familiar with the Virginia Breeze’s Valley Flyer, which connects Blacksburg to Washington, D.C., the Tidewater Current provides even more opportunities for connections in an entirely new direction. The route makes ten stops across the state:

  • Virginia Beach Convention Center
  • Norforlk – Military Highway Park & Ride
  • Newport News – Newport News Transportation Center
  • Williamsburg – Williamsburg Transportation Center
  • New Kent – Colonial Downs/Rosie’s Gaming Emporium
  • Richmond International Airport
  • Richmond Main Street Station
  • Charlottesville – Scott Stadium
  • Staunton – Crossing Way Park & Ride
  • Harrisonburg – Godwin Transit Center

“Expanding the Virginia Breeze intercity bus network is part of our commitment to providing more transportation choices for all Virginians,” said Mariia Zimmerman, director of DRPT. “The Tidewater Current creates an important east-west connection across the Commonwealth, helping people travel safely, affordably, and conveniently while supporting tourism and economic opportunity.”

Ticket pricing is destination based, and buses include roomy seating, a restroom, free Wi-Fi, and in-seat power outlets. All vehicles are wheelchair accessible and include luggage storage.

Tickets are available at virginiabreeze.drpt.virginia.gov.

Paula Melester Presents at Governor’s Transportation Conference

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Left to Right: Gary Larrowe, Monica Backmon, Paula Melester, Angel Deem, Secretary Shep Miller

Paula Melester, Director of Transportation for the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission represented the CSPDC at the 2025 Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference in Richmond. The conference, held October 16-17 under the theme “Looking Back Looking Forward,” brought together transportation leaders from across the Commonwealth to discuss the future of Virginia’s transportation system.

During the “Local Perspectives on Transportation” panel session, Paula joined Ms. Monica Backmon, CEO of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and Mr. Gary Larrowe, County Administrator for Botetourt County, to share insights on transportation planning, funding, and project prioritization from diverse jurisdictional perspectives. Moderated by Angel Deem, Chief of Policy for the Virginia Department of Transportation, the discussion highlighted the critical importance of collaboration in project planning and delivery. Panelists explored strategies that local and regional communities employ to prioritize projects when resources are limited and shared examples of successful initiatives in their regions, emphasizing the factors that contributed to those achievements. The session underscored the value of bringing together rural, regional, and metropolitan viewpoints to address Virginia’s transportation challenges.

Afton Express Begins Enhanced Commuter Schedule

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The Afton Express introduced a revised weekday schedule on December 1 to better support regional workers traveling between the Shenandoah Valley and Charlottesville. The updated schedule is designed to align with major employer shift times, provide additional service during peak periods, and offer more consistency across trips throughout the morning and evening.

These changes follow ongoing analysis of ridership trends and feedback from commuters since the service launched in 2021. The improved schedule aims to enhance flexibility and coverage for employees across the corridor while supporting continued growth in commuter transit use along I-64.

As the Afton Express continues to see strong ridership, growing 25% since last year, the new schedule is expected to further strengthen access to employment opportunities and improve regional connectivity. Updated schedule information is available on the BRITE Bus website.

VDOT Completes Phase 2 of Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment

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Railroad Tracks

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has published its Phase 2 report for the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment. The report evaluates track and structure conditions in relation to requirements for the feasibility of future rail operations along the 49-mile stretch of the Norfolk Southern-owned corridor between Broadway and Front Royal.

The Phase 2 report, released in September 2025, includes five appendices: environmental desktop review, drainage and stormwater management, track rehabilitation, bridge load ratings, and public input from spring 2025 meetings in Timberville, Front Royal, and Woodstock. The assessment compares the engineering requirements and costs of restoring rail service with an adjacent trail to the previously studied rail-to-trail conversion. VDOT is conducting this as a fact-finding effort to assist the Commonwealth in determining next steps for the $35 million allocated for the corridor by the General Assembly through the 2020-2022 budget.

The final phase, Phase 3, will include cost estimates and documentation of assessment outcomes. VDOT expects to release the Phase 3 report this fall, followed by public engagement with in-person meetings and an online survey.

For more information and to view the Phase 2 report, visit the VDOT’s project page here: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/staunton-district/rockingham-shenandoah-and-warren-counties—shenandoah-valley-rail-with-trail-assessment/

VDOT I-81 Public Input Meeting at Blue Ridge Community College on October 29

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Photo of Highway

VDOT is holding a public meeting at Blue Ridge Community College Plecker Center on October 29 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. to review the final prioritized list of recommended projects in the new I-81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). The meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the CIP process, the proposed projects identified for funding along the I-81 corridor in our region, and to provide comment on the draft prioritized project list. The current CIP builds on the 2018 CIP, which identified 65 construction projects worth approximately $3 billion that are now completed or in development.

In our region, the new CIP recommendations include over 70 lane miles of 3-lane widening along I-81 in both directions between Staunton and Harrisonburg to compliment the current and planned widening projects. After the public input review, the Commonwealth Transportation Board will finalize project selections in December.  Additional information and meeting details are available at improve81.org.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Blue Ridge Community College, Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center, One College Lane, Weyers Cave, VA 24486

Lexington Cuts Ribbon on North Main Street

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Image of a group of people standing across a road while the Secretary of Transportation cuts a ceremonial ribbon

The City of Lexington celebrated the completion of a transformative streetscape project on August 27th with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Members of the Virginia House of Delegates, the Secretary of Transportation and the entire 7th grade class from nearby Lylburn Downing Middle School were the honored guests who cut the ribbon across the North Main Street streetscape project. CSPDC worked with City of Lexington and VMI in 2016 to submit a SMART SCALE application for the $4.1 million six-block project, which stretches along U.S. 11 Business from Massie Street to Hook Lane. The street reconfiguration widened the east-side sidewalk by five feet to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and replaced on-street parking with a dedicated four-foot bike lane on the west side. The work also included replacing underground utilities and improving connections to the Chessie Trail and Washington and Lee University.

CSPDC Hosts MPO Roundtable in Fishersville

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Image of a map of Virginia with each MPO region outlined

Transportation planning professionals from across Virginia gathered at the BRITE Transit Facility in Fishersville on August 27th for a collaborative roundtable discussion hosted by CSPDC’s transportation team. The three-hour event brought together staff from eight different Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to tackle shared challenges and exchange valuable insights.

The afternoon began with a networking lunch that allowed participants to connect informally before diving into substantive discussions. The facilitated roundtable centered on meeting local transportation needs, along with persistent funding gaps that challenge project implementation across regions. The second discussion topic focused on examining the unique challenges faced by localities along the I-81 corridor where congestion and incidents on the interstate often force through traffic onto the local roadway networks. Participants shared experiences and strategies for advancing projects in these high-impact areas.

The event concluded with an open discussion where staff highlighted current projects, sought advice from peers, and exchanged ideas related to ongoing studies. This collaborative exchange was especially meaningful for the many participants who are new to their agencies or positions.

Future roundtables could explore different topics and rotate to various locations throughout the State, ensuring broader accessibility while maintaining the valuable in-person networking component that made this inaugural event so successful.

Transportation Study Reveals Solutions for High-Traffic Corridor

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In June 2025, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham MPO completed a comprehensive study of the Port Republic Road / Peach Grove Avenue / Neff Avenue intersection and surrounding corridor in the City of Harrisonburg. Working with VHB Engineering the study team conducted operational and safety analysis, traffic data collection, and future condition modeling for five major intersections within the study area. The study team worked with City staff, VDOT, James Madison University, Rockingham County, and community stakeholders to evaluate existing constraints and develop improvement alternatives.

The study’s preferred alternative proposes extending the eastbound turn on Devon Lane to provide dedicated left-turn capacity, expanding the southbound Port Republic Road approach to accommodate dual left turns onto Neff Avenue, and constructing a 10-foot shared-use path along the east side of Port Republic Road. The study’s recommendations include shared-use paths on Neff Avenue and Peach Grove Avenue, safe pedestrian crossings at key locations, and low-cost safety countermeasures including high-visibility signal backplates.

VHB Engineering developed preliminary engineering drawings for the Preferred Alternative to meet VDOT Smart Scale application requirements, with implementation strategies tailored to coordinate with ongoing development in the corridor. Since the study’s completion, CSPDC staff have worked with regional partners to identify funding opportunities to construct the improvements.

Review the final study report here: https://hrvampo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CSPDC-Port-Republic-Rd-Peach-Grove-Ave-Neff-Ave-Small-Area-Study-FINAL-Report-06.25.2025-Scaled2x.pdf