PUBLIC OUTREACH: 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan

Thomas Jefferson PDC

“The Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is hosting a public outreach event to gather input regarding the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan. This event will focus on developing the 2040 LRTP’s fiscally-constrained project list. All long range transportation plans are required to be fiscally-constrained, which means that a region cannot plan to spend more money than it is anticipated to receive over the 25 year life of its LRTP. This public outreach event will allow the public to provide input regarding which projects merit investment and which projects belong on the visioning list.

This event is currently scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2014 from 5pm to 7pm at the Water Street Center, 407 E Water Street. This will be the last 2040 LRTP Public Outreach Event. Two public hearings for the plan will be held in March and May at the MPO Policy Board meetings scheduled for those months.  The public can comment via the 2040 LRTP website or directly to MPO staff.”

~Thomas Jefferson PDC

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2014 VAPDC Training Conference: February 20

Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions

The VAPDC Strategic Plan calls for increased training opportunities for Planning District Commissions.  The purpose of this conference is to provide relevant information and networking opportunities to PDCs and promote, statewide, increased capacity to address current and emerging issues in regional planning and organization administration.

VAPDC will hold a training event for PDC staff from across the state on February 20, in Charlottesville.

Click here for a summary of the event and to register

PRESS RELEASE:HRPDC Releases 2014 Economic Forecast

Hampton Roads PDC

“Each January, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission Economists release a regional economic forecast for the year ahead. The primary purpose of the forecast is to evaluate the region's current economic condition and provide an assessment of how we expect the region's economy to fare in the coming year.”

~Hampton Roads PDC

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Meadowlark Subdivision residents hopeful about getting grant for upgrades

Town of Appomattox

“Currently, the Region 2000 Local Government Council is conducting the study, which is being funded by a $25,000 planning grant that was awarded to the town last month. The study began last October and is expected to be completed in a couple of months, according to senior planner Scott Smith of Region 2000. The study incorporates the following roads: North Avenue, Patricia Anne Lane, Plant Drive as well as Stevens, Brown, Patterson, and Rose Streets.

Interim Town Manager Bill Gillespie said that funds from the planning grant will go toward hiring an inspector and interviewing people who are interested in getting repairs done to their home. Once the study is complete and it is determined that a revitalization of the neighborhood can be done, the town plans to apply for a Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Block Grant, which is money awarded to communities to do construction housing projects. During a neighborhood committee meeting in November, Smith explained that the grant money could be used for other items such as streetlights and installing sewer.”

~Writes Stephanie A. James of the Times-Virginian

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Construction of Stanardsville Streetscape Substantially Complete

Thomas Jefferson PDC

“Work on the Stanardsville Downtown Streetscape Revitalization Project is substantially complete, with just a few minor items remaining: painting stripes at parking spaces, installing new street signs, and completing markings at the island at Celt Road. Representatives from the Town, Stanardsville Area Revitalization (*STAR*), the engineering firm of Draper Aden Associates, VDOT and TJPDC were on site with general contractor, Linco, Inc., on December 11 for the inspection.

The project includes improvements along Stanardsville's Main Street from Celt Road to Rectory Lane as well as at the entrance to Monroe Drive. Construction included sidewalks, crosswalks, curbs, landscaping and lighting. The work improves both the safety and aesthetics of downtown Stanardsville. TJPDC serves as the project sponsor.”

~Thomas Jefferson PDC

Free Bridge Area Congestion Relief Project: Second Stakeholder Meeting

Thomas Jefferson PDC

“The Charlottesville-Albemarle MPO will be hosting a stakeholder meeting for the Free Bridge Area Congestion Relief Project on January 15. This is the second stakeholder meeting in a year-long project funded by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) which is looking to identify options that will help address vehicular congestion issues in the Free Bridge Area. The upcoming meeting will focus on applying FHWA’s Eco-Logical process to transportation infrastructure planning to the Free Bridge Area. The meeting will be focused on demonstrating the Regional Ecological Framework (REF) tool developed by TJPDC. The meeting will also include a facilitated group discussion on expanding and improving the tool.”

~Thomas Jefferson PDC

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Regional Group Offers Roadmap for Growth

Richmond Regional Commission

“The public got its first look Tuesday night at a regional roadmap five years in the making that lays out what local leaders believe can — and should — be done to help improve the region's quality of life. The plan, which was put together by the Capital Region Collaborative after years of study, laid out eight specific areas of focus for local governments and businesses to help spur growth. Among the wide range of topics the group tackled was workforce development, education, social stability and making the region healthier.”

~Writes Louis Llovio of the Richmond Times Dispatch

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