2012 newsletter
DESCRIPTION
RVARC February NewsTRANSCRIPT
Inside this Issue:
February 2012 Edition
Serving the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke; the cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem; and the towns of Clifton Forge, Rocky Mount and Vinton
www.vapdc.org
MEMBER OF
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What’s New
Craig County Transit
Service Study
Roanoke Valley Green-
way Campaign
APBP Webinar Series
Data Summaries
Bus Stop Sign Inventory
Completed
Volunteers for Energy
(VfE) Update
Livable Roanoke Valley
Progress Report
RIDE Solutions Program
Performance Measures
2
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4
5
7
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The Regional Register
Roanoke Bike Summit February 27-28, 2012
Roanoke, Virginia www.bikeroanoke.com/summit/
Achieve National Recognition from the League of American Bicyclists at Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum Levels
An upcoming Roanoke Bike Summit will provide information to communities, businesses and universities on how to become bicycle friendly! Attend a session of interest to you and hear about the League of American Bicyclist’s programs of guidance and professional assistance.
Bicycle Friendly University: Monday, February 27, 9:00 am – noon Bicycle Friendly Business: Monday, February 27, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Bicycle Friendly Community: Tuesday, February 28, 9:00 am – noon
Location: Roanoke Higher Education Center, 108 N. Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA The Roanoke Bike Summit is free of charge but advanced registration is requested.
Online Registration: http://bikeroanoke.com/summit/
The Roanoke Bike Summit should be of interest to those who are concerned with environmental sustainability, energy sustainability, air quality, transportation alternatives, traffic safety, recreational opportunities, fitness, livable communities and quality of life.
Staff Contact: Shane Sawyer ([email protected] or 540-343-4417)
Sponsored by:
Page 2
WH
AT’S
NEW
...
The Regional Register
Wayne Strickland presented 10-year Service
Awards to staff members Jake Gilmer, Senior
Planner (left) and Shane Sawyer, Regional
Planner III (right).
Commission Chairman,
Billy Martin, Sr., was
recently elected to the
Board of Directors of
the Virginia Association
of Planning District
Commissions (VAPDC).
The VAPDC is the
statewide agency
representing the 21
Planning District/
Regional Commissions
in the Commonwealth.
Covington has a new City Manager. Bill Ed
Cannon was recently appointed to the
position. Mr. Cannon hails from Corbin,
Kentucky, where he served as city manager
for more than 13 years. Mr. Cannon began
his duties in Covington on January 1, 2012,
replacing John Doane who recently retired.
Welcome to the newest board members of
the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional
Commission:
The Honorable Bob Camicia, Franklin County
Bill Ed Cannon, City of Covington
Erin Henderson, Botetourt County
The Honorable Martha Murphy, Craig County
Braxton Naff, City of Roanoke
The Honorable Bill Zimmerman, City of
Covington
Congratulations to
Jackie Pace, the
Regional Commission’s
Office Manager, who
celebrated 35 years of
service with the
Commission on
January 12.
The Regional Commission
would like to congratulate
Eddie Wells, Senior
Planner, for receiving his
designation as a Certified
Zoning Administrator
(CZA) by the Virginia
Association of Zoning
Officials.
New officers for the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany
Regional Commission were recently installed.
From left to right: Wayne G. Strickland,
Secretary to the Commission;
The Honorable Billy W. Martin, Sr.
(Botetourt County representative), Chairman;
The Honorable David B. Trinkle (City of
Roanoke representative), Outgoing Chairman;
The Honorable Jane Johnson
(City of Salem representative), Vice Chair;
and Dean Martin (Roanoke County
representative), Treasurer.
Their two-year terms will end October 2013.
New Officers Assume Leadership at the Regional Commission
Page 3
REGIONAL COMMISSIONERS
Alleghany County The Honorable Carolyn Barnette
The Honorable Shannon Cox John Strutner
Botetourt County The Honorable Steve Clinton
Erin Henderson The Honorable Billy Martin, Sr., Chair
Ned C. McElwaine
Craig County The Honorable Richard Flora
The Honorable Martha Murphy
Franklin County The Honorable Bob Camicia
Frank Chrzanowski The Honorable Ronnie Thompson The Honorable Charles Wagner
Chris Whitlow
Roanoke County The Honorable Ed Elswick
Clay Goodman, III The Honorable Kevin Hutchins
Dean Martin, Treasurer The Honorable Charlotte Moore
J. Lee E. Osborne
City of Covington Bill Ed Cannon
The Honorable Bill Zimmerman
City of Roanoke The Honorable David Bowers
Jay E. Foster Chris Morrill Braxton Naff
The Honorable Court Rosen The Honorable David Trinkle
City of Salem The Honorable John Givens
The Honorable Jane Johnson, Vice Chair Melinda Payne
Town of Clifton Forge Darlene Burcham
The Honorable Jimmie Houff
Town of Rocky Mount James Ervin
The Honorable Robert Strickler
Town of Vinton The Honorable Bradley E. Grose
Chris Lawrence
NON-VOTING LIAISON MEMBERS
Beth Doughty Roanoke Regional Partnership
Teresa Hammond Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Landon Howard
Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau
Debbie Kavitz
Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Robert Sandel Virginia Western Community College
Dr. Richard Teaff Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
Doloris Vest
Western Virginia Workforce Development Board
Joyce Waugh
Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce
Craig County Transit Services Study
A transit services study for Craig County was recently completed that evaluated several options for providing public transportation options to its residents. The study was completed in partnership with Craig County and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. The Regional Commission initiated the study with the firm of Rhodeside and Harwell, who led the planning work. The study found that public transportation for the elderly and disabled is a significant need for the County. There are three primary recommendations to address these and other important issues —
OUT‐OF‐COUNTY SERVICE TO SALEM AND ROANOKE would provide
access to medical facilities, shopping centers, and community colleges in Salem and Roanoke. The proposed bus service would initially operate one day per week, and travel to the following locations:
New Castle ‐ Park & Ride Salem ‐ National College, Wal-Mart, VA Medical Center, Lewis Gale Medical Center Roanoke ‐ Tanglewood Mall, Virginia Western Community College,
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
IN‐COUNTY, ZONE‐BASED SERVICE would provide access to basic services in the Town of New Castle. The proposed zone‐based service would divide the County into three zones, and each would receive bus service to New Castle once a week.
ENHANCED RIDESHARING SERVICE would allow individuals with similar trip origins and destinations to share a ride. Carpools and vanpools are examples of ridesharing. This service would require designation of park & ride locations in the County.
Staff Contact: Jake Gilmer ([email protected] or 540-343-4417)
The Regional Register
Help the Roanoke Valley Greenways “Bridge the Gap” Campaign Go to www.greenways.org to learn more and donate
Their goal is to connect the sections of the Roanoke River Greenway. You can help by making a donation to complete the missing section between
Salem and Roanoke.
Roanoke Valley Greenways 540-387-6060
www.greenways.org
Page 4 The Regional Register
The Regional Commission will host the following APBP webinars in 2012. All webinars will be held at the Regional Commission office (upstairs conference room) from 3:00 -4:00 pm. Webinars are open to all interested parties and individuals and are offered free of charge. Most presentations offer credit for professional certification. Information on the APBP Professional Development Webinar Series and a description of each webinar are available at www.apbp.org.
February 15, 2012 - Land Use Planning: Routine Inclusion of Bicycling and Walking in New Development
March 21, 2012 - Best Practices for Maintenance Programs
April 18, 2012 - NTPP Update: A Bold Experiment in Four Communities
August 15, 2012 - Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces
October 17, 2012 - FHWA Experimentation for Advancing Best Practices
November 14, 2012 - Maps that Guide, Encourage and Inform
December 19, 2012 - Wayfinding Options for Cyclists
Staff Contact: Shane Sawyer ([email protected] or 540-343-4417)
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Professional Development Webinar Series
2012 Schedule
Page 5 Data Summary
The region’s unemployment is down, jobs are getting added and home sales are up. It appears that the regional
economy is slowly improving. However, long-term data still reminds us of the deeper recession. In October 2008,
the region’s employment peaked at 159,956. In 2011, that number was 157,822, meaning 2,134 jobs were lost in 3
years. (We actually lost 5,958 jobs from 2008-2010, but have gained some of those back in the last year.) Go back
further, to 2002, and when our employment was 158,602, and we have apparently only lost 780 jobs in the last 9
years. Not too bad on the surface until you realize that the population has increased by 15,650 people in those 9
years, which means population growth has far outpaced job growth (5% versus .4%). While making some assumptions
about labor force participation rates, one could say our unemployment rate should be closer to 9%, which is more in
line with the national average. But, it really means that, for whatever reasons, about 4,000 people have left the
workforce and are no longer counted as unemployed by the government. This trend is confirmed by national data
that shows nearly 1 million people have left the workforce and if they are counted, the national unemployment rate is
closer to 11%. So how many jobs does our region need to get us back to our 2002 employment levels and labor
participation rate? We still need to add about 8,500 jobs. Adding just 2,500 more jobs will get us back to pre-2008
levels, and that may be realistic since nearly 4,000 jobs were added in the past year.
180,000
185,000
190,000
195,000
200,000
205,000
210,000
152,000
154,000
156,000
158,000
160,000
162,000
164,000
166,000
168,000
170,000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Lab
or
Forc
e
Age
15
-65
Labor Force and Population Growth
Labor Force
Age 15-65
Unemployment Rates
Labor Force Shrinks as Population Grows
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Area Name Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate
Alleghany County 7.8% 7.9% 8.8% 5.4% 3.9% 4.7% 4.3% 4.2% 3.9% 4.8% 3.8%
Botetourt County 5.9% 6.1% 6.4% 3.1% 2.5% 2.5% 3.0% 3.0% 3.2% 3.5% 2.9%
City of Covington 9.0% 10.4% 9.3% 6.4% 5.5% 6.1% 5.2% 4.1% 4.3% 5.4% 4.7%
Craig County 7.9% 6.6% 7.5% 3.7% 3.2% 3.2% 3.5% 3.3% 4.1% 3.4% 2.6%
Franklin County 6.8% 7.3% 8.2% 5.0% 4.1% 3.1% 3.4% 3.3% 4.2% 4.7% 5.3%
City of Roanoke 7.9% 8.3% 8.8% 4.3% 3.5% 3.8% 4.0% 4.2% 5.0% 4.5% 3.7%
Roanoke County 5.7% 6.1% 6.2% 3.2% 2.5% 2.6% 2.8% 2.9% 3.4% 3.1% 2.7%
City of Salem 6.4% 6.9% 6.7% 3.6% 2.8% 2.7% 3.1% 3.0% 3.6% 3.7% 3.3%
Roanoke MSA 6.7% 7.0% 7.4% 3.9% 3.1% 3.1% 3.3% 3.4% 4.0% 3.9% 3.5%
Region 6.7% 7.1% 7.5% 4.0% 3.2% 3.2% 3.4% 3.4% 4.0% 4.0% 3.6%
Source: Virginia Employment Commission
Page 6 Data Summary (Cont’d)
Brown University completed an income segregation study on Metro areas (Metropolitan Statistical Areas-MSAs)
in the United States. The study documented how poor and rich people are less likely to live next to each other
and mixed income neighborhoods are becoming less common. According to Brown University, the share of
people in poor or rich neighborhoods has doubled since 1970, while mixed income neighborhoods now house
44% of the population; down from 65% in 1970. The Roanoke MSA is an exception to this trend. In 1970, about
14% of Roanoke families lived in poor or affluent neighborhoods. This Roanoke number only grew to about 15%
by 2009, much less than the national metro average of 31%. There are 231 other metro areas (out of 380) that
have more income segregation than Roanoke. Roanoke falls in the middle of MSAs in Virginia (see table below).
Income Segregation Doubles Nationally in 40 Years: Roanoke Unchanged
Overall National
Rank Virginia Metro Area Name
Percent in Poor/Rich
Neighborhoods
- National Metro Average 31.0%
76 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
30.1%
112 Richmond, VA 25.6%
154 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 21.5%
219 Danville, VA 15.8%
229 Winchester, VA-WV 15.1%
232 Roanoke, VA 14.7%
243 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 13.8%
250 Lynchburg, VA 13.4%
266 Charlottesville, VA 12.2%
282 Bristol, VA 11.3%
319 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA 8.0%
364 Harrisonburg, VA 3.4%
Source: Brown University.
Poverty Rates
In our region, the number of people in poverty has increased by over 9,000 in the past decade. Unemployment
and a smaller labor force have contributed to the increase, but also a change in how the Census now estimates
poverty could also be a factor.
1989 1999 2006-2010 5 Year ACS*
People Children People Children People Children
in Poverty under 18 in Poverty in Poverty under 18 in Poverty in Poverty under 18 in Poverty
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Virginia 611,611 10.2% 191,983 13.0% 656,641 9.6% 202,174 11.9% 781,516 10.3% 243,239 13.4%
Alleghany 1,261 9.7% 393 12.9% 905 7.1% 242 8.6% 1,737 10.9% 494 14.9%
Botetourt 1,511 6.2% 405 7.1% 1,559 5.2% 374 5.4% 1,783 5.6% 406 5.6%
Craig 425 9.8% 95 9.5% 520 10.3% 188 15.9% 394 7.2% 97 9.7%
Clifton Forge 719 16.3% 268 26.4% 786 19.4% 338 39.4% 868 23.3% 247 33.4%
Covington 909 13.1% 244 17.6% 806 12.9% 206 16.1% 1,114 18.6% 374 28.8%
Franklin 4,228 11.1% 1,181 13.3% 4,481 9.7% 1,298 12.7% 7,069 13.2% 2,307 20.3%
Roanoke City 15,238 16.1% 5,133 24.5% 14,793 15.9% 5,108 24.4% 19,627 20.9% 6,856 33.4%
Roanoke Co. 3,164 4.1% 666 3.8% 3,732 4.5% 1,001 5.2% 4,550 5.1% 1,401 7.0%
Salem 1,116 5.2% 254 5.6% 1,545 6.7% 349 7.0% 2,002 8.8% 408 8.3%
MSA 25,682 9.6% 7,734 26,630 9.2% 8,318 35,395 11.9% 11,475 17.6%
Sources: US Bureau of the Census: American Community Survey (ACS) Estimates. Has margins of error.
Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, UVA
MSA=Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area
Page 7 The Regional Register
Bus Stop Sign Inventory Completed
Commission staff recently completed a bus stop sign inventory in the Roanoke Valley for Valley Metro and
identified 878 signed bus stops. Staff then used its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to link data obtained from
the 2010-2011 National Transit Database (NTD) ridership survey to the newly mapped bus stops. Over 150 stops
were not utilized during the NTD survey period, and 62 other unsigned stops were identified. Further data analysis
determined for each stop the frequency with which the bus picked-up/dropped-off people, the average number of
people getting on/off the bus, and a cumulative activity index was calculated.
Per the NTD survey data, based on the activity index, and not including Campbell Court in downtown Roanoke,
the following are the top 10 busiest Valley Metro stops:
1. East Main Street at Goodwill Transfer Center (Salem)
2. Valley View Mall at Wal-Mart
3. Lake Drive Plaza Big Lots (Vinton)
4. Valley View Mall at Sears
5. Hunt Avenue eastbound at 8th Street
6. Crossroads Shopping Center-Work Force Development Center/Kmart
7. Tanglewood Mall at AC Moore
8. Colonial Avenue southbound at Virginia Western Community College
9. Tazewell Avenue eastbound at 4th Street
10. Salem Turnpike westbound at Delta Drive
This data analysis will aid Valley Metro in improving its transit service. In the meantime, staff is using the data to
conduct a Bus Stop Accessibility Study.
Staff Contact:
Cristina Finch ([email protected] or 540-343-4417)
For more information, on the Commission’s
Volunteers for Energy Program (VfE), visit
www.rvarc.org/energy or contact Tyler Godsey ([email protected] or
540-343-4417)
Since early last year, the Regional Commission’s Volunteers for Energy (VfE) program has been helping regional businesses, non-profits, and public agencies identify opportunities to save money and energy. In that time, we have found nearly $100,000 in total annual savings for our clients, averaging nearly $7,000 in annual savings per client. The success of our program comes from the dedicated spirit and expertise of our volunteers and team members. Each team identifies the client’s key goals and areas of concern and then provides them with a baseline energy audit that prioritizes the most pressing needs and recommends improvements that fall within the client’s financial requirements. As the original grant period comes to an end, the Regional Commission and VfE staff are looking for ways to extend our services into the next year and beyond. The commitment to continue our efforts derives from the exceptional response received from our clients. If you are interested in learning more about the program or discussing ways in which the VfE program can continue to help our region’s economic vitality, please contact Tyler Godsey at [email protected].
Page 8 The Regional Register
Partnership for a Livable Roanoke Valley Progress Report
www.livableroanoke.org
The Partnership for a Livable Roanoke Valley was officially launched in the summer of 2011. Since that time over 50 stakeholder organizations, including local governments, nonprofits, businesses, and state agencies have joined the effort. The Partnership received a federal grant to conduct planning and analysis to ensure the long-term economic, social, and environmental well-being of our region. The development of the plan will follow a five-phase planning process that will emphasize scenario planning and involvement of traditionally underrepresented populations. Below is a summary of the phases:
Phase 1. Identify the strengths and needs of the Roanoke Valley in the areas of housing, transportation, land use, energy and environment, economic and workforce development, health and education, and underserved populations.
Phase 2. Build upon the information gathered in Phase I, as well as input from stakeholder groups and the public, to develop a vision of how the Roanoke Valley can sustain its livability.
Phase 3. Develop multiple scenarios to assess how future changes could impact the sustainability of the Roanoke Valley.
Phase 4. Integrate the visioning, data, and scenarios developed to formulate strategies to meet the livability goals of the region.
Phase 5. Create mechanisms to ensure the successful implementation of the plan.
In the fall of 2011, the Partnership hosted a series of multi-day sessions with 6 different stakeholder committees to conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) process and identify long-term trends that may affect the region. Also released was a livability gap-analysis survey to stakeholders in the region and 60 responses have been received. The survey results will be compiled and summarized over the next couple of months. In September 2011, the Partnership issued an RFP for assistance with the planning process and will likely enter a contract with the successful firm in February of 2012.
Staff Contact: Jake Gilmer ([email protected] or 540-343-4417)
Public & Stakeholder Involvement Throughout Process
RIDE Solutions Program Performance www.ridesolutions.org Current Membership
2,787 RIDE Solutions Grows by Leaps and Bounds
Highlights of the RIDE Solutions program over the past year include:
A 29% increase in membership to over 2,700 commuters.
38 Workplace partners representing over 45,000 employees.
Robust social media outreach with over 9,000 blog views, over
1,200 connections via Facebook and Twitter, and 6,900 page
views a month on ridesolutions.org and bikeroanoke.com.
Participation in a number of regional sustainability initiatives, in-
cluding the City of Roanoke’s Bicycle Friendly Community and
Citizens for Clean and Green Committees, the Green Living and
Energy Expo, Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, Go Green
New River Valley, and the Roanoke Regional Chamber’s Cool
Green Biz Program.
A wildly successful “Bicycle Friendly Driver” awareness campaign
that has had over 10,000 requests from all around the world for
our free bumper sticker.
Staff Contact:
Jeremy Holmes, Program Director
[email protected] or 540-342-9393
www.ridesolutions.org
RIDE Solutions Expands to Region 2000
RIDE Solutions is excited to announce a
partnership with the Region 2000 Local
Government Council to bring RIDE
Solutions’ services to the greater Lynchburg
area. Region 2000 has provided $13,000 in
local match to grow this year's VDRPT
Transportation Demand Management
Operating Assistance grant application. If
successful, the grant will allow the addition
of a part-time RIDE Solutions staff member
out of the Region 2000 offices to coordinate local marketing and
business outreach in the region, as well as new marketing dollars to
promote our services to commuters along the 460 corridor and
beyond.
Over 10,000 commuters a day move between the Roanoke and
Lynchburg areas. This expansion will allow us to better reach these
commuters and have a significant effect on traffic volumes between the
two regions.
P.O. Box 2569
313 Luck Avenue, SW
Roanoke, VA 24010
Phone: 540-343-4417
Fax: 540-343-4416
Email: [email protected]
www.rvarc.org
R O A N O K E V A L L E Y - A L L E G H A N Y R E G I O N A L C O M M I S S I O N
UPCOMING CALENDAR Thursday, February 23, 2012
3:00 pm — Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Com-
mission Meeting (Regional Commission Conference Rm.)
February 27-28, 2012 — Roanoke Bike Summit
(Roanoke Higher Education Center, Roanoke, VA)
www.bikeroanoke.com/summit/
Thursday, March 8, 2012
1:30 pm — Transportation Technical Committee Mtg.
(Regional Commission Conference Rm.)
Public Input Meeting on the Virginia Outdoors Plan
3:00pm & 7:00pm (Regional Commission Conference Rm.)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
1:30 pm — Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) Policy Board Mtg.
3:00 pm — Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Com-
mission Meeting (both meetings will be held in the
Regional Commission Conference Rm.)
Regional Commission Staff
NEWS from the Roanoke Valley Area
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
The Honorable Richard C. Flora, Roanoke County representative, was recently elected Chairman of the Roanoke Valley Area MPO Policy Board. The Honorable Billy Martin, Sr., Botetourt County representative, was elected Vice Chairman, and Wayne G. Strickland, Executive Director of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, will serve as Secretary. The offices are for two-year terms ending September 2013. Welcome to the newest member of the MPO Policy Board—The Honorable Bill Thomasson (Bedford County representative).
www.rvarc.org/mpo
Wayne G. Strickland Executive Director [email protected]
Scott Burton Regional Planner II [email protected]
Olivia Dooley Finance Director [email protected]
Cristina Finch, AICP, LEED AP
Regional Planner II [email protected]
Jake Gilmer, AICP, LEED Green Associate Senior Planner [email protected]
Tyler Godsey Sustainability Programs Technician [email protected]
Jeremy Holmes, LEED Green
Associate Coordinator of Sustainability Programs [email protected]
Mark McCaskill, AICP Senior Planner [email protected]
Matt Miller, GISP Director of Information Services [email protected]
Jackie L. Pace Office Manager [email protected]
Shane Sawyer Regional Planner III [email protected]
Eddie Wells, AICP Senior Planner [email protected]