/ Transportation

The Commission is working with partners from Montgomery County, Town of Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech to share transportation, land use, and infrastructure plans focused in the Prices Fork Village area by way of a series of topic specific group discussions.

Since 1990, Montgomery County’s population has grown.  The center of population is also shifting north-west towards the Village of Prices Fork.  The population shift is visually reinforced by new development, increased traffic volumes, and regular utility work.  While the village is not an incorporated town, it is one of six defined villages in Montgomery County that has a distinct community identity.  Approximately 80% of the County’s forecasted growth is projected to occur in the villages.

Current and planned land use changes continue to drive infrastructure needs, particularly access to publicly maintained roadways and utilities.  The planning process included separate meetings for land use, transportation, and infrastructure.  Each meeting involved core planning representatives from the county, town, and university.  Knowledgeable experts from each discipline attended the meetings and shared current initiatives along with anticipated longer-term needs/considerations.

The purpose of the project is to lay the groundwork for updating the Prices Fork Village Plan.  The original community-developed plan is more than a dozen years old and land use has changed significantly since 2004.  Ideally, growth will occur in areas with adequate resources and services to support increases in population and employment.  The process revealed where local plans are aligned and where ongoing communication is needed.

For further information, please contact Elijah Sharp (esharp@nrvrc.org), 540-639-9313 x210.