News from the CSPDC Region
December 2021
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Chessie Trail Bridge Now Open |
Virginia Military Institute and project partners including Rockbridge County, the cities of Buena Vista and Lexington, and Friends of the Chessie Trail cut the ribbon on a new bridge over the South River on December 10th. The ribbon-cutting marks the culmination of a multi-year effort to secure grant funding, design, and construct a bridge to replace an original railroad bridge that was damaged and scrapped after Hurricane Isabel flooded the area in 2003.
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Project Impact Calendars Available |
The 2022 Shenandoah Valley Project Impact Preparedness Calendar is now available for pick-up at local government buildings and libraries or by contacting the CSPDC. The calendar contains preparedness tips and mitigation strategies for dealing with severe weather, emergencies, and disasters, as well as fun holidays for each day of the year.
For additional information, contact Rebecca Joyce, at rebecca@cspdc.org or 540-885-5174 ext. 112.
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PDC Housing Development Program Kicks-Off |
In July, the CSPDC announced that it received $2 million in funding towards the development of new housing initiatives in the region through Virginia Housing’s PDC Housing Development Program.
Through this grant, the CSPDC will award gap funding to non-profit, private, and public sector developers to go toward the creation of at least 20 affordable housing units in the region by July 2024.
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Waynesboro Park and Ride Lot Upgraded |
The expansion of the Town Center Park and Ride commuter lot in Waynesboro, which began construction in March 2021, was completed in November 2021. The $1 million project increased parking capacity from 120 to 175 parking spaces, installed a bus pull off and two covered bus shelters, and repaved and improved on location lighting. Additional amenities included bicycle racks, sidewalks, landscaping, and infrastructure to accommodate future electric vehicle charging stations. |
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Take the BRITE Opinion Survey |
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), the administrator for the BRITE Bus, is seeking opinions regarding public transportation in Augusta County and the Cities of Staunton and Waynesboro.
Take the survey by 12/15/21.
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The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization is exploring solutions to congestion and safety issues at I-81 Exit 235 along Weyers Cave Road (VA 256) between Triangle Drive and Route 11 near Blue Ridge Community College. A survey seeking public input on the area's issues and potential solutions will inform the final study recommendations.
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Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Passes |
President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law on November 15, 2021. The bill covers spending from FY22 through FY26, and includes reauthorization of the FAST Act, the prior five-year federal transportation spending plan.
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Stormwater Toolkit Developed |
The CSPDC has developed a new Stormwater Toolkit for the Chesapeake Bay WIP program. This toolkit provides resources for stormwater runoff management, including best practices, helpful links, and educational activities. We hope this will be a useful document for our localities and local watershed organizations. |
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Facts & Figures Published |
One of the CSPDC’s roles in economic development is to be a resource for data about the region and the PDC’s localities. To help support this important function, the CSPDC creates and distributes Facts & Figures, an easy-to-read snapshot of each sub-region’s people, jobs, schools, and other unique attributes.
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BRITE Transit Office Space for Lease |
The BRITE Transit Facility, 51 Ivy Ridge Lane, Fishersville, currently has office space available.
- 7,200 Square Feet
- Offices, Conference Rooms, Lobby and Breakrooms
- High Speed Internet/Fiber
- Easy Access to Interstate
- Lots of Exterior Windows
- Elevator and Stair Access
- Handicap Access
- Ample, Free Parking
- Public Utilities
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New Data Added to COVID Recovery Dashboard |
The CSPDC has recently updated the COVID Recovery Dashboard to include new outdoor recreation attendance data. Other features include interactive graphs that display data on localities’ unemployment rates, unemployment benefits claims, COVID-19 cases and tax revenues.
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The CSPDC is looking for a Planner I/Planner II to become a professional member of our regional planning staff. This position provides planning services for localities which may include a broad range of services such as economic development, transportation, transit, environmental, emergency management, housing, recreation, and capacity building. Duties include developing local and regional plans, writing and managing grants, making presentations, and completing reports. Duties performed under the supervision of senior staff. |
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