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VDOT Holds Shenandoah Rail Trail Public Meetings in April

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The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has published the Phase One Report from its Rail With Trail Assessment, and will host three public meetings along the corridor in April. The meeting locations are:

Timberville
Tuesday April 8, 5-7p.m. @ Plains District Community Center, Large multi-purpose room
233 McCauley Ave, Timberville, VA 22853

Front Royal
Thursday April 10, 5-7p.m. @ Warren County Government Center, Board of Supervisors room
220 N Commerce Ave # 100, Front Royal, VA 22630

Woodstock
Tuesday April 15, 5-7p.m. @ Peter Muhlenberg Middle School, Cafeteria
1251 Susan Ave, Woodstock, VA 22664

At the direction of the Secretary of Transportation, VDOT is evaluating the engineering requirements and costs of rail service and a trail adjacent to one another as an alternative to the previously-studied Shenandoah Rail Trail initiative. This Phase 1 (of 3) Report presents proposed typical sections for the rail-with-trail alternative, summarizes supporting stakeholder interviews, and documents relevant studies and guidance documents.

Anyone interested in the future of the rail corridor should attend and share their input. Alternately, please fill out VDOT’s online survey to provide your input online.

Lexington Completes Housing Assessment

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Summit Design and Engineering has presented the results of a city-wide Housing Conditions Study for Lexington to Threshold, Lexington’s Housing Commission. Funded by a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Planning Grant, the Housing Conditions Study assessed the state of residential properties across the City.

Summit’s team conducted a windshield survey in late October, evaluating nearly 2,100 residential properties from the public right-of-way. Each property was rated on a scale from one (in good condition) to five (appearing dilapidated). The findings revealed that 72 properties scored a three or higher, indicating significant wear or neglect, with these properties spread throughout Lexington.

In addition to the windshield survey, the study gathered input from local staff, real estate professionals, residents, and housing advocates, along with demographic data. Some of the findings included a high vacancy rate of 21%, primarily due to second homes, and that 44% of households are considered cost-burdened, spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

The study identified two main challenges: preserving and rehabilitating the current housing stock, and addressing barriers to new housing development. To tackle these issues, Summit recommended diversifying the housing stock and creating a targeted program to address the city’s most dilapidated properties.

This study is a critical step in advancing Lexington’s housing goals, as it helps to identify opportunities for revitalizing underused properties—a key solution highlighted in the CSPDC’s Regional Housing Study. With these insights in hand, the city can continue to build momentum toward improving housing conditions for all residents.

The full study is available on the Threshold Housing Commission’s webpage: : https://www.lexingtonva.gov/government/boards-and-commissions/threshold.

2025 Transportation Alternatives Program

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The Transportation Alternatives (TA) program is a federal reimbursement transportation grant funding program administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and provides 80 percent match funding for transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, safe routes to schools, conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails, and historic transportation facility preservation. Applicants must submit a pre-application by June 2, and the final application by August 15, 2025. VDOT will announce the selection of projects in June 2026.

CSPDC staff members are available to assist localities with project development and application submission. Contact Program Manager Zach Beard for assistance at 540-885-5174 or by email here.

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.

Andy Seabolt Receives Stanley Everett Crigger Humanitarian Award

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The 2025 Virginia Emergency Management Symposium (VEMS) took place from March 17-20 in Roanoke, VA. During the event, Andy Seabolt, Bath County’s Emergency Services Coordinator, was honored with the Stanley Everett Crigger Humanitarian Award. This award recognizes an emergency management professional who has demonstrated empathy, kindness, and compassion in their work. It is named in memory of Stan Crigger, who exemplified these qualities throughout his career and in his service to both his colleagues and community. We congratulate Andy on this award.

VEMS is an annual event co-sponsored by the Virginia Emergency Management Association (VEMA) and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). It provides a platform for discussing current trends, sharing information about the latest tools and practices in emergency management, and exploring advancements in homeland security. The symposium encourages collaboration among stakeholders from all levels of government, the private sector, public health, and other related fields to protect lives and property from disasters. The next symposium is scheduled for March 16-19, 2026, in Norfolk, VA.

CSPDC Attends Mary Baldwin University All Majors Career Fair

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On March 19th and 20th, CSPDC staff members Garreth Bartholomew, Danielle Gannon, Elizabeth Goodloe, and Rachel Kinzer, attended a Mary Baldwin University All Majors Career Fair to interact with the students and tell them about the work of the CSPDC and what it is like to be a regional planner. A variety of employers were present at the fair including city and county police departments, educational entities, community organizations, radio, architecture companies, as well as companies and organizations from other disciplines. The CSPDC spoke with many students at different stages in their college career. While MBU does not have a planning program, many students were interested in the work of the CSPDC and a few students could see how their major could fit into a planning career. It was a great event to connect with the community and engage in conversation about how the area can come together and inspire future graduates to explore careers in the planning field.

CSPDC Staff Member Receives Social Marketing in Transportation Certificate

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CSPDC Transit Planner Danielle Gannon recently completed the Social Marketing in Transportation course from the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. The course was five months long and focused on how to address transportation issues in our communities through social marketing.

Social marketing is a form of marketing that is centered around encouraging behavioral changes that promote positive social action and address societal issues.

In the course, participants chose a transportation issue and priority population that were relevant to their community and then applied formative research techniques to identify both internal and external determinants that influence that group’s behavior. Ms. Gannon focused on understanding the stigmas related to public transit, and helped create a campaign that was centered around promoting safer driving habits in young men.

Gannon will use these tools at the CSPDC in both her role as a transit planner for the BRITE system, as well as in her role as TDM Coordinator for the Commuter Assistance RideShare Program.

New Staff Members: Rachel Salatin & Zach Beard

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We are pleased to announce that on January 2, Rachel Salatin joined our staff as our new  Fields of Gold Agritourism Coordinator and Zach Beard as a Transportation Planner.

For the past three years, Rachel Salatin has been the Executive Director of the Beverley Street Studio School. Prior to that, she was the Membership Coordinator for the Artisan Center of Virginia. Rachel has extensive experience with branding, marketing, social media and websites, and planning and hosting events and conferences. Rachel grew up on a local family farm, Polyface Farm in Augusta County, and has a deep appreciation and understanding of the region’s rich agricultural landscape. She is looking forward to supporting our small businesses and inviting visitors to enjoy our diverse and unique agritourism destinations.

Zach Beard is a native of Rockingham County, and joins the CSPDC after working for the West Virginia University Land Use and Sustainable Development

Law Clinic in Morgantown, WV. Prior to that, Zach worked as a local foods coordinator for our partners at the Highland Center in Monterey. Zach holds a master’s of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, and recently received his American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification. Zach will help staff our urban and rural transportation planning programs.