A first-of-its-kind Inter-Regional Transit Study evaluated potential bus service between the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro and Charlottesville. Coordinated by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, the Study brought together two Planning Districts, three Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), two major universities, four transit services, and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).
Several studies, including The 2013 Virginia Intercity Bus Plan, have identified a need for public transit service in the Interstate 81 and 64 corridors. Most recently, the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission’s (CSPDC) Transit Development Plan (TDP) found inter-city bus service to be a primary need for residents of the Shenandoah Valley who travel within the Valley and across the Blue Ridge Mountains to Charlottesville.
The Study examined the feasibility of providing public transportation service in the I-81 and I-64 corridors, including the full costs, potential funding sources, potential stops, likely ridership, infrastructure needs, and implementation issues. Work trips, medical trips, education trips, and intercity connections were all seen as possible components of this market.
The Study is complete – click the following links to view the plan and the summary fact sheet. For more information, contact Nancy Gourley, Transit Manager at (540) 885-5174 or nancy@cspdc.org.