Tag Archives: sawmpo

2025 Central Shenandoah Bike Walk Summit

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On Friday, November 14, the CSPDC, Shenandoah Valley Bike Coalition, and Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley hosted the 2025 Central Shenandoah Bike Walk Summit at The Liberty St. Loft in Harrisonburg. For the first time, this event brought together stakeholders from the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro and Harrisonburg-Rockingham regions to discuss the potential of non-motorized transportation improvements to boost the Valley’s quality of life and how to unify active transportation efforts regionwide.

The day kicked off with a keynote address by Melicent R. Miller, DrPH, MSPH, a Chronic Disease and Obesity Prevention Consultant with the Virginia Department of Health and President of Health Forward LLC. Dr. Miller drew on her fifteen years of experience at the intersection between public health and the built environment to make the case that investing in safe places to walk, roll, and bike is an effective public health strategy, particularly when local governments, health systems, and community partners work together. Subsequently, JMU’s Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue facilitated breakout sessions exploring experiences and opportunities for building trust and momentum for safer biking, walking, and moving in communities.

Following the keynote and facilitated breakouts, the afternoon focused on local progress and on-the-ground implementation. The Shenandoah Rail Trail Partnership shared updates on the trail’s progress from Front Royal to Broadway while the City of Waynesboro Parks and Recreation staff discussed the Rockfish Gap Gateway Trail and other local greenway developments. To conclude the formal session, the City of Harrisonburg and the Harrisonburg Community Connectors Team gave attendees an overview of the recent demonstration project to reimagine North Mason Street as a complete two-lane street with shorter pedestrian crossings, temporary roundabouts, and activated public space. Afterwards, Harrisonburg Councilmember Monica Robinson gave a walking tour of the historic Northeast Neighborhood and North Mason Street Corridor, sharing history on the corridor’s pre-urban renewal character and results from the demonstration project.

For additional details on the Summit, please visit the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition website.

Regional MPOs Hold Joint Policy Board Meeting

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Person at a podium giving a presentation

The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAW-MPO) and Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (CA-MPO) came together on September 30, 2025, for their biennial Joint Policy Board Meeting at the North Fork Meeting Center in Charlottesville. This meeting represents a continuation of the collaborative partnership formalized through a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, which established a framework for inter-regional transportation planning along the critical I-64 corridor.

The meeting featured presentations on several significant regional initiatives, including updates on the Afton Express transit service, which has seen steady ridership growth since its 2021 launch and serves stops from Staunton to Charlottesville. Other presentations topics included the newly founded Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (CARTA), the Virginia Statewide Rail Plan, and the Three Notched Trail project. Representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Culpeper and Staunton Districts also shared progress reports on corridor improvements, including the I-64 Afton Mountain Congestion Warning System, interchange upgrades, and the new Exit 107 Park and Ride Lot scheduled to begin construction in Spring 2026. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) provided an update on statewide transit initiatives of interest to the region, such as the Virginia Breeze expansion, the update to the Coordinated Human Service Mobility Plan update, and the ongoing review of the MERIT Capital and Operating funding formulas.

The joint meeting underscores the continued commitment of both MPOs to coordinate transportation planning across jurisdictional boundaries, addressing the needs of the 37-mile I-64 corridor that serves as a vital link for inter-regional and interstate commerce. Through these collaborative efforts, the organizations continue to advance projects and initiatives that benefit the entire region’s transportation network. The SAWMPO will host the next meeting in 2027.

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.

Commonwealth Transportation Board Member Visits the Region

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In March 2025, the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAWMPO) and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham MPO (HRMPO) welcomed the region’s new Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) member Mr. John Good. Locality members from each MPO had the opportunity to share transportation needs and priorities in the region with the area’s newest CTB member. The 17-member CTB oversees transportation funding, statewide planning, project selection, and other initiatives in Virginia.

Mr. Good is a resident of Frederick County and is the treasurer of Shockey Management Company, which is a general contractor and an owner/developer/redeveloper of industrial real estate. Mr. Good grew up on a beef cattle and crop farm in Frederick County and holds a degree in agricultural economics from Virginia Tech. Mr. Good was appointed for a term of four years beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2028, succeeding Mark Merrill.