The Town of Elkton celebrated the grand opening of its new Downtown Marketplace on August 26, marking a significant milestone in the community’s history. The project, which transforms a historic site known as “Lawn Party Hill,” revives a century-old tradition of social gatherings and activities in the heart of town. This Marketplace includes a pavilion, performance stage, and various outdoor amenities. The Marketplace’s completion is the result of nearly 30 years of planning, strong community support, and collaborative efforts between local officials.

The CSPDC provided support for the Marketplace by assisting with a $155,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for Phase II of the Downtown Marketplace project to improve the site’s greenspace.

The Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (HRMPO) has successfully concluded its FY24 Dinkel Avenue-Friedens Church Road Study. Led by consultants Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB), in collaboration with VDOT and local authorities, this comprehensive analysis evaluated the 3.28-mile corridor stretching from I-81 Exit 240 in Rockingham County to Main Street (Route 42) in the Town of Bridgewater. HRMPO goals for this study were to align the future projected land uses of this corridor with the transportation infrastructure by balancing multimodal needs with existing freight traffic and other demands.

VHB conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing conditions, followed by future travel demand forecasts based on anticipated land and developed proposed typical roadway cross sections. This study was completed as a companion to Rockingham County Comprehensive Plan updates that occurred during the same time period. The study identified several opportunities for future analysis, including periodic reassessments as the corridor develops, a potential traffic control device study at key intersections, and an access management study to optimize traffic flow and safety. These additional studies will help ensure the corridor’s infrastructure continues to meet the community’s evolving needs.

The CSPDC worked closely with the project team, providing transportation data and feedback throughout the process.

The finalized report can be found here: https://hrvampo.org/current-studies/dinkel-avenue-friedens-church-road-corridor-study/

The CSPDC previously announced in October 2023 that The Advancement Foundation (TAF) President Annette Patterson was selected as 1 of 40 Fellows for the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), their fifth annual class. Last month, Ms. Patterson graduated from the ALI after completing the 10-month program that included six skill-building seminars, conducting field visits across Appalachia, and a capstone event in Washington, D.C. The Class of 2023-24 meets again in September for an opportunity to work together at an ALI alumni network session in North Carolina.

The ALI is a leadership training opportunity that trains Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to propel positive change. As a result of the program, ALI graduates are better equipped to drive collaborative solutions to the biggest challenges faced in the Appalachian region. The CSPDC congratulates Ms. Patterson and her classmates on a job well done! We look forward to our continued collaboration with Ms. Patterson and TAF staff on the next phase of the Virginia Innovation Accelerator project. Approved plans include converting the former 38,000 square-foot Mundet building in Buena Vista into a space for small-scale manufacturing, commercial kitchen use, business acceleration, and product development. The space also will promote training, outdoor recreation, tourism, and community events.

For more information on the ARC ALI, please contact them directly at leadership@arc.gov, (202) 884-7700, or visit https://www.arc.gov/academies-and-institutes/leadership/.

The Town of Elkton was awarded a $155,000 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for Phase II of the Downtown Marketplace project to improve greenspace. The funding focuses on improving downtown greenspace and tree canopy cover and providing outdoor recreation and engagement amenities such as pathways, sitting areas, a sensory play area, a pollinator garden, and a native tree identification path.

The CSPDC provided application assistance through the PDC’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) program, which facilitates the implementation of tree planting and other best practices that enhance water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will be expanding the Virginia Breeze bus lines with a new east-west route connecting Harrisonburg and Virginia Beach in 2025. The Tidewater Current will be the fifth Virginia Breeze route launched by DRPT, which has seen great success with its other four routes that operate north-south bi-directional service 365 days a year. The Virginia Breeze links rural and urban communities across the Commonwealth.

The Tidewater Current will include potential stops in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Richmond, New Kent, Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. A one-way ride on the Tidewater Current is estimated to take less than seven hours, and ticket prices will be determined closer to the launch date.

Other Virginia Breeze routes include the Valley Flyer, Blacksburg to Washington, D.C.; the Capital Connector, Martinsville to Washington, D.C.; the Piedmont Express, Danville to Washington, D.C.; and the Highlands Rhythm, Bristol to Washington, D.C. For additional information on the Virginia Breeze, visit www.virginiabreeze.org.