E-UPDATE

July 2021
Hampton Roads Economic Monthly:

Now that school’s out for summer in Hampton Roads, we dug into the Virginia Department of Education’s Fall enrollment data to understand the impact COVID-19 may have had on students in the region.

Many states, including Virginia, reported declines in public school enrollment for the Fall of 2020. From 2019 to 2020, Fall enrollment overall in Hampton Roads declined by over 4.5%, while public school enrollment in the same time period in Virginia declined by nearly 3.5%. Overall Fall public school enrollment in Hampton Roads has been declining for the past 15 years at roughly 0.5% per year, so a slight decline would not have been out of the ordinary, but this was over eight times the 15-year average annual rate of decline. Other states in the Southeast experienced similar declines in enrollment, with North Carolina experiencing 4% decline, Maryland at 3%, South Carolina at 2.6%, and the District of Columbia showed a 1% decline in enrollment during 2020.
Figure 1: YoY percent change in total public school enrollment in Hampton Roads. Source: Virginia Department of Education, HRPDC

As the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for Hampton Roads, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is required to develop and maintain a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), which serves as the region’s transportation blueprint. On June 17, 2021, the HRTPO adopted the 2045 LRTP to help guide multimodal transportation investments for the region over the next twenty-four years.

With the recent adoption of the Hampton Roads 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for the metropolitan areas of the region, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is kicking off the update to the rural version of the LRTP. Over the next couple of months, HRTPO staff will be collaborating with rural area stakeholders and the public on developing the Rural Long-Range Transportation Plan (RLRTP) for the horizon year of 2045 that specifically covers the City of Franklin and Southampton County.

On June 30th, we recognized Hampton Roads’ essential water workers for Annual Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day in Virginia. These regional water and wastewater employees kept the taps flowing and commodes going throughout a global pandemic.

Dozens of storms have impacted Hampton Roads over the years and the region is always a potential target. This month’s map depicts the paths of hurricanes and tropical storms which have passed through or near Hampton Roads between 1851 and 2020.
From Our Partners!

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in partnership with the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is collecting data associated with travel to and from work in response to COVID-19 in Virginia. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people are traveling, including, to and from work. The purpose of the recurring Virginia Commuter Surveys is to understand how commutes are changing and identify opportunities to improve commuting during and after this pandemic.

Visit the COVID-19 Impact Planning Hub to get the latest information on COVID-19 in Hampton Roads.
Upcoming Meetings
RFP/RFQ Opportunities
On Behalf of the Southside Network Authority

Request for Proposal #SNA-RFP-2021-02: The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, on behalf of the Southside Network Authority (the Authority), is soliciting for Qualifications and Conceptual Proposals for the Southside Hampton Roads Regional Fiber Connectivity Ring. Interested parties should refer to the full request for proposal (RFP) posted below. Submit by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, August 24, 2021.
KENDALL L. MILLER
Administrator, Office of Community
Affairs and Civil Rights

JOE TURNER
Communications and Web Manager

ROBERT COFIELD
Graphic and Web Designer
Phone: 757.420.8300
Fax: 757.523.4881
TTY: 757.390.2578
The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) fully comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, and related nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. HRPDC's website, www.hrpdcva.gov, and HRTPO's website, www.hrtpo.org, may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. HRPDC public meetings are always held in ADA-accessible facilities and in transit-accessible locations when possible. Auxiliary services can be provided to individuals who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Requests made within seven days will be accommodated to the greatest extent possible. Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice by HRPDC under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint may be in writing and filed with HRPDC's Title VI Administrator and/or the appropriate state or federal agency within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. For more information on HRPDC's Title VI program, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, please call (757) 420-8300 or email: kmiller@hrpdcva.gov.