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Home My WebLink About2/4/2025 - Joint1 Vinton Town Council Joint Work Session with Vinton Planning Commission Council Chambers 311 South Pollard Street Tuesday, February 4, 2025 AGENDA Consideration of: A. 5:30 p.m. - ROLL CALL AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A QUORUM AND CITIZEN GUIDELINES 1. Vinton Town Council 2. Vinton Planning Commission B. SAFE STREETS AND ROAD FOR ALL WORK SESSION C. 6:00 p.m. - PUBLIC HEARING 1. Consideration of public comments concerning an ordinance to amend the Town of Vinton Comprehensive Plan by adopting and incorporating by reference the Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024. • Receive public comments • Council/Planning Commission discussion and questions a. Close Public Hearing b. Planning Commission to Make a Recommendation c. Council to consider adoption of the proposed Amendment Town of Vinton Comprehensive Plan by adopting and incorporating by reference the Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024. E. 6:15 p.m. - VINTON 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WORK SESSION F. ADJOURNMENT NOTICE OF INTENT TO COMPLY WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. efforts will be made to provide assistance or special arrangements to qualified individuals with disabilities in order to participate in or attend Town Council meetings. Please call (540) 983-0607 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date so that proper arrangements may be made. Laurie J. Mullins, Vice Mayor Keith N. Liles, Council Member Sabrina M. McCarty, Council Member Michael W. Stovall, Council Member 311 South Pollard Street Vinton, VA 24179 (540) 983-0607 Meeting Date February 4, 2025 Department Planning and Zoning Issue Consideration of public comments concerning an ordinance to amend the Town of Vinton Comprehensive Plan by adopting and incorporating by reference the Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024. Summary In 2022, the US Department of Transportation awarded $280,000 to Roanoke County, Botetourt County, and the Town of Vinton, with a $70,000 match from the localities, to develop a comprehensive safety action plan as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The project was conducted by a consultant team in close collaboration with Town staff and the staff of Roanoke County and Botetourt County. The Plan includes a recommended set of projects, strategies, and proven countermeasures to address specific safety needs that can be implemented to reduce the frequency of fatalities and serious injuries in the Town. The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program also includes implementation grants for localities to implement strategies identified in the Action Plan, with the Plan being utilized as a pipeline of projects for future funding opportunities. Attachments 1. Ordinance 2. Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024 Recommendations Conduct Public Hearing Motion to adopt Ordinance Town Council Agenda Summary 1 ORDINANCE NO. AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE VINTON TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2025, AT 6:00 PM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE VINTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 311 SOUTH POLLARD STREET, VINTON, VIRGINIA 24179. AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 806, as amended, Town of Vinton 2004 – 2024 Comprehensive Plan, dated September 7, 2004; by adopting and incorporating by reference, the Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024. WHEREAS, Section 15.2-2223 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, provides for amendments to the Comprehensive Plan by the Planning Commission if so directed by the Town Council; and WHEREAS, in 2022, the US Department of Transportation awarded $280,000 to Roanoke County, Botetourt County, and the Town of Vinton, with a $70,000 match from the localities, to develop a comprehensive safety action plan as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program; and WHEREAS, the program focuses on the development of a comprehensive safety action plan and its implementation for all users of a municipality’s highways, streets, and roadways, including motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and more; and WHEREAS, community engagement and feedback played a critical role in ensuring the development of the Plan was done using an inclusive and representative process, and included holding two community meetings, gathering survey responses, and distributing project information through local news campaigns, social media marketing, and online resources; and WHEREAS, the Plan includes a recommended set of projects, strategies, and proven countermeasures to address specific safety needs that can be implemented to reduce the frequency of fatalities and serious injuries in the Town; and WHEREAS, the Plan gives the Town a committed goal to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by fifty percent by the year 2050; and WHEREAS, the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program includes implementation grants for localities to implement strategies identified in an existing Action Plan, with the existing Plan being utilized as a pipeline of projects for future funding opportunities; and WHEREAS, on February 4, 2025, the Vinton Planning Commission and the Vinton Town Council conducted a joint work session and joint public hearing after giving notice pursuant to the provisions of Section 15.2-2204 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as amended; and WHEREAS, the Vinton Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the Plan be adopted by reference; and 2 WHEREAS, the Vinton Town Council voted unanimously to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation that the Plan be adopted by reference. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Vinton, Virginia, that Ordinance No. 806, as amended, Town of Vinton 2004 – 2024 Comprehensive Plan, dated September 7, 2004, be amended by adopting and incorporating by reference the Town of Vinton Safe Streets and Roads for All – Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, Fall 2024. This Ordinance adopted on motion by Council Member seconded by Council Member , with the following votes recorded: AYES: NAYS: APPROVED: Bradley E. Grose, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________________ Antonia Arias-Magallon, Town Clerk Town of Vinton | Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Prepared by Timmons Group Fall 2024 Safe Streets and Roads for All 2 3Acknowledgments Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Table of Contents Commitment to Safety Planning Structure Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................3 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................4 (1) Safety Review ...................................................................................................................8 (2) Network Analysis ............................................................................................................16 (3) Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles ........................................................34 (4) Equity Considerations ...................................................................................................76 (5) Policy and Process Changes .........................................................................................78 (6) Strategy and Project Selections ....................................................................................80 (7) Progress and Transparency ..........................................................................................94 Appendix A: Town Project Exhibits .....................................................................................96 A special thank you to all our partners who contributed to this Comprehensive Safety Action Plan: Town of Vinton Cody Sexton, Deputy Town Manager Anita McMillan, Planning and Zoning Director Nathan McClung, Assistant Planning and Zoning Director Botetourt County Roanoke County Timmons Group Thomas Ruff Lauren Delmare Zachary Holder Rachel Moon Emily Routman Acknowledgments A commitment to safety is needed through an official public commitment (e.g., resolution, policy, ordinance, etc.) by a high- ranking official and/or governing body (e.g., Mayor, City Council, Tribal Council, MPO Policy Board, etc.) to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. The commitment must include a goal and timeline for eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries achieved through one, or both, of the following: (1) the target date for achieving zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries, OR (2) an ambitious percentage reduction of roadway fatalities and serious injuries by a specific date with an eventual goal of eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Our goal is to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 50% by 2050. The Town of Vinton Planning and Zoning Department led the effort of this SS4A Action Plan process and development, in close partnership with Roanoke County and Botetourt County. Town stakeholders, such as local governance, Town Police and Public Works Departments, and Roanoke County Fire/EMS, provided additional guidance and collaboration throughout the Action Plan creation. 4 5Introduction Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Between 2015 and 2023, three people were killed in non-interstate traffic crashes in the Town of Vinton. In the same 9-year time-frame, 56 people were seriously injured in a non-interstate crash on our transportation network. That represents an average of 0.3 deaths and 6 serious injuries each year. These crashes are preventable tragedies that can be reduced or eliminated through innovative design, strategic policies, and committed local leadership. This Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is part of the Town of Vinton’s commitment to enhancing roadway safety under the Federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The plan outlines targeted strategies to improve road safety, reduce crashes, and promote a culture of responsible driving. By implementing engineering solutions, enhancing enforcement measures, and fostering community education, the Town of Vinton can create a safer, more reliable roadway system for all. Summer 2024: Draft Recommendations for Priority Locations Winter 2025: Adoption of Action Plan Fall 2024: Community Engagement & Draft Action Plan Spring 2024: Safety Analysis & Community Engagement Spring/Summer 2025: Apply for SS4A Implementation Grants and/or other funding Plan Development Timeline 2024 2025 Program Overview Safe Streets and Roads for All Program (SS4A) In 2022, the US Department of Transportation awarded $280,000 to Roanoke County, Botetourt County, and the Town of Vinton. With a $70,000 match from the localities, these funds were used to develop a comprehensive safety action plan as part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grants. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives throughout the country through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The program focuses on the development of a comprehensive safety action plan and its implementation for all users of a municipality’s highways, streets, and roadways, including motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and more. According to USDOT, an Action Plan is required to have the following aspects: • Leadership and goal setting: A high-ranking official and/or governing body in the jurisdiction publicly committed to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries • Planning structure: committee, task force or implementation group • Safety analysis • Engagement and collaboration • Equity considerations • Policy and process changes • Strategy and project selections • Progress and transparency Program OverviewIntroduction 6 7Safety Review Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan The Safe System Approach The Safe System approach, developed and adopted by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), is a framework that guides safety efforts. It works by building and reinforcing multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes from happening in the first place and minimize the harm caused to those involved when crashes do occur. It is a holistic and comprehensive approach that provides a guiding framework to make places safer for people. This is a shift from a conventional safety approach because it focuses on both human mistakes AND human vulnerability and designs a system with many redundancies in place to protect everyone. The Safe System Approach is arranged around five complementary objectives: safe people, safe roads, safe vehicles, safe speeds, and post-crash care. Together, these objectives help steer safety programs to a future with zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries in Roanoke County, Botetourt County, and the Town of Vinton. Safe System Approach. Source: FHWA Historical Crash Analysis The safety analysis is informed by a historical crash analysis within the Town of Vinton. Historical crash data from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2023 was reviewed to evaluate patterns and trends within the crash data such as crash types, crash locations, and contributing circumstances. While Town residents likely travel on interstates outside of Vinton, crashes on interstates I-81 and I-581 were excluded from the analysis in order to focus improvements on roads directly in Vinton, where the Town is able to implement their own projects. The scope of this Safety Action Plan are crashes occurring within Vinton’s limits. This analysis focused primarily on the 47 crashes in the nine-year time period that resulted in fatal and serious injuries. Within the Town of Vinton there were 2 fatal crashes and 45 serious injury crashes reported during the study period; the 2 fatal crashes resulted in three fatalities and the 45 serious injury crashes impacted 56 individuals. Figure 1 illustrates the non-interstate fatal and serious crashes reported by year within the Town. Though some variation occurred year-to-year, the number of fatal and serious crashes in the Town remained relatively steady. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Number of Crashes Serious Injury Crash Fatal Crash 5 6 1 3 4 6 9 3 8 1 1 Figure 1. Severe Crashes by Year, Town of Vinton (2015-2023) Town of Vinton 2 severe crashes resulting in 3 fatalities 45 severe crashes resulting in 56 people being seriously injured 6 average annual severe crashes 86% of commuters drive to work Safety Review1 Less than 2% of commuters walk or take public transportation to work 8 9Safety Review Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Crash Types The most common crash type among the fatal and serious injury crashes reported in the nine-year analysis period was angle crashes, which accounted for approximately 36 percent (36%) of all fatal and serious injury (FSI) crashes in the Town of Vinton. Fixed object off- road crashes (26%), rear-end crashes (10%), and sideswipe (same direction) crashes (10%) were the next most common crash types reported. Figure 2 summarizes the fatal and serious injury crashes reported during the nine-year analysis period by crash type. The vast majority of severe angle crashes occurred during clear weather conditions (87%), and most commonly occurred during the day. 6% 10% 10% 26% 36% Rear End Sideswipe Same Direction Angle Head On MOST COMMON CRASH TYPES Fatal and Serious Injury Crashes Only Town of Vinton (2015-2023) Fixed Object Off-Road Figure 2. Severe Crashes by Crash Type, Town of Vinton (2015-2023) Clear, 82% Rain, 18% 71% 18% 12% Daylight Dusk Darkness - Road Lighted Figure 3. Severe Angle Crashes by Weather Conditions Figure 4. Severe Angle Crashes by Light Conditions 18% of severe crashes happened at night Environmental Conditions The environmental factors contributing to crashes can highlight potential areas for improvement in the roadway network to better serve the traveling public. Factors such as lighting and weather were analyzed for the 47 FSI crashes reported in the Town of Vinton. Figure 5 illustrates the impact of changing lighting conditions on roadway safety. Fatal and serious injury (FSI) crashes disproportionately occur at night. Overall, the environmental factors contributing to crashes were consistent with statewide trends. 18% of the Town of Vinton’s severe crashes occurred at night, compared to 13% of severe crashes occurred during rain, compared to 10% in all of Virginia, and 13% occurred during wet roadway surface conditions, compared to 14% statewide. 2% 73% 7% 18% 50% 50% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Serious Injuries Fatalities Number of Crashes Dawn Daylight Dusk Dark - Road Lighted Dark- Road Not Lighted 13% of severe crashes occurred during rain 13% of severe crashes happened during wet surface conditions Figure 5. Crash Types by Lighting Conditions, Town of Vinton (2015-2023) 10 11Safety Review Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Driver Behavior Speed Higher driving speeds lead to higher collision speeds. Higher driving speeds also make crashes more difficult to avoid because high speeds provide less time to process information and to act on it, and require longer break distance. High speeds are especially dangerous for road users outside of a vehicle. According to the FHWA, pedestrians have a 90% chance of surviving a crash involving a vehicle traveling 20 mph or below, and less than a 50% chance of surviving a crash with a vehicle traveling 30 mph or above. Exceeding the posted speed limit further heightens the risk of a severe crash. In the Town of Vinton, 10% of vehicles involved in severe crashes were speeding and, notably, 100% of vehicles involved in fatal crashes were speeding. Statewide, 32% of FSI crashes involved speeding. 10% of cars in severe crashes were speeding 100% of cars in fatal crashes were speeding Drugs or Alcohol According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes. In 2022, 13,524 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic collisions. Drivers with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) .08 (the legal limit) are approximately 4 times more likely to crash than drivers with a BAC of zero. At a BAC of .15, drivers are at least 12 times more likely to crash than drivers with a BAC of zero. In the Town of Vinton, 15% of FSI crashes involved drugs or alcohol, compared to 17% statewide. 15%15% of severe crashes of severe crashes involved drugs or alcohol Distraction Distracted driving is defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving. According to the NHTSA, in 2022, 3,308 people died in traffic collisions that involved distracted drivers. Such distractions may include talking or texting on the phone, eating or drinking, or adjusting the audio navigation system. Sending or reading a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that is equivalent to driving the length of an entire football field. In the Town of Vinton, 26% of FSI crashes involved disracted driving, compared to 19% statewide. Note that distracted driving is often underreported and the actual number may be higher. 26%26% of severe crashes of severe crashes involved distracted driving Drivers aged 65 and older were involved in 28% of all severe crashes in the Town of Vinton. Residents that are 65 years or older consist of 19% of the Town population (2022 American Survey 5-year Estimates). Seniors were twice as likely to be involved in a severe crash with a pedestrian than non-senior drivers1. The most common collision type for senior drivers was angle crashes (11%). 66%25% 33%75% Crash Age Profiles Crashes in the Town of Vinton involving seniors (age 65+) and young drivers (ages 15-20) were analyzed due to the unique challenges and risk factors associated with each group. Drivers aged 15 to 20 were involved in 9% of all severe crashes. Residents that are 15 to 20 years of age consist of 7% of the Town population (2022 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates). 25% of severe crashes involving young drivers also involved speeding as a factor. Angle crashes were the most common collision type for young drivers (4%). Senior drivers in severe crashes Senior drivers involved in severe pedestrian crashes1 Young drivers in severe crashes Young drivers in severe crashes when speeding was a factor Severe Crashes for Senior Drivers by Crash Type Severe Crashes for Young Drivers by Crash Type 9% 2% 2% 2% 26% 6% 6% 2% 17% 2% 0% 2% 0% 11% 0% 4% 0% 9% Rear End Deer Pedestrian Other Angle Head On Sideswipe - Same Direction Fixed Object in Road Fixed Object Off-Road Senior Drivers Non-Senior Drivers Rear End Deer Pedestrian Other Angle Head On Sideswipe - Same Direction Fixed Object in Road Fixed Object Off-Road Young Drivers Non-Young Drivers 11% 2% 2% 2% 32% 6% 11% 2% 23% 0% 0% 2% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 2% 28% 9%Young 72%91% Senior Non-Senior Not YoungSenior Non-Senior Speeding 1. One of the three FSI collisions involving a pedestrian is primarily coded as a fixed object, off-road crash, rather than a pedestrian crash. Not Speeding Seatbelts One of the safest and simplest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Research on passenger cars has shown that seatbelts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45 percent and the risk of injury by 50 percent. However, according to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration 2022 report on seat belt use, Virginia has lowest lowest use rate of any state in the U.S. at 75.6%. In the Town of Vinton, 20% of serious injury crashes involved unbelted occupants, but in 100% of fatal crashes the occupants were not wearing seatbelts. 100%100% of fatal of fatal crashes involved not wearing a seatbelt 20%20% of severe of severe crashes involved not wearing a seatbelt 12 13Safety Review Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes Among the 47 fatal and serious injury crashes, there were 3 pedestrian crashes and 3 bicycle crashes recorded within the Town of Vinton during the nine-year analysis period. Among these incidents, no fatalities occurred; the lower speed limits throughout the Town of Vinton likely decrease crash severity overall. Two of the three (66%) pedestrian crashes involved a senior driver. Two of the three (66%) bicycle crashes were angle crashes; one bicycle crash was a head on collision. Two of the three (66%) FSI bicycle crashes took place on Washington Avenue and one bicycle crash occurred at the intersection of Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street. All bicycle and pedestrian collisions occurred during the daytime and where bicycle or pedestrian facilities are not present. Figure 6 shows these crashes throughout the Town. Notably, Washington Avenue and Virginia Avenue have experienced four incidents total. 3 pedestrians injured in crashes E TinkerCreek Roanoke RiverAveSE SPollard St13thStSE KingStNE MasonMillRdNE Hollins Rd N E Wise Ave SE Waln u t A v e NorfolkAve SE Kessler Rd NE Ridg efield St NE 13th St NE Tazewell Ave SE 11thStNE 10 th S t NE ShullRdNE DellAveNE 2 n d S t 3rdSt VarnellAveNE BaldwinAve NE EAugustaAve W C l e v e l a n d A v e BelleAveNE RichardAveNE CannadayRdNE Plantation Rd NE GusNicksBlvdNE Bullitt Ave SE OrangeAveNE 24 E L M O N T W I L D W O O D H O L L I N S K E N W O O D E A S T G A T E F A L L O N RoanokeRiver Ea HighlandRd 16thStSE Underhill Ave Ri Bluff Rd PenmarAve SE Riv Riverlan Bennington St SE 24 M O R N I N G S I D E L N U T WolfCreek Wolf CreekGladeCreek HardyRd KingSt NE Mountain View Rd Dillon Dr Cam eron Dr Ruddell Rd Fairmont Dr NiagaraRd Clearview Dr Jeanette Ave Belle AveNE 24 M E C C A G A R D E N S V I N T O N L I N D E N W O O D S T O N E B R I D G A C R E S F A L L I N G C R E E K S P R I N G G R O V E C R O F T O N Roanoke River Hammond Dr HighlandRd y N I A G A R A R I V E R E D G E F O X F I R E M O N T G O M E R Y V I L L A G E Bedford County City of Roanoke Vinton VGIN, Esri, TomTom, Garmin, SafeGraph, GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NASA, USGS, EPA, NPS, US CensusBureau, USDA, USFWS Pine StreetVirginia Avenue Washington AvenueWashington AvenueWalnut Avenue Virginia Avenue 3 bicyclists injured in crashes Figure 7. Town of Vinton Bicycle & Pedestrian Crashes Map Figure 6. Town of Vinton Crash Severity by Mode of Travel Crash Severity by Mode Although motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians represent a small minority of overall road users, they are overrepresented in fatal and serious crashes. The figure below illustrates the relative risk of a crash resulting in a serious or fatal injury for different roadway users. Because speed is a significant factor in crash severity, the Town of Vinton has generally lower rates of serious injuries and fatalities. Nevertheless, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians experience greater rates of injury when involved in a crash. Less than 4% of car crashes cause severe harm, but 31% of motorcycle crashes and 50% of bicycle or pedestrian crashes result in a serious injury. Motorcyclists are 12 times more likely to be killed in a crash compared to motorists, and pedestrians and bicyclists are 18 times more likely to be killed in a crash compared to motorists. 97% 3%<1% (Fatal) MotoristCrash Severity of Motorists 69% 31% MotorcyclistCrash Severity of Motorcyclists 50%50% Bicyclist or PedestrianCrash Severity of Bicyclists & Pedestrians 14 15Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan In addition to understanding historical trends, it is important to locate the places where people are most likely to be injured in a crash. This effort utilized the ESRI Traffic Crash Analysis Solution to better understand and map out the areas with the highest incidence of serious injury and fatal crashes – along with crashes of other severity types. The Traffic Crash Analysis solution provides a range of capabilities designed to analyze crash data using methodologies outlined by the United States Road Assessment Program (usRAP) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). usRAP uses a risk-mapping protocol to create maps that show variations in the level of crash risk across a road network. These maps can guide the prioritization of highway infrastructure improvements and targeted enforcement strategies. The tool creates roadway segments, assigns crashes to the segments, and creates risk maps. For the Town of Vinton, the usRAP Analysis was used to generate the following maps: 1. Crash Density: Crashes per mile of road. Emphasizes road segments that are associated with the highest rate of severe crashes. These segments represent areas where there may be the greatest opportunity to reduce crashes. 2. Crash Rate: Crashes per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. Illustrates the risk to an individual motorist while traveling through a given road segment. 3. Crash Rate Ratio: Risk expressed as the ratio of the crash rate for a particular analysis segment to the average crash rate for all segments of the same roadway type. Emphasizes segments that have above average crash rates for their roadway type. 4. Potential Crash Savings: Estimate of the number of crashes per mile that would be reduced if the crash rate for the road segment could be reduced to the average crash rate for similar road segments. Each map includes up to three color coded risk levels. The risk categories include Highest Risk (top 5 percent of system), Medium-High Risk (10 percent of system), and Medium Risk (20 percent of system). Note that only corridors with 3 crashes or more in the 9-year study period were placed in the two highest risk categories. Crash Density Crash Rate Ratio Crash Rate Potential Crash Savings Figure 8. Town of Vinton Severe Crashes Risk Maps Risk Level Medium risk Medium-high risk Highest risk GUS N I C K S BLVD BY PASS R D S P O L LAR D S T VIRGINIA AVE HARDY RD WASHINGTON AVE HARDY RD WALNUT AVE WASHINGTON AVE MOU N TAIN V I E W R D Risk Level Medium risk GUS N I C K S BLVD BY PASS R D S P O L LAR D S T VIRGINIA AVE HARDY RD WASHINGTON AVE HARDY RD WALNUT AVE WASHINGTON AVE MOU N TAIN V I E W R D Risk Level Medium risk GUS N I C K S BLVD BY PASS R D S P O L LAR D S T VIRGINIA AVE HARDY RD WASHINGTON AVE HARDY RD WALNUT AVE WASHINGTON AVE MOU N TAIN V I E W R D Risk Level Lowest risk Medium risk Highest risk GUS N I C K S BLVD BY PASS R D S P O L LAR D S T VIRGINIA AVE HARDY RD WASHINGTON AVE HARDY RD WALNUT AVE WASHINGTON AVE MOU N TAIN V I E W R D Network Analysis2 16 17Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan The crash risk data from the four maps generated by the usRAP analysis was combined to assign each roadway a single risk score. The result is a High-Injury Network ranking every roadway in the Town of Vinton. The High-Injury Network (HIN) is a collection of streets and roadways where a disproportionate number of severe car crashes, resulting in fatalities or serious injuries, occur. While increasing safety is important on every street, identifying a HIN assists local leaders in focusing their efforts on improvements on areas that will have the greatest impact and save the most lives. The HIN in Figure 9 shows areas where the risk score is the highest and most in-need of transportation investment are in red, lower scoring areas are shown in orange, and places with lowest risk score are shown in yellow. High-Injury Network Priority Corridors Priority Intersections Figure 9. Town of Vinton High Injury Network GU S N I C K S BLVD BY PASS R D S P O L LAR D S T VIRGINIA AVE HARDY RD WASHINGTON AVE HARDY RD WALNUT AVE WASHINGTON AVE MOU N TAIN V I E W R D Risk Level Lowest risk Medium-low risk Medium risk Medium-high risk Highest risk Because of the scale of the Town, nearly all routes identified in the overall HIN were considered as a Priority Corridor. These ten corridors established a preliminary list that was reviewed by elected officials, locality staff, and the public to ensure the selection aligned with broader safety and mobility goals. This approach not only enhances road safety but also improves the quality of life for all road users. By using data-driven strategies, community input, and proven safety measures, the Town of Vinton can make measurable progress toward the goal of zero fatalities. Figure 10 shows the locations of the 10 highest crash corridors. Table 1 lists each corridor’s road name(s) and number of crashes. In addition to the systemic corridor analysis preformed for all the Town of Vinton roadways, individual intersections were analyzed to find hot spots. All intersections with fatal and serious crashes within 250 feet of the intersection were compiled and ranked by the number of crashes. The 10 intersections with the most crashes were selected for further review. Figure 11 shows the location of the 5 highest crash intersections. Table 2 lists each intersection’s road names and number of crashes. 87% of severe crashes happened on the Top 10 Priority Corridors between 2015-2023 32% of severe crashes happened on the Top 10 Priority Intersections between 2015-2023 18 19Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Table 1. Town of Vinton Priority Corridors Figure 10. Town of Vinton Priority Corridors Priority Corridors Map LabelsA Map Label Corridor Location Number of Severe Crashes Number of Fatal Crashes 1 Gus Nicks Boulevard (From Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street)2 0 2 Walnut Avenue (From Roanoke City Line to Lee Avenue)1 0 3 Virginia Avenue (From Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street)6 0 4 South Pollard Street (From Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue)1 1 5 Washington Avenue (From South Pollard Street to Mitchell Road)6 0 6 Hardy Road (From Chestnut Street to Bypass Road)11 0 7 Hardy Road (From Bypass Road to Roanoke County Line)2 0 8 Bypass Road (From Washington Avenue to Hardy Road)2 0 9 Washington Avenue (From Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line)4 1 10 Mountain View Road (From Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line)2 0 R oanoke River GladeCreek S Pollard St13thStSE KingStNE d N E Wise Ave SE W al n u t A v e Ave SE 4thStNE 13th St N E SE 1 0 t h S t N E DellAveNE 2 n d S t 3rd St VarnellAveNE E AugustaAve BelleAveNE RichardAveNE CannadayRdNE GusNicksBlvd NE SE ange Ave NE OrangeAve 2 4 2 4 22 1 W I L D W O O D O L L I N S K E N W O O D E A S T G A T E F A L L O N RoanokeRiver 9th St S E Highland 16thStSE U nderhill Ave Bluff R d Bennington St SE 2 4 M O R N I N G S I D E WolfCreek GladeCreek HardyRd Mountain V ie w R d Dillon Dr Cam eron D Ruddell Rd Fairmont Dr N ia g ara Rd C learvie w D r J ea nette Ave 2 4 M E C C AGARDEN S V i n t o n L i n d e S p r i n g G r o v C r o f t o n Roanoke Riv er High N i a g a r a R i v e r E d g e F o x r e M o n t g o m e r y V i l l a g e 10 0 0.75 Miles 2 6 4 8 5 3 1 7 9 20 21Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Figure 11. Town of Vinton Priority Intersections Map LabelsA R oanoke River GladeCreek S Pollard St13thStSE KingStNEs R d N E Wise Ave SE W al n u t A v e kAve SE 24thStNE 13th St N E SE 1 0 t h S t N E DellAveNE 2 n d S t 3rd St VarnellAveNE E AugustaAve BelleAveNE RichardAveNE CannadayRdNE GusNicksBlvd NE SE ange Ave NE OrangeAve 2 4 2 4 22 1 W I L D W O O D O L L I N S K E N W O O D E A S T G A T E F A L L O N RoanokeRiver 9th St S E Highland 16thStSE U nderhill Ave Bluff R d Bennington St SE 2 4 M O R N I N G S I D E WolfCreek GladeCreek HardyRd Mountain V ie w R d Dillon Dr Cam eron Dr Ruddell Rd Fairmont Dr N ia g ara Rd C learvie w D r J ea nette Ave 2 4 M E C C AGARDEN S V i n t o n L i n d e S p r i n g G r o v C r o f t o n Roanoke Riv er High N i a g a r a R i v e r E d g e F o x r e M o n t g o m e r y V i l l a g e 0 0.75 Miles 3 2 54 1 Table 2. Town of Vinton Priority Intersections Map Label Intersection Number of Severe Crashes 1 Virginia Avenue & 4th Street 4 2 Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street 2 3 Hardy Road & Spruce Street 3 4 Hardy Road & Vinyard Road 2 5 Hardy Road & Bedford Road 3 22 23Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan TOP 10 CORRIDORS OF FATAL & SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES TOWN OF VINTON, VIRGINIA | APRIL 2024 115 221 oad oad TinkerCreek TinkerCreek 115 115 221 TinkerCreek NorfolkSouthernRailroad NorfolkSouthernRailroad 24 24 Roanoke River NorfolkSouthernRailroad NorfolkSouthernRailroad 24 221 221 GladeCreek TinkerCreek Norfolk SouthernRailroad 24 TinkerCreek TinkerCreek RoanokeRiver Roanoke River Norfolk SouthernRailroad NorfolkSouthernRailroad 24 RoanokeRiver 24 GladeCreek NorfolkSouthernRailroad 34 RoanokeRiver NorfolkSouthernRailroad 4 RoanokeRiver NorfolkSouthernRailroad NorfolkSouthernRailroad GladeCreek GladeCreek NorfolkSouthernRailroad RoanokeRiver RoanokeRiver NorfolkSouthernRailroad WolfCreek 24 WolfCreek RoanokeRiver Wolf Creek NorfolkSouthernRailroad WolfCreek WolfCreek 2 24 Esri Community Maps Contributors, VGIN, West Virginia GIS, © OpenStreetMap, Microsoft, Esri, TomTom, Garmin, SafeGraph, GeoTechnologies, Inc, METI/NASA, USGS, EPA, NPS, US Census Bureau, USDA, USFWS 0 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.60.07 Miles VINTON RIVER EDGE FOXFIRE MONTGOMERYVILLAGE SPRINGGROVE LINDENWOOD CROFTON STONEBRIDGEACRES Citgo WalmartNeighborhoodMarket CVS Pharmacy HOLLINS EASTGATE FALLON MORNINGSIDE WILDWOOD KENWOOD MECCAGARDENS East Gate Park Fallon Park Golden Park N WASHINGTON AVENUEWALNUT AVENUE VIRGINIA AVENUE BYPASS ROAD HARDY ROAD S POLLARD STREET 4TH ST 3RD ST SPRUCE STREET NIAGARA ROAD MITCHELL LEE AVENUE ROAD VINYARD ROAD CLEARVIEW DRIVE HARDY ROAD CHESTNUT STREET GUS NICKS BOULEVARD MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD W Virginia Avenue 0.5 miles from Roanoke City Limits to S Pollard Street S Pollard Street 0.5 miles from Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue Walnut Avenue 1 mile from Roanoke City Limits to Lee Avenue Gus Nicks Boulevard 0.4 miles from Roanoke City Limits to S Pollard Street Washington Avenue 0.8 miles from S Pollard Street to Mitchell Road Washington Avenue 1.1 miles from Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line Bypass Road 0.4 miles from Washington Avenue to Hardy Road Hardy Road 0.8 miles from Bypass Road to Roanoke County Line Mountain View Road 1.5 miles from Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line Hardy Road 0.8 miles from Chestnut Street to Bypass Road Roanoke County Roanoke County City of Roanoke Roanoke County Roanoke County City of Roanoke Route From To Serious Injury Crashes Fatal Crashes Planned Improvements Walnut Avenue Roanoke City Limits Lee Avenue 1 0 W Virginia Avenue Roanoke City Limits S Pollard Street 6 0 S Pollard Street Washington Avenue Virginia Avenue 1 1 Gus Nicks Boulevard Roanoke City Limits S Pollard Street 2 0 Washington Avenue S Pollard Street Mitchell Road 4 0 Washington Avenue Mitchell Road Roanoke County Line 4 1 Mountain View Road Washington Avenue Vinton Town Limits 2 0 Hardy Road Chestnut Street Bypass Road 11 0 Hardy Road Bypass Road Roanoke County Line 2 0 Improvements funded at Hardy Road/Bypass Road intersection Bypass Road Washington Avenue Hardy Road 2 0 Improvements funded at Hardy Road/Bypass Road intersection Community Engagement Community engagement and feedback played a critical role in ensuring the development of this Action Plan was done using an inclusive and representative process. Community engagement for the initiative included holding community meetings, gathering survey responses, and distributing project information through local news campaigns, social media marketing, and on-line resources (such as StoryMaps and interactive dashboards). The project team also routinely collaborated with an identified stakeholder group, that consisted of representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), local police, fire, and emergency response, Roanoke County Public Schools, and other Town of Vinton departments. The first community meeting took place in the Spring 2024. The April community meeting was an opportunity to introduce the project and its goals to Town residents, as well as gather feedback on the identified fatal and serious injury crash locations. With feedback from the community, the project team moved forward in developing both location-specific and systemic recommendations. The community meeting in the fall presented these findings to the community and collected their thoughts and comments (see page 62 for Fall 2024 community responses). Following each of the meetings, community members could share their on-road observations and experiences, as well as their comments on the recommendations by attending the in-person meetings or completing a paper or online survey.52 survey responses recorded 30 total attendees at in-person meetings 300 total community members reached* Over Spring 2024 Engagement Summary Public outreach and participation have added a much-needed component to the evaluation and decision-making process for this project. Residents provide invaluable first-hand experiences with transportation safety issues. To ensure that the Town of Vinton staff and the project team had the benefit of the public knowledge and support, a website and survey were presented to local residents to understand where they believe targeted transportation investment is needed most. The website was available for public access and comment from April 25 to May 25, 2024. The Town of Vinton staff worked to initiate outreach efforts on social media and other resources to share the website and survey links. There were a total of 34 responses to the online survey as part of the public outreach. The survey asked respondents to rate the priority locations in order of their level of concern, and provided an opportunity to comment on the location. Tuesday, April 30th from 5-7pm at the Vinton War Memorial Tuesday, September 10th from 5-7pm at the Vinton War Memorial Spring 2024 Meeting Fall 2024 Meeting 0 1 2 3 4 Hardy Road & Vinyard Road Hardy Road & Spruce Street Hardy Road & Bedford Road Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street Virginia Avenue & 4th Street Please Rate the Top Crash Intersections:(by level of concern) AVERAGE SCORE: AVERAGE SCORE: (by level of concern) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hardy Road Washington Avenue Washington Avenue South Pollard Street Hardy Road Gus Nicks Boulevard Walnut Avenue Virginia Avenue Bypass Road Mountain View Road Please Rate the Top Crash Corridors: (Chestnut Street to Bypass Road) (Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line) (South Pollard Street to Mitchell Road) (Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue) (Bypass Road to Roanoke County Line) (Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street) (Roanoke City Line to Lee Avenue) (Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street) (Hardy Road to Washington Avenue) (Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line)* Includes Spring and Fall survey respondents and meeting attendees, observation app respondents, AGOL Dashboard views, and AGOL StoryMap views 24 25Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Spring 2024 Engagement Summary The responses from the community survey can be grouped into several categories based on the concerns and suggestions provided by the respondents. Below is a detailed summary of each category: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Numerous responses highlighted the need for better pedestrian and bicycle accommodations throughout Vinton. Specific areas for improvement include: • Completing sidewalk networks and adding sidewalks where missing • Creating dedicated bike lanes, especially on major corridors such as Washington Avenue • Enhancing crosswalks and pedestrian crossings, especially across multi-lane roads such as Washington Avenue and Virginia Avenue • Improving walkability and bikeability to develop a greater sense of safety and place Corridors called out for needing a focus on bicycle-pedestrian safety include Virginia Avenue, Washington Avenue, Walnut Avenue, South Pollard Street, Lee Avenue, and Cleveland Avenue. Driver Behavior and Enforcement Some responses expressed frustration with dangerous or illegal motorist behavior, including: • Running red lights, especially during peak morning and evening hours • Distracted driving, such as using cell phones behind the wheel • Driving with expired tags or inspection stickers Traffic Safety and Calming Many respondents expressed concerns about traffic safety, particularly on major roads like Washington Avenue, Hardy Road, and Gus Nicks Boulevard. Suggestions such as reducing lane widths, adding roundabouts at select intersections, and increasing police enforcement of speed limits were discussed. Other key issues include: • Speeding traffic that exceeds posted limits • Dangerous intersections prone to accidents (e.g., 3rd Street and Cedar Avenue) • Challenges for pedestrians trying to cross wide, busy streets • Need for traffic calming measures to slow vehicles organically Potential Solutions Respondents offered several ideas for improving transportation safety and operations in the Town: • Constructing roundabouts at high-crash, congested intersections • Implementing “road diets” to narrow travel lanes and slow traffic speeds • Adjusting traffic signal timing to improve flow • Enhancing police enforcement of speed limits, red light running, and other violations • Conducting public education campaigns on proper roundabout use and safe driving habits While opinions differed on some specifics (such as speed limits), there seems to be general consensus that a multifaceted approach is needed to create a safer, more welcoming transportation environment for all users in Vinton. Public Transportation Access A few comments touched on public transportation, with one person noting that Valley Metro requires riders to catch the bus at Macado’s to go downtown. While not a major theme, ensuring safe and convenient access to bus stops is important for those who rely on transit. 26 27Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Observation Reporting App In addition to the public survey questions, participants were also provided with the opportunity to share their experiences by marking locations on a map where they had encountered specific transportation safety concerns. The observations can be grouped into categories based on the nature and location of the concerns. Below is a summary of each category. 1. Pedestrian Facilities on Residential Streets Respondents commented on the need for a complete sidewalk network outside of Vinton’s main thoroughfares. Commenters expressed a desire for more sidewalks and crosswalks throughout neighborhood streets. Specific streets selected on the map include Maple Street, S. Poplar Street, Jefferson Avenue, and Niagara Road. 2. Traffic Calming on Major Routes Many observations focused on the need for increased safety on Vinton’s major east-west routes: Washinton Avenue and Virginia Avenue. Respondents reported instances of speeding, near-misses, disregarding traffic signals, and an unsafe pedestrian environment. A common recommended solution was to improve access management by limiting direct commercial access to these roads, closing crossover or installing RCUTs, and closing particular streets such as Spruce Street and S. Maple Street. Additional solutions offered included reducing the number of lanes and building a tree- lined median. 3. Intersection Safety Some respondents focused on particular intersections in need of safety improvements. These included South Pollard Street and Washington Avenue, South Pollard Street and East Jackson Avenue, East Jackson Avenue and Pine Street, and Walnut Avenue and 8th Street. Observations of poor sight distance and many near-misses were reported. Figure 12. Town of Vinton Observation Reporting App 28 29Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Crash Patterns of Top Fatal and Serious Injury Corridors Following the first round of community meetings, the locations of the highest fatal and serious injury crashes were finalized to study further. Locations that currently have an existing process to pursue funding or design were removed from analysis. Project exhibits for the areas already being addressed by the Town are viewable in the appendix at the end of this document. The remaining locations were examined to determine if there were crash patterns that attributed to the crash or concentration of incidents in a particular area. HershbergerRdNW P l antation Rd NE WilliamsonRdNW Old M onterey Golf Club Blue Hills Golf Course P RE ST O N P A R K CampbellAve SE KingStNE Rut roughRd Wal nut Av e 13th St NE Riverdale RdSE 3 rdSt RichardAveNE 1st St S W Plantation Rd NE Bennington St SE Campbel l Ave SW 116 24 24 11 RIV E R D A L E N D B E L MO NT W IL D WO O D H O L L I NS KE N W O O D MI L L MO U N TA I N O L D SO U T H W E ST M O R NI N G S I D E RI V E R L A N D -W A L NU T H I L L GA IN S B O R O WA SH I NG TO N P A RK W I L L I A M SO N R O A D E A S TG A T E S O U TH J EF FE R SO N FA L L O N R RIS O N R o a n o k e Roanoke River GladeCreek SandyCreek Roanoke River EastlandRd Ruddell Rd Beagl e Club Rd Rd RoanokeRiverPkw Blue Ridge Pkwy StewaEWashingtonAve 24 M E CCA GA R D E N S V i n t o n L i n d e n w o o d S t o ne b r i d g e Ac r e s F a l l i n g C r e e k M u s e S p r i n g G r o v e N i a g a r a R i v e r E d g e C r o f t o n Roanoke County Bedford County City of Roanoke Vinton 6 4 8 3 1 2 10 1. Fixed Object - Off Road 2. (1) bicyclist crash at Washington Avenue & Pollard Street intersection and (1) bicyclist crash at Washington Avenue & Pine Street intersection 3. (2) bicyclist crash incidents at Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street intersection Map Label Corridor Location Number of Crashes Prevalent Crash CharacteristicsSevereFatal 1 Hardy Road (From Chestnut Street to Bypass Road) 11 0 2 Washington Avenue (From Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line) 4 1 3 Washington Avenue (From South Pollard Street to Mitchell Street) 6 0 4 South Pollard Street (From Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue) 1 1 5 Hardy Road (From Bypass Road to Roanoke County Line) 2 0 Roundabout improvements funded by 2024 SMART SCALE at Hardy Road/ Bypass Road intersection 6 Gus Nicks Boulevard (From Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street) 2 0 7 Walnut Avenue (From Roanoke City Line to Lee Avenue) 1 0 Pedestrian improvements funded by 2022 SMART SCALE now completed 8 Virginia Avenue (From Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street) 6 0 9 Bypass Road (From Washington Avenue to Hardy Road) 2 0 Roundabout amprovements funded by 2024 SMART SCALE at Hardy Road/ Bypass Road intersection; SMART SCALE application under review for roundabout improvement at Washington Avenue & Bypass Road 10 Mountain View Road (From Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line) 2 0 Rear End Rear End Rear End Head On Rear End Head On Sideswipe - Same Direction Sideswipe - Same Direction Sideswipe - Same Direction Angle Angle Angle Angle Angle Angle Angle FOOR1 FOOR5 Motorcycle Motorcycle Bicyclist2 DistractedBicyclist3 30 31Network Analysis Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Crash Patterns of Top Fatal and Serious Injury Corridors Following the first round of community meetings, the locations of the highest fatal and serious injury crashes were finalized to study further. Locations that currently have an existing process to pursue funding or design were removed from analysis. Project exhibits for the areas already being addressed by the Town are viewable in the appendix at the end of this document. The remaining locations were examined to determine if there were crash patterns that attributed to the crash or concentration of incidents in a particular area. HershbergerRdNW P l antation Rd NE WilliamsonRdNW Old M onterey Golf Club Blue Hills Golf Course P RE ST O N P A R K CampbellAve SE KingStNE Rut roughRd Wal nut Av e 13th St NE Riverdale RdSE 3 rdSt RichardAveNE 1st S t S W Plantation Rd NE Bennington St SE Campbel l Ave SW 116 24 24 11 RIV E R D A L E N D B E L MO NT W IL D WO O D H O L L I NS KE N W O O D MI L L MO U N TA I N O L D SO U T H W E ST M O R NI N G S I D E RI V E R L A N D -W A L NU T H I L L GA IN S B O R O WA SH I NG TO N P A RK W I L L I A M SO N R O A D E A S TG A T E S O U TH J EF FE R SO N FA L L O N R RIS O N R o a n o k e Roanoke River GladeCreek SandyCreek Roanoke River EastlandRd Ruddell Rd Beagl e Club Rd Rd RoanokeRiverPkwy Blue Ridge Pkwy StewaEWashingtonAve 24 M E CCA GA R D E N S V i n t o n L i n d e n w o o d S t o ne b r i d g e Ac r e s F a l l i n g C r e e k M u s e S p r i n g G r o v e N i a g a r a R i v e r E d g e C r o f t o n Roanoke County Bedford County City of Roanoke Vinton 32 5 4 1 1. Fixed Object - Off Road 2. Night FSI crashes occurred on lit roadways Map Label Intersection Number of Severe Crashes Prevalent Crash Characteristics 1 Hardy Road & Vinyard Road 2 2 Hardy Road & Spruce Street 3 3 Hardy Road & Bedford Road 4 4 Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street 2 5 Virginia Avenue & 4th Street 4 Sideswipe - Same Direction Angle Angle Angle FOOR1 FOOR1 Rain Senior Driver Night2 Motorcycle Bicyclist Red-Light Running Speeding DistractedRear End Sideswipe - Same DirectionAngle FOOR1 Distracted 32 33Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan A key outcome of the Road Safety Action Plan is a set of projects and strategies to address specific safety needs that can be implemented to reduce the frequency of fatalities and serious injuries. This section of the Plan highlights proven safety countermeasures and develops potential priority projects from the High Injury Network (HIN) that can positively impact roadway safety. The Safe System Approach encourages designing transportation systems with a multi-layered safety net. If one countermeasure fails, another will help prevent a crash or, in the event of a crash, reduce the likelihood of serious injury or death. The safety net utilizes proven countermeasures designed to protect all road users. Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Roadway Departure Appropriate Speed Limits for All Road Users Speed Safety Cameras Variable Speed Limits Bicycle Lanes Crosswalk Visibility Enhancements Leading Pedestrian Interval Medians and Pedestrian Refuge Islands Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons Road Diets (Roadway Reconfiguration)Walkways Enhanced Delineation for Horizontal Curves Longitudinal Rumble Strips and Stripes on Two-Lane Roads Median Barriers Roadside Design Improvements at Curves SafetyEdge℠Wider Edge Lines Speed Management Safety Countermeasures Toolkit Addressing safety in the Town of Vinton will require the deployment of proven safety countermeasures across the transportation network, starting with the HIN. To assist communities in taking action, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) designed the Proven Safety Countermeasures initiative (PCSi). The PCSi is a toolbox of 28 treatments and strategies that have been proven to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries nationwide. Each countermeasure addresses at least one safety focus area – speed management, intersections, roadway departures, or pedestrians/ bicyclists – while others are crosscutting strategies that address multiple safety focus areas. Implementing these proven safety countermeasures within Vinton’s top locations for fatal and serious injury crashes can work towards reducing crash incidents as well as crash severity. The FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures are listed below along with hyperlinks to provide a more detailed description of the effectiveness of the full safety countermeasure. 34 35Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Intersections Crosscutting Backplates with Retroflective Borders Corridor Access Management Dedicated Left- and Right-Turn Lanes Reduced Left- Turn Conflict Intersections Roundabouts Systemic Application of Multiple Low-Cost Contermeasures at Stop-Controlled Intersections Yellow Change Intervals Lighting Local Road Safety Plans Pavement Friction Management Road Safety Audit Corridor Profiles 36 37Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Hardy Road is one of two primary east/west corridors in the Town of Vinton. West of Chestnut Street, Hardy Road becomes Virginia Avenue, leading into the City of Roanoke. Hardy Road to the east leads into Roanoke County and Bedford County. Hardy Road is a primary thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. The corridor experienced 234 crashes since 2015, including 11 serious injury crashes. The serious injury crashes are a mix of angle crashes, collisions with fixed objects off the road, and same direction sideswipes. A SMART SCALE project is currently in progress for the Hardy Road and Bypass Road intersection. The existing signalized intersection is to be improved as a roundabout. Prevalent Crash Characteristics HARDY ROAD |HARDY ROAD |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 21,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 11 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #1 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The severe crashes are predominately angle crashes, rear ends, side swipes (same direction), and fixed objects, off-road on a corridor with frequent commercial entrances. Crashes also tend to occur at specific intersections. Consider access management improvements at the Spruce Street intersection (See Hardy Road & Spruce Street intersection profile) Consider the installation of a roundabout at the Hardy Road and Vinyard Road intersection (See Hardy Road & Vinyard Road intersection profile) Evaluate closing the Hardy Road and Bedford Road intersection (See Hardy Road & Bedford Road intersection profile) Consider opportunities for improving access management along the corridor • Hardy Road is a significant commercial corridor within the Town with frequent entrances along the roadway. Consolidating entrances where possible could improve severe crashes while also reducing the conflict points for pedestrians, bicyclists and other motorists. 0 400 800 1,200 1,600200 Feet Hardy Road Bypass Road Vinyard Road Bedford Road Clearview Drive Niagara Road Spruce Street Chestnut Street Severe Injury Crash Legend SMART SCALE funded roundabout Chestnut Street to Bypass Road Chestnut Street to Bypass Road Rear End Sideswipe - Same Direction Angle Fixed Object Off Road 38 39Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Washington Avenue is one of the Town of Vinton’s primary east-west corridors, and this section serves as a major entrance to the Town from Roanoke County. The corridor has experienced 107 crashes since 2015, including 5 serious injury crashes and one fatality in 2015. The varied nature of the crash pattern suggests a comprehensive solution is needed. Based on the community survey, there is a strong desire for traffic calming and improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Washington Avenue. Respondents cited problems with speeding and difficulty crossing the street. One fatality has occurred on this segment of Washington Avenue. The fatality involved a single vehicle colliding with a fixed object. The severity of the crash could be contributed to the driver being distracted and under the influence, not wearing a seatbelt, and speeding. Prevalent Crash Characteristics WASHINGTON AVENUE |WASHINGTON AVENUE |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 18,000-24,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 5 Fatal Crashes: 1 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #2 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The FSI crashes along this corridor have varied characteristics and occur in different locations Evaluate the installation of a road diet (convert 4-lane undivided road to 2-lanes plus turning lane) • A road diet, which typically involves reducing the number of travel lanes and reallocating space for other uses, offers several benefits such as improved safety by reducing vehicle speeds and the number of collision points, and better traffic flow by streamlining traffic with dedicated turn lanes, reducing congestion and improving travel times. • Road reconfigurations also provide the opportunity to enhance pedestrian safety by adding bike lanes and wider sidewalks, providing safer spaces for non-motorized users. RoanokeCounty 0 400 800 1,200 1,600200 Feet Severe Injury Crash Fatal Crash Legend Washington Avenue Bush Drive Bypass Road Halliahurst Avenue N Preston RoadMitchell Road untain View Road SMART SCALE funded roundabout Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line Rear End Sideswipe - Same DirectionAngle 40 41Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Washington Avenue is one of the Town of Vinton’s primary east-west corridors. According to 2022 VDOT traffic data, the current average daily traffic (ADT) volume on the highlighted section of Washington Avenue is 20,000. The corridor has experienced 168 crashes since 2015, including 6 serious injury crashes. The varied nature of the crash pattern suggests a multifaceted solution is needed. Based on the community survey, there is a strong desire for traffic calming and improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Washington Avenue. Respondents cited problems with speeding and difficulty crossing the street. Prevalent Crash Characteristics WASHINGTON AVENUE |WASHINGTON AVENUE |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 20,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 6 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #3 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The severe crashes along this corridor have varied characteristics and occur in different locations. Furthermore, a severe bicycle collision occurred on this corridor, indicating a need for infrastructure. Evaluate the installation of a road diet (convert 4-lane undivided road to 2-lanes plus turning lane) • A road diet, which typically involves reducing the number of travel lanes and reallocating space for other uses, offers several benefits such as improved safety by reducing vehicle speeds and the number of collision points, and better traffic flow by streamlining traffic with dedicated turn lanes, reducing congestion and improving travel times. • Road reconfigurations also provide the opportunity to enhance pedestrian safety by adding bike lanes and wider sidewalks, providing safer spaces for non-motorized users. RoanokeCounty City of Roanoke 0 400 800 1,200 1,600200 Feet Severe Injury Crash Legend Washington Avenue Pollard Street Maple Street Poplar Street Mitchell Road Mountain View Road Pine Street Meadow StreetMadison Avenue Bicycle crash Bicycle crash South Pollard Street to Mitchell Street South Pollard Street to Mitchell Road Rear End Head OnSideswipe - Same Direction Angle Motorcycle Bicyclist 42 43Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context South Pollard Street is a major collector that connects the Town of Vinton’s two primary east-west thoroughfares, Washington Avenue and Virginia Avenue. According to 2022 VDOT traffic data, the current average daily traffic (ADT) volume is 6,200 vehicles. The corridor has experienced 51 crashes since 2015, including 1 fatal and 1 serious injury crash, both of which were single vehicle run off road crashes. South Pollard Street provides access to Vinton’s downtown area. This downtown area includes retail, specialty services, restaurants, and other businesses as well as Town departments and public facilities, such as the Vinton Library. Both community members and visitors frequent this central business area and improvements towards traffic calming and pedestrian circulation would highly benefit this denser area of the Town. The most severe crashes were a result of driver behavior (distracted, unbelted, and/ or speeding). Installation of traffic calming measures, such as new high- visibility crosswalks or curb bump-outs, could better indicate to drivers on South Pollard Street that they are entering a low-speed zone. Prevalent Crash Characteristics SOUTH POLLARD STREET |SOUTH POLLARD STREET |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 6,200 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 25 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 1 Fatal Crashes: 1 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #4 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The (2) FSI crashes that occurred on South Pollard Street were a result of colliding with a fixed object, off-road; speeding, as well as being an unbelted, senior driver, were key factors of the fatal crash. Less severe crashes tended to be angle collisions. Overall, the corridor could benefit from traffic calming measures. Evaluate the installation of a roundabout at the Virginia Avenue and Pollard Street intersection • Roundabouts decrease the likelihood of severe collisions (such as T-bone or head-on crashes) by promoting low-speed, one-way traffic flow. By allowing continuous movement of vehicles, roundabouts reduce congestion and the stop-and-go conditions typical of signalized intersections. The circular design naturally slows vehicles down, reducing the potential for high-speed crashes, improving overall safety and improving overall traffic calming. In addition, slower vehicle speeds with well-designed crosswalks make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate roundabouts. Evaluate traffic calming measures along the corridor to slow traffic and encourage pedestrian circulation • As a corridor through Vinton’s downtown district, traffic calming installations, such as high-visibility crosswalks or curb bump-outs, could encourage drivers to slow down. Traffic calming may be piloted as temporary measures, such as initially using flexpost to narrow pedestrian crossing distance. Severe Injury Crash Fatal Crash Legend Pollard Street Maple Street Virginia Avenue Poplar Street Washington Avenue Cedar Avenue Cleveland Avenue 1st Street Jefferson Avenue Walnut Avenue 0 250 500 750 1,000125 Feet Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue AngleFixed Object Off Road 44 45Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Gus Nicks Boulevard is the western edge of the Washington Avenue corridor, one of the Town’s two primary east/west corridors, and serves as an entrance to the Town from the City of Roanoke. Gus Nicks Boulevard provides direct access to Route 460, a major commuter route for the region. The corridor has experienced 34 crashes since 2015, including 2 serious injury crashes. Prevalent Crash Characteristics GUS NICKS BOULEVARD |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 22,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 2 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #6 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The two severe crashes were a head on crash and an angle crash. Less severe crashes have varied characteristics, including a collision with a pedestrian. Evaluate the installation of a road diet (convert 4-lane undivided road to 2-lanes plus turning lane) • A road diet, which typically involves reducing the number of travel lanes and reallocating space for other uses, offers several benefits such as improved safety by reducing vehicle speeds and the number of collision points, and better traffic flow by streamlining traffic with dedicated turn lanes, reducing congestion and improving travel times. • Road reconfigurations also provide the opportunity to enhance pedestrian safety by adding bike lanes and wider sidewalks, providing safer spaces for non-motorized users. City of Roanoke Severe Injury Crash Legend 0 160 320 480 64080 Feet Gus Nicks Boulevard Highland Road Pollard Street Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street GUS NICKS BOULEVARD |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street Head On Angle 46 47Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context West Virginia Avenue is a major east/west corridor that serves as a primary entrance and thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. It is a high volume thoroughfare that also has a large number of driveways and intersections. This creates conflict when high-speed motorists traveling through the corridor come in contact with low-speed traffic turning onto and off of the corridor. The corridor has experienced 113 crashes since 2015, including 6 serious injury crashes. Prevalent Crash Characteristics VIRGINIA AVENUE |VIRGINIA AVENUE |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 27,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 6 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #8 Potential Strategies Half of the severe crashes were angle collisions. For less severe crashes, the highest occurrence of incidents were rear end crashes. Consider the installation of a roundabout at the Virginia Avenue & South Pollard Street intersection • Based on the survey, community members would like traffic calming to slow drivers down, as well as facilitating pedestrian and bicycle movements. There is a funded pedestrian improvement project around the 4th Street intersection that is anticipated to be constructed in 2028. The installation of a roundabout at the Virginia Avenue and South Pollard Street intersection may provide additional traffic calming and pedestrian safety benefits, especially in conjunction with the planned roundabout at Hardy Road and Bypass Road. Roundabouts lower the likelihood of high-speed collisions and T-bone crashes, common at traditional intersections, by promoting a continuous, circular flow of traffic at lower speeds. The design naturally slows down vehicles, which reduces the severity of any collisions that do occur and enhances overall safety for all road users. Pedestrians have fewer lanes to cross at a time and benefit from slower vehicle speeds, making crossing easier and safer. Consider closing the 4th Street median crossover • A funded project to address pedestrian safety is currently in the design phase, around the 4th Street intersection. These facilities will directly improve pedestrian circulation, however, other measures may be considered to address vehicle crashes (see Virginia Avenue & 4th Street intersection profile). Evaluate the installation of pedestrian facilities at 3rd Street intersection (See Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street intersection profile) City ofRoanoke 0 250 500 750 1,000125 Feet Virginia Avenue Pollard Pollard Street 1st Street 2nd Street Cedar Avenue Cleveland Avenue Augusta Avenue 3rd Street 4th Street Severe Injury Crash Legend Bicycle crash Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street Rear End Angle Bicyclist MotorcycleDistracted 48 49Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Mountain View Road is north-south corridor that connects to many residential communities and Washington Avenue. The surrounding land use is predominantly low-density residential, as well as an elementary school. The corridor has experienced 31 crashes since 2016, including 2 serious injury crashes, both of which were angle crashes; crashes clustered around the intersection with Ruddel Road (20/31). Prevalent Crash Characteristics MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD |MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD |LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR LOCATION PROFILES | CORRIDOR Average Daily Traffic: 4,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 25 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 1 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #10 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The severe injury crash occurred at the Ruddel Road intersection. The majority of the less-severe collisions occurred at this same location. Consider a corridor study of Mountain View Road (with a focus on the Ruddel Road intersection) • This corridor serves the surrounding residential area, as well as traffic to and from Roanoke County. A corridor study would provide the opportunity to gather feedback from the residents, as well as collect focused data on the Ruddel Road intersection. Consider the installation of bike lanes from Washington Avenue to Herman L. Horn Elementary School, and from Herman L. Horn Elementary School to the existing bike lane at the Roanoke County Line • Considering the residential surroundings, presence of Herman L. Horn Elementary School, the existing bike lane to the north in Roanoke County, and lack of bicycle/pedestrian facilities along Mountain View Road, there could be an opportunity to promote active transportation in the corridor. RoanokeCounty City ofRoanoke 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000250 Feet WashingtonAvenue Mountain View Road Bush Farm Drive Holiday Road ney Road Halliahurst Avenue Jeanette Avenue Preston Road Ruddell Road Olney Road Severe Injury Crash Legend Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line Angle 50 51Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Intersection Profiles 52 53Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Hardy Road is one of two primary east/west corridors in the Town of Vinton. West of Chestnut Street, Hardy Road becomes Virginia Avenue, leading into the City of Roanoke. Hardy Road to the east leads into Roanoke County and Bedford County. Hardy Road is a primary thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. Since 2015, 53 crashes have occurred at this intersection. Two of the 53 crashes were characterized as severe injury. Prevalent Crash Characteristics Hardy Road & Vinyard Road Hardy Road & Vinyard Road 0 40 80 120 16020 Feet Hardy Road Vinyard Road Crosswalks across all approaches Curb extension Severe Injury Crash Legend LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION Average Daily Traffic: 21,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 2 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes Community Survey Rank: #1 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies The two severe crashes were angle collisions, involving senior drivers. Speeding was a factor in one of the crashes. This is a busy intersection with several businesses and entrances along this corridor. Based on these characteristics and community feedback, this intersection would benefit from traffic calming and bicycle-pedestrian facilities. Evaluate the installation of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to encourage traffic calming (bike boxes, curb bump-outs, crosswalks on all approaches as well as repainting of existing crosswalks, etc.) Consider the installation of a roundabout • The installation of a roundabout may provide serious traffic calming and pedestrian safety benefits, especially in conjunction with the planned roundabout at Hardy Road and Bypass Road. Roundabouts lower the likelihood of high-speed collisions and T-bone crashes, common at traditional intersections, by promoting a continuous, circular flow of traffic at lower speeds. The design naturally slows down vehicles, which reduces the severity of any collisions that do occur and enhances overall safety for all road users. Pedestrians have fewer lanes to cross at a time and benefit from slower vehicle speeds, making crossing easier and safer. Angle Senior Driver Speeding 54 55Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Hardy Road is one of two primary east/west corridors in the Town of Vinton. West of Chestnut Street, Hardy Road becomes Virginia Avenue, leading into the City of Roanoke. Hardy Road to the east leads into Roanoke County and Bedford County. Hardy Road is a primary thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. Spruce Street is a short, local road that connects to residential communities to the north and south. Hardy Road and Spruce Street is an unsignalized intersection and since 2015, 18 crashes, including 2 serious injury crashes, have occurred at this location. Two of the serious injury crashes was a sideswipe in the same direction and both crashes collided with motorcyclists. The other collision involved a single vehicle running off the road; the driver of the single vehicle crash was under the influence and was not wearing their seatbelt while speeding, which contributed to the crash severity. The southbound approach has limited sight distance due to a house on the northeast corner. Prevalent Crash Characteristics Hardy Road & Spruce Street Hardy Road & Spruce Street 0 70 140 210 28035 Feet Severe Injury Crash Legend Hardy Road Augusta Avenue Spruce Street Pine Street Virginia Avenue Spruce Street ONLY Study access control measure implementations on Spruce Street (south) Consider conversion to a northbound one-way street on Spruce Street (north) LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION Average Daily Traffic: 21,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 3 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes / 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #2 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies This intersection is located on a sweeping curve, with a steep grade, resulting in limited sight distance Consider restricting Spruce Street north of Hardy Road to a one-way northbound road Consider limiting northbound through movements with a thru-cut on Spruce Street south of the intersection The high traffic volume and high number of intersections and driveways on Hardy Road creates many opportunities for collisions to occur. Limiting the northern leg of Spruce to one-way at this intersection will reduce these conflicts, address the challenges with sight distance, and improve safety. Eliminating through movements from the northbound approach may also reduce the chances for a collision to occur. Sideswipe Same Direction Fixed Object Off Road Motorcycle 56 57Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context Hardy Road is one of two primary east/west corridors in the Town of Vinton. West of Chestnut Street, Hardy Road becomes Virginia Avenue, leading into the City of Roanoke. Hardy Road to the east leads into Roanoke County and Bedford County. Hardy Road is a primary thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. Bedford Road is a short, local road that serves as an additional connection between Hardy Road and Vinyard Road. This unsignalized intersection has experienced 46 crashes since 2015, including 3 serious injury crashes. More than half of the overall crashes were angle collisions; the angle crashes occur from vehicles traveling southbound on Bedford Road onto Hardy Road as well as vehicles traveling northbound, exiting the parking lot area. Prevalent Crash Characteristics Hardy Road & Bedford Road Hardy Road & Bedford Road Close Bedford Road crossover Right-out only (westbound traffic to use roundabout or exit using Clearview Drive signal) SMART SCALE funded roundabout Severe Injury Crash Legend 0 175 350 525 70087.5 Feet Hardy Road Bedford Road Vinyard Road Clearview Drive Bypass Road LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION Average Daily Traffic: 21,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 4 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes / 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #3 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies There is a pattern of angle crashes around this intersection that occur when visibility is impacted Evaluate closing the Hardy Road and Bedford Road intersection, with the completion of the nearby Hardy Road/Bypass Road roundabout • Bedford Road provides access to few residences and one commercial use; the commercial use has additional access directly on Hardy Road as well. With the funded roundabout at Hardy Road/Bypass Road just east of this intersection, the ability to access Bedford Road from westbound H ardy Road and Vinyard Road, the number of overall crashes, including 3 high-severity crashes, and the overall low traffic volumes on Bedford Road, closing the Hardy Road and Bedford Road intersection should be explored. The completion of the roundabout would maintain access to Bedford Road for eastbound traffic if this intersection were closed. Angle Fixed Object Off Road Rain Night 58 59Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context West Virginia Avenue is a major east/west corridor that serves as a primary entrance and thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. It is a high volume thoroughfare that also has a large number of driveways and intersections. There have been 44 crashes at this signalized intersection since 2015, including 2 serious injury crashes. Both serious injury crashes were angle crashes in which an eastbound motorist on West Virginia Ave disregarded the traffic signal and collided with a vehicle traveling south from 3rd Street. Prevalent Crash Characteristics Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street 3rd Street Virginia Avenue Crosswalks across all approaches Adjust stop bars as needed Bicycle crash* Severe Injury Crash Legend 0 25 50 75 10012.5 Feet LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION Average Daily Traffic: 27,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 2 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes / 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #4 Potential Strategies There is a prevalence of angle crashes at this signalized intersection, including two bicycle crashes. With reported incidents of red-light running and distracted driving, this intersection would benefit from traffic calming implementations. Evaluate the installation of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to encourage traffic calming (bike boxes, curb bump-outs, crosswalks on all approaches as well as repainting of existing crosswalks, etc.) • There are currently no marked crosswalks at this intersection. Responses to the community survey indicated crossing West Virginia Avenue as a pedestrian is very difficult. Improving this intersection with pedestrian facilities is an opportunity to alleviate that concern. Pedestrian safety improvements, including marked crosswalks at 3rd St and across West Virginia Avenue with pedestrian signals and push buttons, are planned and have been approved under a HSIP grant. This plan does not currently include bicycle safety measures. Angle Bicyclist* *(1) severe injury bicycle crash (shown left) and (1) property damange only bicycle crash occurred at this intersection DistractedRed-Light Running 60 61Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Context West Virginia Avenue is a major east/west corridor that serves as a primary entrance and thoroughfare for the Town of Vinton. It is a high volume thoroughfare that also has a large number of driveways and intersections. This creates conflict when high-speed motorists traveling through the corridor come in contact with low-speed traffic turning onto and off of the corridor. The unsignalized intersection has seen 24 crashes since 2015, including 4 serious injury crashes. One of the serious injury crashes was a single-vehicle collision with a fixed object off the road. The other serious crashes were a rear end caused by following too closely, a same direction sideswipe, and an angle crash when a driver crossed the median into the westbound travel lanes. The majority of crashes were rear end collisions. Pedestrian improvements along Virginia Avenue, including a marked crosswalk at 4th St, have been approved under a HSIP grant. Details ofthese improvements may be found in the appendix of this report. Prevalent Crash Characteristics Virginia Avenue & 4th Street Virginia Avenue & 4th Street 12004080 16020 Feet Severe Injury Crash Legend Traffic to/from 4th Street to use 3rd Street signal Close 4th Street crossover 4th Street Virginia Avenue LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION LOCATION PROFILES | INTERSECTION Average Daily Traffic: 27,000 vehicles/day Speed Limit: 35 mph Severe Injury Crashes: 4 2015-2023 Number of Lanes: 4 lanes / 2 lanes Community Survey Rank: #5 Safety Analysis Potential Strategies For vehicles southbound on 4th Street, the curvature of Virginia Avenue (towards the City of Roanoke) may create challenges for drivers attempting to make a left-turn. Evaluate closing the median crossover • Median crossovers present multiple conflict points where vehicles traveling in opposite directions can collide, especially during left turns. By closing these crossovers and redirecting traffic to the signalized 3rd Street intersection, the number of conflict points is reduced, thus decreasing the potential for collisions. • Signalized intersections manage traffic more efficiently by controlling the flow and reducing the likelihood of abrupt stops or merges. This control helps to smooth traffic flow and minimize sudden braking or acceleration, which can lead to accidents. In addition, the signalized 3rd Street intersection can be improved to include designated pedestrian crossing signals and marked crosswalks, providing safer crossing opportunities for pedestrians. Angle Rear End Sideswipe Same Direction DistractedFixed Object Off Road 62 63Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Fall 2024 Engagement Summary In September 2024, public outreach was directed towards collecting comments on the location-specific and systemic recommendations for the intersections and corridors with the highest number of fatal and serious injury crashes. An online survey was available from September 3 to September 30, 2024. There were a total of 18 responses as part of the public outreach. Respondents were asked how much they would be willing to spend to improve each of the priority locations, and were then asked to rank and comment on a set of potential improvements for each priority location. The table below shows the spending prioritization for each corridor in order of their average score. The mapped ranking is shown in Figure 13. A detailed summary of the responses to each corridor is provided on the following pages. Figure 13. Fall Community Engagement: Corridor Spending Map Table 3. Fall Community Engagement Corridor Spending 64 65Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Corridor Recommendations & Community Input Recommendations are ordered by community prioritization per September 2024 survey I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No responseX 1 2 Corridor Recommendations & Community Input Washington Avenue West Mountain View RoadWashington Avenue East I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No response DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)?DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response wash - w 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response mtn view0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response wash ave - e wash - w I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 10 mtn view I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 12 wash ave -e I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 9$ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? CONSIDER CONDUCTING A CORRIDOR STUDY EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF A ROAD DIET EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF A ROAD DIET EVALUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF A ROAD DIET CONSIDER POTENTIAL BIKE & PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS ALONG CORRIDOR IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? Gus Nicks Boulevard DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response gus nicks gus nicks I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 9 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? OTHER COMMENTS?OTHER COMMENTS?OTHER COMMENTS? Free responses were very concerned that a road diet would exacerbate traffic congestion along this corridor. One response discussed that especially with the presence of heavy vehicles that utilize Washington Avenue, reducing a lane would impact existing traffic operations. Others discussed that bicycle lanes are not necessary. Free responses similarly noted that they were very concerned that a road diet would exacerbate traffic congestion along this corridor. One response discussed that especially with the presence of heavy vehicles that utilize Washington Avenue, reducing a lane would impact existing traffic operations. Others discussed that bicycle lanes are not necessary. Free responses similarly noted that they were very concerned that a road diet would exacerbate traffic congestion along this corridor. One response discussed that especially with the presence of heavy vehicles that utilize Washington Avenue, reducing a lane would impact existing traffic operations. Others discussed that bicycle lanes are not necessary. Some free responses supported bike lanes or at a minimum, sharrows with shared lane signage. A suggestion was also made for a right-turn lane into the elementary school. One response disagreed with the installation of bike lanes, and another response noted that they would like better enforcement of the current speed limit. Additionally, a comment described that the Rudell Road intersection has difficult sight distance, which contributes to this location being a hotspot for crashes. Free responses strongly supported a road diet, as it would provide a left- turn lane. Respondents discussed how rear end crashes occur from drivers waiting to make a left-turn and getting struck. Others requested more police presence along this corridor to enforce speed limits and reduce distracted driving.Other suggestions included widening the sidewalk and installing midblock crossings. Similar to Washington Avenue West, free responses supported the installation of left-turn lanes, but disagreed with removing a lane for bicyclists. Responses also suggested reducing the speed limit, increasing enforcement, widening the sidewalk, and installing midblock crossings. Similar to Washington Avenue West/East, free responses supported the installation of left-turn lanes, but disagreed with removing a lane for bicyclists. Responses also suggested increasing enforcement of the existing speed limit and widening the sidewalk. 7 1 9 7 2 4 2 66 67Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Corridor Recommendations & Community Input Recommendations are ordered by community prioritization per September 2024 surveyRecommendations are ordered by community prioritization per September 2024 survey I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No responseXX Corridor Recommendations & Community Input South Pollard Street Virginia Avenue I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No response DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response pollard 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response va pollard I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 10 va I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 11 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? EVALUATE A ROUNDABOUT AT THE VIRGINIA AVENUE INTERSECTION EVALUATE A ROUNDABOUT AT THE SOUTH POLLARD STREET INTERSECTION EVALUATE A ROUNDABOUT AT THE VINYARD ROAD INTERSECTION IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? Hardy Road DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response hardy hardy I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 12 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? CONSIDER POTENTIAL BIKE & PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AT THE 3RD STREET INTERSECTION EVALUATE CLOSING MEDIAN CROSSOVER AT THE 4TH STREET INTERSECTION EVALUATE CLOSING MEDIAN CROSSOVER AT THE BEDFORD ROAD INTERSECTION 1 123 432 CONSIDER ONE-WAY STREET CONVERSION (NORTHBOUND) ON SPRUCE STREET IMPLEMENT THRU-CUT INTERSECTION STUDY WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? OTHER COMMENTS?OTHER COMMENTS? OTHER COMMENTS?Free responses were concerned that a roundabout would impact traffic operations due to the existing volume. Another respondent noted that the intersection had been recently improved, following the installation of a flashing-yellow light, so further improvements would not be needed. Free responses disagreed with a roundabout or bike lanes, either because it may impact traffic operations or because return on investment would be low. Free responses described that the existing traffic volume would conflict with a roundabout, however, supported closing the median crossover at Bedford Road. Additionally, one response suggested reviewing signal timings for signal coordination along Hardy Road.Free responses ranged from requesting additional traffic calming, sidewalks, crosswalks, and midblock crossings. The free response supported expanding sidewalks, but not the installation of bike lanes nor roundabouts. This respondent was very concerned about the curvature and grade of the road as dangerous for cyclists. Free responses disagreed with evaluating a roundabout because of the existing traffic volume. Another commenter requested increasing enforcement of the speed limit along this corridor. 7 1 6 1 4 2 68 69Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan The September 2024 survey asked respondents to how much they would be willing to spend to improve each of the priority intersections. The table below shows the spending prioritization for each intersection in order their average score. The mapped ranking is shown in Figure 14. A detailed summary of the responses to each intersection is provided on the following pages. Figure 14. Fall Community Engagement: Intersection Spending MapTable 4. Fall Community Engagement Intersection Spending Intersection Recommendations & Community Input 70 71Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Intersection Recommendations & Community Input Recommendations are ordered by community prioritization per September 2024 survey I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No responseX 1 12 2 Intersection Recommendations & Community Input Virginia Avenue & 4th Street Hardy Road & Spruce Street Hardy Road & Vinyard RoadVirginia Avenue & 3rd Street I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No response DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? OTHER COMMENTS? DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response va/4th 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response hardy/spruce0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response va/3rd investment 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response hardy-vinyard Do you agree with the potential improvements? I agree Not sure Disagree No response 13 Hardy/spruce I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 10 12 Hardy/vinyard I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 9 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? CONSIDER ONE-WAY STREET CONVERSION (NORTHBOUND) ON SPRUCE STREET IMPLEMENT THRU-CUT INTERSECTION STUDY EVALUATE CLOSING MEDIAN CROSSOVER CONSIDER POTENTIAL BIKE & PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION CONSIDER POTENTIAL BIKE & PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IMPLEMENT A ROUNDABOUT STUDY IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? The free responses felt that bicycle lanes are not needed in the Town. One comment disagreed with the installation of bike lanes, however, supported installation of more sidewalks. Free responses discussed that the possible recommendations would provide low cost of return. Commentors noted that volume was high at this intersection with limited public right-of-way. Additionally, others commented that they felt there would be low return on investment, or that roundabouts and bike lanes are not needed. An additional comment noted that the presence of fast-food restaurants around this intersection cause congestion issues, due to drive-thru queueing. 2 3 4 2 5 3 8 1 72 73Countermeasures, Strategies & Location Profiles Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Intersection Recommendations & Community Input Hardy Road & Bedford Road I agree with this recommendation I’m not sure how I feel about this recommendation I disagree with this recommendation No response DO YOU AGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ No response Hardy/bedford - investment hardy/bedford I agree I'm not sure I disagree No response 12 $ $$ $$$ $$$$ IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SPEND TO IMPROVE THIS INTERSECTION? EVALUATE CLOSING MEDIAN CROSSOVER WHY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT(S)? The free response felt the improvement was not needed, as there would be no return on the investment. 3 3 74 75Equity Considerations Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Equity Considerations4 The Safe Streets and Roads for All Notice of Funding Opportunity defines equity as: Equity is the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. For the Town of Vinton, data from the American Community Survey was analyzed to better understand existing equity challenges in the Town. Figure 15. American Community Survey Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months The Town of Vinton has an estimated population of 8,000 residents. According to the American Community Survey, approximately 10% of the population is determined to be impoverished. The Census Bureau defines poverty as “if a family’s total income is less than the family’s threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty.” When a household is experiencing poverty, it creates challenges in many facets, including transportation. Per the Transportation Security Index by the University of MIchigan, “more than half of the adults in the U.S. who are experiencing poverty are also experiencing transportation insecurity.” Transportation insecurity occurs when “people are unable to get to where they need to go to meet the needs of their day life regularly, reliably, and safely” (USDOT). Figure 12 highlights the census tracts in the Town of Vinton in red. According to the American Community Survey data, each of the two census tracts has 9-10% of households that are living below the poverty line. Some households may have access to a personal vehicle, however, improving bicycle-pedestrian movement through the Town may provide the most overarching benefits. The Town of Vinton is also served by the Valley Metro bus line; the Town could pursue collaboration with the City of Roanoke for transit-related improvements. 76 77Policy and Process Changes Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Policy and Process Changes5 Enforcement and Policies Goal: Discourage undesirable or illegal behaviors that are not necessarily addressed through engineering countermeasures. 1.A: Increase Law Enforcement Patrol Increasing law enforcement patrol would discourage or address dangerous or illegal driver behavior. However, local law enforcement is constrained (with staffing shortages, budget, etc.) and additional collaboration is needed to identify feasibility and limitations. 1.B: Implement Speed Cameras Based on survey responses and discussions with community meeting attendees, there is a high concern for speeding on Town roadways. At the time of this report, Virginia legislation only permits speed cameras in school zones and work zones. The installation of speed cameras in these locations would provide enforcement without the physical presence of law enforcement and could encourage drivers to be more aware of their speeds elsewhere. Additional budget will need to be allocated to review and process violations. This recommendation would also necessitate Code changes and needs to be discussed with Town of Vinton Police before including. 1.C: Implement Red Light Cameras As described with reviewing signal timings, the Town of Vinton residents are very concerned with red-light running behavior at intersections. Red light cameras are permitted in Virginia localities, however, the quantity of cameras is restricted by population. Additional budget will need to be allocated to review and process violations. This recommendation would also necessitate Code changes and needs to be discussed with Town of Vinton Police before including. Intersection and Corridor Studies Goal: Dedicate time and budget for a focused and nuanced study of a specific intersection or corridor. 2.A: Conduct an Intersection or Corridor Study Where an intersection or corridor experienced a high number of fatal and serious injury crashes without a clear crash pattern, further study is needed for developing recommendations. A specific intersection or corridor study would gather additional information about roadway conditions and learn about resident experiences, priorities, and future goals for that particular location. 2.B: Conduct a Speed Study Speeding is a top concern for the Town of Vinton residents and high vehicle speeds lead to more severe crashes. A speed study in select locations could identify areas where drivers tend to excessively exceed the posted speed limit and could serve as an element of project prioritization for design solutions. Land Use Goal: Coordinate with property owners to create safer conditions around high-priority intersections 3.A: Improve Access Management Where several entrances are present near an intersection, there is an opportunity to consolidate these access driveways to reduce the number of conflict points. Ease of access would improve traffic flow nearby intersections. Better access management would benefit, not only drivers but adjacent property owners and businesses. Implementation would require ongoing coordination and negotiation with private property owners. As part of the Safe Streets and Roads For All (SS4A) process, it is important for the Town of Vinton to review its current plans and policies to identify opportunities for improvements. There are several plans that also contribute to the development of the Town of Vinton’s transportation system. Vinton Area Corridors Plan (2010) Prepared by the Town of Vinton, Roanoke County, and the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, the Vinton Area Corridors Plan was created to be adopted as part of each locality’s comprehensive plan. The Corridors Plan intended to guide regional decision-making for future development in the Town of Vinton, reflecting goals and objectives had been collaboratively developed together between the County and Town. Specific to the Town’s transportation, the plan focused on six primary corridors: Bypass Road, Hardy Road, South Pollard Street, Virginia Avenue, Walnut Avenue, and Washington Avenue. This study involved taking inventory of existing roadway characteristics, establish existing traffic volume and operations, evaluate bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure, and key Town destinations. Recommendations related to transportation include incorporating bicycle infrastructure within future Walnut Avenue and Hardy Road VDOT Six-Year Road Improvement projects, improving signage and pavement markings, and improving pedestrian conditions at specific intersections (Hardy Road/Vinyard Road, Hardy Road/Niagara Road, Hardy Road/ Clearview Drive). Gus Nicks Boulevard & Washington Avenue Corridor Improvement Study (2019) The Gus Nicks Boulevard and Washington Avenue Study was prepared by the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization (RVTPO). Crash analysis found that poor lighting and driving behavior contributed to crash occurrence and severity along these corridors; furthermore, drivers involved in these collisions tended to be young male drivers. The study recommends the installation of bike lanes, lane narrowing, and additional study and data collection for possible implementation, including collecting speed data, traffic volume on side streets, peak hour volumes and analysis, access management, and considering a pilot study for a road diet conversion. Several pedestrian-specific interventions were discussed as well, such as replacing or installing high-visibility crosswalk markings, installing leading pedestrian interval crossings, raised crossings, curb extensions, pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs), and pedestrian safety islands. These recommendations are still applicable in improving road safety in the Town, however, the included cost estimates are taken from a 2019 context. Town of Vinton GAP SummaryRoute 24 Bike/Ped Plan (2022) The Route 24 Bike/Ped Plan is the most recent plan focusing specifically on major routes in the Town of Vinton. This plan gathered existing roadway conditions and feedback from the community, producing a toolkit for possible bicycle-pedestrian improvements through the Town. The toolkit provides possible projects for different contexts, such as signalized intersections, uncontrolled crossings, within residential neighborhoods, and the downtown area. Similar to the 2019 study, the specific recommendations presented in this plan are still applicable in improving road safety in the Town. Additionally, this plan provides an ordered list and mapping of prioritized improvements that should be accounted for, as many locations directly correlate with this Safety Action Plan. 78 79Strategy and Project Selections Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Strategy and Project Selections6 The built environment plays a major role in roadway safety. This chapter highlights potential improvements to road and intersection design in the Town of Vinton, and provides a list of potential projects to address safety concerns at locations identified in this study. Road and Intersection Design Goal: Improve roads and intersections to increase driver visibility, encourage drivers to slow down and be aware of their surroundings, and facilitate safe bicycle and pedestrian movement. 1.A: Add New Signage or Improve Existing Signage Installation of new signage or improving existing signage may alert drivers of upcoming road conditions or to increase awareness of bicyclists and pedestrians. Signage improvements could include increasing the size of existing signs, adding flashing lights, or adding reflectivity to improve visibility to drivers. 1.B: Improve Sight Distance Adequate sight distance is vitally important in creating safe intersections and entrances. In certain locations, there were short-term opportunities in improving sight distance by cutting back trees and landscaping. Improving sight distance through grading or other design interventions would require further study and additional coordination with involved parties. 1.C: Intersection Redesign Intersections are often hotspots for collisions, as an area of changing traffic conditions. Safety can be improved at intersections through smaller projects (such as adding sidewalk, curb bumpouts, etc.) or larger projects (such as reducing the size of the intersection, installing a roundabout/Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT)/Thru-Cut, etc.). Redesigning an intersection may vary in scope but should ultimately slow down drivers, improve visibility, and accommodate different modes of transportation, as applicable. 1.D: Add a Turn Lane or Improve Existing Turn Lane Adding a turn lane or improving an existing turn lane could improve traffic flow and reduce collisions. Where there is not currently a turn lane, adding a turn lane would allow a vehicle to wait in a designated location before turning when there is adequate time to clear an intersection. An existing turn lane could be improved with the installation of a left-turn offset, which could improve visibility at intersections where the turning vehicle must yield to oncoming through traffic. 1.E: Review Signal Timings Reviewing and revising signal timings could improve traffic flow and alleviate pressure at certain intersections. Based on community input, uncoordinated signals may be contributing to driver frustration and potentially increasing risky and dangerous behavior. Along corridors with coordinated signals such as Hardy Road, the existing timing plan should be reviewed. Additionally, many survey respondents and community meeting attendees observed frequent red-light running behavior; longer all red timings could improve crashes due to red-light running. Enforcement and policy should additionally be considered to discourage dangerous driver behavior. 80 81Strategy and Project Selections Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Potential Project Improvements Summary | Corridors Potential Project Improvements Summary | Corridors Location Crashes Community Ranking (Per Fall 2024 Survey) Potential Project Cost Estimate Time Frame Serious Injury Fatal Hardy Road (Chestnut Street to Bypass Road) 11 0 1 Consider access management at the Spruce Street intersection $-$$$Short Term / Long Term Consider the installation of a roundabout at the Hardy Road and Vinyard Road intersection $$$- $$$$Long Term Evaluate closing the Hardy Road and Bedford Road intersection $$-$$$Long Term Consider opportunities for improving access mangement along the Hardy Road corridor $$-$$$ Long Term Requires coordination and agreements with private property owners Washington Avenue (Mitchell Road to Roanoke County Line) 5 1 2 Evaluate the installation of a road reconfiguration $$-$$$Long Term Washington Avenue (South Pollard Street to Mitchell Road) 6 0 3 Evaluate the installation of a road reconfiguration $$-$$$Long Term South Pollard Street (Washington Avenue to Virginia Avenue) 1 1 4 Evaluate the installation of a roundabout at the Virginia Avenue and South Pollard Street intersection $$$- $$$$Long Term Evaluate traffic calming measures along the corridor to slow down traffic and encourage pedestrian circulation $-$$$Short Term / Long Term Traffic calming measures may be piloted through temporary or quick-build projects Location Crashes Community Ranking (Per Fall 2024 Survey) Potential Project Cost Estimate Time Frame Serious Injury Fatal Gus Nicks Boulevard (Roanoke City Limits to South Pollard Street) 2 0 6 Evaluate the installation of a road reconfiguration $$-$$$Long Term Virginia Avenue (Roanoke City Line to South Pollard Street) 6 0 8 Evaluate the installation of a roundabout at the Virginia Avenue and South Pollard Street intersection $$$- $$$$Long Term Consider closing the 4th Street median crossover $$-$$$Short Term Evaluate the installation of pedestrian facilities at 3rd Street intersection $-$$$Short Term / Long Term Pedestrian facilities may be piloted through temporary or quick-build projects Mountain View Road (Washington Avenue to Roanoke County Line) 1 0 10 Consider a corridor study of Mountain View Road (with a focus on the Ruddel Road intersection) $Short Term Consider the installation of bike lanes from Washington Avenue to Herman L. Horn Elementary School to the existing bike lane at the Roanoke County Line $$-$$$Long Term 82 83Strategy and Project Selections Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Potential Project Improvements Summary | Intersections Location Crashes Community Ranking (Per Fall 2024 Survey) Potential Project Cost Estimate Time Frame Serious Injury Fatal Hardy Road & Vinyard Road 2 0 1 Evaluate the installation of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to encourage traffic calming $-$$$Short Term / Long Term Traffic calming measures may be piloted through temporary or quick-build projects Consider the installation of a roundabout $$$- $$$$Long Term Hardy Road & Spruce Street 3 0 2 Consider restricting Spruce Street north of Hardy Road to a one-way northbound road $Short Term Consider limiting northbound through movements with a thru-cut on Spruce Street south of the intersection $$-$$$Long Term Hardy Road & Bedford Road 4 0 3 Evaluate closing the Hardy Road and Bedford Road intersection $-$$Long Term Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street 2 0 4 Evaluate the installation of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to encourage traffic calming $-$$$Long Term Traffic calming measures may be piloted through temporary or quick-build projects Virginia Avenue & 4th Street 4 0 5 Evaluate closing the median crossover $-$$Long Term 84 85Strategy and Project Selections Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Supplemental Planning & Demonstration Activities Under the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program, localities may apply for funding to explore supplemental planning and demonstration activities. Planning activities aim to gather more information through studies, plans, or audits and demonstration activities include implementations related to infrastructure, behavior, or technology. Infrastructure activites could include conducting temporary ‘quick-build’ projects, temporary street or lane closures (road diets), or MUTCD engineering studies. Localities that would like to address driver behavior and education may pilot educational campaigns, provide training (such as focusing on bus drivers and bike-pedestrian awareness), or develop projects around Safe Routes to School, encouraging best practices in student pick-up and drop-off. A variety of technological implementations could be pursued, such as signal timings and upgrades for bike-pedestrian prioritization or signal reemption for emergency vehicles, installation of red-light and speed cameras, and data collection. Type Activity Location Cost Notes Supplemental Planning Corridor/intersection study or road safety audit Mountain View Road (From Roanoke County Line to Washington Avenue) $$High incidences of crashes at the Mountain View Road & Ruddell Road intersection; study could focus on potential intersection improvements and possible corridor-wide implementations Demonstration Infrastructure Quick-Build Projects Virginia Avenue & 4th Street $Use flex-post to pilot closing the 4th Street crossover; evaluate if crashes improve Hardy Road & Bedford Road $Use flex-post to pilot closing the Bedford Road crossover; evaluate if crashes improve Washington Avenue $$Consider temporary pedestrian refuge islands (midblock crossings) Temporary Road Diet Washington Avenue & Gus Nicks Boulevard $$-$$$ While some residents support the road diet, other residents are unsure or oppose a road diet along these corridors. Piloting a temporary road diet would familiarize drivers with a possible intervention and allow Town staff to evaluate road diet conditions. Data and observations to be collected throughout the process and feedback to be gathered at the end of the trial period. Type Activity Location Cost Notes Demonstration Infrastructure MUTCD Engineering Studies Washington Avenue & Gus Nicks Boulevard $$ Evaluate warrants for safety impact strategies for pedestrian infrastructure (such as rectangular rapid- flashing beacons (RRFBs)/high intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK) beacon signals) Demonstration Behavioral Educational or Training Campaigns -$ Pattern of senior drivers involved in the FSI crashes, particularly with pedestrians and bicyclists Educational/training could be paired with studying rideshare interest or other transportation alternatives for individuals for those aging out of driving -$ Pattern of motorcyclists involved in the FSI crashes; education campaigns to raise awareness about looking for motorcyclists Demonstration Technology Data Collection & Signal Timings Virginia Avenue & 3rd Street $$Collect bicycle-pedestrian volume data and review signal timings; consider if intersections would benefit from leading pedestrian intervalsHardy Road & Vinyard Road $$ Data Collection Hardy Road & Spruce Street $Collect conditions and number of near-misses that occur at this intersection 86 87Funding Options Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Funding Options Administering Agency Program Name Description Eligible Projects Source of Funds Local Match Required Level of Funding Available VDOT SMART SCALE SMART SCALE evalutes proposed transportation projects based on certain criteria (improving safety, reducing congestion, increasing accessibility, contributing to economic development, promoting efficient land use, and affecting the environment). The scored criteria determines priorization of funds. • Highway improvements • Transit- and rail-capacity expansion • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements • Transportation Demand Management (Park & Ride facilities) Federal and State No N/A Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is intended to facilitate the goals of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The purpose of this plan is to implement safety improvements in Virginia. • Projects consistent with Virginia’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan • Correcting or improving a hazardous road location or feature, or address a highway safety problem • Projects based on crash experience, crash potential, crash rate, or other relevant safety data Federal No No maximum, but award amount likely under $1M Administering Agency Program Name Description Eligible Projects Source of Funds Local Match Required Level of Funding Available VDOT HSIP (cont.)• Be listed under 23 U.S.C. 148(a)(4)(B) or (a)(11); and • Comply with other Title 23 requirements Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Expanded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is intended to provide funding for non- motorized transportation. • Projects pertaining to non- motorized transportation • Expand travel choice for daily needs, strengthens local economy, improves quality of life, and protects the environment Federal Yes, 20%Funding awards between $200,000 and $600,000 88 89Funding Options Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Administering Agency Program Name Description Eligible Projects Source of Funds Local Match Required Level of Funding Available VDOT Safe Routes to School (Part of TAP) The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiative is part of the VDOT TAP program. SRTS program’s purpose is to encourage students, including those with disabilities, to walk or bike to school, by establishing safer bike-ped connections and reducing traffic • Walkabout mini-grants to assess existing walking and biking conditions • Program grants • Infrastructure grants Federal The Virginia SRTS program is a locally- administered reimbursement program. For new applicants, provides 100% of total funding with no match required. However, applicants are still encouraged to leverage funding from other sources. Varies Revenue Sharing VDOT’S Revenue Sharing program enables localities to match investment with the state, in order to fund construction and/or improvement of highway systems • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements • Corridor widening and stormwater management improvements • Traffic calming • Green infrastructure State Yes, 50%A locality may apply for a maximum of $10M per biennial cycle (or $5M per fiscal year) and the maximum lifetime matching per project is $10M. This limitation includes any allocations transferred to the project. Up to $2.5M per fiscsal year of these requested funds may be specified for maintenance projects. Administering Agency Program Name Description Eligible Projects Source of Funds Local Match Required Level of Funding Available DMV Virginia Highway Safety Office (VAHSO) The intent of the VAHSO grant program is to reduce the number of fatalities, injuries, and related economic losses from traffic collisions in Virginia. Initiatives to: • Reduce alcohol/impaired driving • Promote occupant protection • Reduce aggressive driving and speeding • Collect and analyze traffic records/data • Promote bicycle-pedestrian safety • Promote motorcycle safety • Promote roadway safety State Yes, 25%Minimum award: $5,000 No maximum award USDOT & Local MPO Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program provides flexible funding for transportation improvement needs. • Installation/deployment of current and emerging intelligent transportation technologies • Protective features, including natural infrastrucure, to improve the experience of an eligible facility • Projects to enhance travel and tourism Federal No Funding is based on population ratio Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the CRP provides funding to develop carbon reduction strategies and for projects to reduce transportation carbon dioxide emissions. Strategies must be developed in consultation with MPOs. • Bike lanes • Traffic management • Public transportation • Pedestrian facilities • Alternative fueling/charging infrastructure Federal No Virginia is expected to receive nearly $166 million in CRP funding from fiscal year (FY) 2022 to FY 2026. Funds are awarded in proportion to population. 90 91Funding Options Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Administering Agency Program Name Description Eligible Projects Source of Funds Local Match Required Level of Funding Available USDOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program provides investment towards transportation initiatives that create a significant local or regional impact. • Highway, bridge, or other road projects • Public transportation projects • Any other surface transportation infrastructure project that the Secretary considers to be necessary to advance the goals of the program Federal Yes, 20%Minimum award: Capital projects (urban) - $5M Capital projects (rural) - $1M Planning projects - no minimum Maximum award: $25M Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities Grant See Sheet 84 for expanded description and possible activities directly applicable to this Safety Action Plan Federal Yes, 20%Varies significantly Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant The SS4A Implementation Grant provides funding towards project and strategy implementation as outlined in this Action Plan. Federal Yes, 20%Varies significantly 92 93Progress and Transparency Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Progress and Transparency7 The Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a commitment along with strategies and actions to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on roadways across the Town. This Plan can serve people across agencies, departments, organizations, and interest groups to unite around the importance of roadway safety and a positive traffic safety culture. Action items identified by this plan should be used by the Town and partners on projects, policies, and programs. Additionally, the Town should consistently measure how actions are making roadways safer and saving lives. Performance Measures and Dashboard The Town of Vinton should monitor the progress and impact of individual actions related to each strategy. Evaluation is essential for the data-driven approach of the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. There must be accountability to the commitment of eliminating traffic deaths and severe injuries. If certain actions are not successful, not moving fast enough, or not working for another reason, the Town and partnering agencies should assess and modify actions as needed. Measuring progress and success can be accomplished using a data dashboard. Routine updates can be made to the dashboard when new projects are funded, designed, and implemented will highlight changes and mark milestone efforts related to increasing roadway safety. This tool can provide insight into a number of metrics, including but not limited to: • Number of fatal and serious injury crashes • Total Crashes • Crashes along the HIN and changes in crash rates over time • Crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians • Crashes resulting from high posted speeds • Crashes occurring during particular weather conditions The dashboard is available for public viewing here, or by using the following link: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/ dashboards/9e034966a97646dea732aaa5fa589ff9 Annual Reporting Along with tracking several performance measures and the use of a data dashboard, annual reporting will provide the Town an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and communicate steps toward eliminating fatal and severe injury crashes. The Town of Vinton will publish an annual report on the progress of the SS4A Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The report will be published in January or February of each year and may include the following: • Updated crash statistics with a focus on fatal and serious injury crashes • Projects completed or beginning construction • Proven Safety Countermeasures deployed • Funding associated with safety projects Transparency The Town of Vinton has developed the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan with the goal of full transparency. The Action Plan will be publicly available on the Town of Vinton’s website. Interim documents like the annual report will also be posted on the Town’s website. The Roanoke Times 94 95Appendix: Town Project Exhibits Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Appendix: Town Project ExhibitsA Priority Corridor #5 & #9 Hardy Road | Bypass Road to Roanoke County Line Bypass Road | Washington Avenue to Hardy Road There is a funded SMART SCALE project at the intersection of Hardy Road and Bypass Road. The project will convert a signalized intersection to a one-lane roundabout with slip lanes. Construction for all projects is anticipated to be completed in 2030. Priority Corridor #9 Bypass Road | Washington Avenue to Hardy Road In the Summer 2024, Vinton Town Council authorized filing a SMART SCALE application for a roundabout at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Bypass Road. The Town will be notified in 2025 if the proposed project was approved for funding by VDOT. Route 24 Washington Avenue Bypass Road Hardy Road Funded SMART SCALE roundabout project Roundabout project submitted for SMART SCALE funding 96 97Appendix: Town Project Exhibits Town of Vinton Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Priority Corridor #7 Walnut Avenue | Roanoke City Limits to Lee Avenue There are three phases of transportation improvements along the Walnut Avenue corridor. The Town has been actively pursuing funding to install sidewalk, curb and gutter, crosswalks, bike lanes, lighting, and ADA ramps along this corridor. Phases 1 and 2 have been completed and Phase 3 has been funded. Construction for Phase 3 is anticipated to begin in June 2026. Phase 1: Roanoke City Limits to 5th Street - Completed Phase 2: Lee Avenue to 1st Street - Completed Phase 3: 1st Street to 5th Street - Funded, in progress Priority Corridor #8 & Intersection #5 Virginia Avenue | Roanoke City Limits to South Pollard Street Virginia Avenue & 4th Street With VDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding, pedestrian facilities are to be constructed near the Virginia Avenue and 4th Street intersection. This project proposes a signalized pedestrian crossing at the Precision Fabric Group entrance, crosswalk improvements, and ADA ramp construction. © 2023 Microsoft Corporation © 2023 Maxar ©CNES (2023) Distribution Airbus DS WEST VIRGINIA AVE 4T H S T PRECISION FABRICS GROUP INC. TAX ID: 060.19-01-01.00-0000 MULLINS JOHN G; MULLINS SHIRLEY V TAX ID: 060.15-04-41.00-0000 1,050 S F 320 SF 220 SF TAX ID : 0 6 0 . 1 5 - 0 4 - 4 4 . 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 CONCEPTUAL ACCESS IMPROVEMENT PLAN CON-1 DATE DESCRIPTIONREV CHECKED BY: DRAWN BY: ISSUE DATE: SEALS SUBMITTED BY: DESIGNED BY: APP CONCEPTUAL ADA IMPROVEMENTS FOR HSIP / SGR PAVING PROJECTS THE TOWN OF VINTON, VA PROJECT NO:60716577 PROJECT PHASE:PRELIMINARY 10 South Jefferson Street Suite 1600 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 540.857.3100 tel www.aecom.com311 S POLLARD STREET VINTON, VA 24179 SHEET TITLE OCTOBER 2023 B. FLICI B. FLICI M. JAMISON B. JAMES MA T C H L I N E - S E E S H E E T C O N - 2 CONSTRUCT ADA COMPLIANT CURB RAMPS WITH DETECTABLE WARNING UNITS (TYP.) DEEP MILL ASPHALT TO PROVIDE 2% CROSS SLOPE BETWEEN PEDESTRIAN RAMPS RECONSTRUCT EXISTING ACCESS FOR 2% CROSS SLOPE ON SIDEWALK BEHIND THE ACCESS (TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT LIKELY REQUIRED) APPROXIMATE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY LIMITS ASPHALT RESTORATION BEYOND SIDEWALK LIKELY REQUIRED (TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT REQUIRED) 10' PEDESTAL POLE WITH PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL INDICATION AND PUSHBUTTON PROPOSED TRAFFIC SIGNAL JUNCTION BOX (TYP.) PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL INDICATION AND PUSHBUTTON ON EXISTING MAST ARM INSTALL CROSSWALK (TYP.) INSTALL PVC CONDUIT AND CABLE (TYP.) DEMO AND RECONSTRUCT CONCRETE ISLAND FOR PROPOSED CROSSWALK INSTALL SIGNAL CABLE IN EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROLLER CABINET (CONTROLLER CABINET MAY BE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY) APPROXIMATE LIMITS OF MILL AND OVERLAY (TYP.) ASSUME 20 LF OF 12" WATERLINE RELOCATION ADJUST SEWER MANHOLE AT 4TH STREET TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT (TYP.) PROFFITT HURT & PROFFITT HURT & Meeting Date February 4, 2025 Department Planning and Zoning Issue A joint work session of the Town Council and Planning Commission to give an update on the Vinton 2050 – Comprehensive Plan Update. Summary The Comprehensive Plan Update project has been undertaken by a consultant team (3TP Ventures and their subconsultants – New Paradigm and Line and Grade) in close collaboration with Town Planning and Zoning and Administration personnel; the Advisory Committee and Focus Groups. The first Comprehensive Plan Update joint work session of the Town Council and Planning Commission was held on October 1, 2024. A community meeting was held on November 12, 2024, and the fourth Advisory Committee meeting was recently held on January 17, 2025. The focus of this joint work session is to get the Council’s and Planning Commission’s feedback on the draft goals, vision map, and land use policies of the Comprehensive Plan. Attachments • Draft Vision Principles and Goals • Draft Vision Map • Draft Future Land Use Plan Recommendations No Action Needed Town Council Agenda Summary DRAFT – 12/18/2024 VINTON 2050 DRAFT VISION & GOALS – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 1. Sociable and Welcoming Town Vinton is a place where you know your neighbors, feel safe, feel a sense of belonging, and want to settle down with your family and start your business. downtown to create a welcoming central public space that can serve a variety of purposes including events, music, greenway access, and more. b) Support events and opportunities that bring Vinton residents together. c) Support opportunities for civic engagement and volunteering in the community. d) Support youth and family-oriented organizations and programming. e) Maintain and expand upon community facilities such as parks, the library, the Vinton War Memorial, and Charles R. Hill Community Center. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 2. Thriving and Authentic Downtown Vinton has a wide range of housing and businesses, shops, and restaurants downtown including several startups; it is easily accessible by foot, bike, bus, or car; it is the social and cultural hub of Vinton where people come to spend time with friends and family; it is a popular destination on the region’s greenway system; its events, Farmers Market, and concerts draw people from across the region; and downtown has an authentic sense of place due to its historic buildings and walkable form. distance of downtown Vinton. b) Increase opportunities for tourists and visitors to stay overnight in the downtown area. c) Transform the heart of Downtown Vinton into a pedestrian district and improve pedestrian access to it. d) Directly connect Downtown Vinton to the regional greenway network. e) Protect the historic character of downtown while encouraging compatible reuse. f) Improve parking efficiency downtown while maintaining convenient locations for visitors to park. g) Increase job opportunities within the downtown area. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 3. Outdoor Recreation Hub Vinton is at the nexus of several popular regional trails including the Roanoke River Greenway, Tinker Creek Greenway, Glade Creek Greenway, Wolf Creek Greenway, and Roanoke River Blueway. People can safely and comfortably bike and walk from Vinton to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Explore Park, and Downtown Roanoke. Easy access to these trails makes Vinton a popular place to live and work and supports businesses that cater to the outdoor recreation economy. regional greenway and blueway networks. b) Strengthen the connection between Vinton and regional recreational facilities, such as Vinyard Park, Explore Park, the Roanoke River Greenway, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. c) Create a direct and convenient connection to Downtown Vinton from the regional greenway system. d) Encourage and recruit outdoor recreation businesses to be built around access to the greenways and blueway. e) Market Vinton as an outdoor recreation destination. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 4. Housing for All Phases of Life Vinton has an ample supply of housing for people at all stages of life including starter homes for new families, single-family homes for growing families, housing suitable for the growing 65 and older population, a mix of housing types for small households and young single workers, and housing downtown where people have the option to drive less. increasing the Town’s housing stock. b) Increase supply of starter homes and homes affordable to the Town’s workforce. c) Ensure new housing is compatible in scale and design with its surroundings. d) Encourage redevelopment or repurposing of aging and outdated buildings to new housing, especially underutilized buildings near downtown. e) Encourage transformation of aging strip development along major corridors to a more vibrant mix of uses, including housing. f) Help older and lower income households make improvements to their property for safety, long-term viability, and accessibility. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 5. Safe and Connected Streets for All Vinton is a “to” Town, not a “through” Town, and the streets reflect that. Vinton’s residents can easily access their daily needs on foot, bike, bus, or car. The Town’s compact nature and proximity between housing, shops, and services makes it easy to travel by any mode. Traffic flows in Vinton and people can reach their destinations easily, even at lower vehicle speeds that are safer for pedestrians. Enliven major corridors, such as Walnut Avenue, Washington Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Hardy Road, and Bypass Road. b) Connect the greenway trails system. c) Improve neighborhood connections to major attractions, such as downtown, schools, and recreational areas (such as parks and greenways). d) Transform downtown into a highly walkable district. e) Eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the Town’s transportation network. f) Provide smooth and efficient circulation for all roadway users. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 6. Environmental Stewardship Leader Vinton’s waterways and the Roanoke River are clean and safe for fishing and recreation; tree canopy along major streets and downtown has enhanced the Town’s value and helped alleviate extreme heat; and restoration of the Town’s waterways has inspired residents and businesses to remove invasive plants and replant with species native to Virginia. and safety, reduce urban heat island effect, and reduce stormwater runoff. b) Address invasive plants along the Town’s waterways, parks, and public lands. c) Improve the water quality of the Town’s streams and the Roanoke River. d) Encourage partnership with regional environmental groups into Vinton to help organize efforts around improving environmental quality. e) Encourage reuse of underutilized parcels within the Town to help limit sprawling greenfield development. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 7. Parks for All Nearly all Vinton residents have a park within a 10-minute walk and people frequently meet up with friends and family in the Town’s parks. The parks provide something for everyone with ballfields and play opportunities that appeal to all ages, and parks that provide a restorative experience, especially along the greenways and streams. Walking access to the Town’s parks is easier due to new sidewalks and trails connecting residential and commercial areas to parks. Build new Town parks or public open space so that nearly all residents and visitors have a public space within a 10-minute walk of their home or place of business. b) Create parks and public spaces that offer recreational opportunities for all ages and abilities and help support restoration and mental well-being. c) Improve walking connections to parks. d) Expand and connect the Town’s greenways and trails so that people can use them for recreation and travel. e) Ensure proper maintenance with stable funding for all park, greenway, and public open space facilities. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 8. Adaptable Vinton has a small-town feel but is not frozen in time, which makes it a desirable place to live or start a business. People can adapt buildings and places to meet new needs. Businesses find it easy to set up shop and find success. The flexibility helps maintain the small-town feel for adapting older or underutilized buildings to new modern uses and saving them for future generations. where revitalization and transformation are desired. b) Make desired development and redevelopment easier by aligning zoning ordinances with Town goals. c) Encourage adaptive reuse of older buildings, especially downtown, that contribute to the Town’s authentic sense of place. d) Encourage the formation and growth of local, homegrown businesses and promote their growth within Vinton. e) Provide accessible and exceptional local government services to people looking to do business in Vinton. f) Increase the number and diversity of jobs within Vinton, especially those that pay a higher wage. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 9. Exceptional Town Services & Infrastructure Vinton is known for its well- maintained infrastructure including streets, water, sewer, and stormwater; flooding and system failures are not an issue due to Town investment in meeting the stormwater demands associated with more frequent and severe storm events; Vinton is resilient, and residents and businesses can count on infrastructure. Staff are known for being accessible and responsive and residents and businesses rate the Town services highly. a) Maintain infrastructure in a state of good repair. b) Serve the entire Town with the regional water supply as soon as possible. c) Ensure adequate water and sanitary sewer capacity for the Town’s growth areas. d) Address stormwater with green stormwater infrastructure solutions. e) Invest in stormwater improvements that reduce flooding, improve infrastructure resiliency, and enhance the value of places within Vinton. DRAFT – 12/18/2024 Vision Principles Vision Statements Goals 10. Connected and Collaborative with the Region Vinton is at the heart of the Roanoke Valley region and is a dependable partner in working together with other local governments and regional entities to solve regional problems. Homelessness, water quality, stormwater management, air quality, traffic, and greenway connectivity are all addressed thanks to these regional collaborations. Close collaboration with Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke have resulted in better gateways at the Town’s western and eastern entrances. Work with the City of Roanoke to improve connections between Downtown Vinton and Downtown Roanoke. b) Work with other jurisdictions in the region to reduce the number of people who are homeless. c) Work with other jurisdictions in the region to improve water quality in the Roanoke River and its tributaries. d) Work with the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County on safety and pedestrian access improvements for major corridors that cross the jurisdictions, such as Walnut Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Hardy Road, Gus Nicks Boulevard, and Washington Avenue. e) Collaborate with the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County in providing welcoming gateways to the Town. 1 VINTON 2050 LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION VISION The 2050 Land Use and Transportation Vision is a cornerstone of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. Comprehensive plans look decades into the future, and it is challenging to make detailed plans in the face of long-term uncertainty. Therefore, it is helpful to start with a general, big picture vision of what changes the Town would like to work towards for the future. The purpose of the vision is to broadly summarize the Town’s intent for development, transportation connections, and conservation for areas of the Town in 2050. The vision underlies the future land use plan and the transportation plan, which are designed to implement this vision. A key feature of this vision is to encourage growth and development in places with sufficient infrastructure in place, such as the downtown area, major corridors, and future redevelopment sites, such as the River Park Shopping Center. Another important feature is that, while enhancements may occur over time, major changes are discouraged for established neighborhoods, and existing natural features should be protected in the future. Land Use Vision The vision is an overarching guide for managing growth and development in the Town. Speciﬁc decisions related to land use for a parcel should follow the guidance of the future land use map. • Conserve applies to natural areas where the long-term strategy is to protect. These areas include ﬂoodplains and steep slopes, typically found adjacent to the Town’s waterways. • Enhance applies to established neighborhoods where the long-term strategy is to maintain and enhance neighborhood stability. These areas have few underutilized parcels, making redevelopment unlikely by 2050. Enhancement may entail walkability improvements, upgrading aging infrastructure, or other strategies that improve but do not fundamentally alter the areas. • Revitalize applies to areas where the strategy is to ﬁll in vacant and underutilized parcels to support revitalization. These areas have more vacant and underutilized parcels, and it is anticipated that the market will support redevelopment in the coming decades. • Transform applies to areas where the strategy is to support new land uses for positive transformation. These areas are more likely to have aging and outdated uses or vacant parcels, where new development can create vibrant new housing, businesses, and civic spaces the community needs. Transportation Connectivity Vision The vision map also indicates at a high level where better connections are needed between neighborhoods, enhancements to the Town’s entrances, and a few ongoing transportation improvements. Speciﬁc project recommendations are identiﬁed elsewhere in the Plan. 2 • Improved Pedestrian/Greenway Connections show where better sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and safer roadway crossings are needed to close gaps in the walking, bicycling, and greenway networks. For example, Washington Avenue should become a connection between the Glade Creek and Wolf Creek Greenways. • Improved Walking Routes to Schools show the locations where better sidewalks and safer roadway crossings are needed to support more children and families walking to schools and parks. For example, safer crossings off Hardy Road are needed. • Gateway Enhancements highlight corridors from the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County where an improved streetscape will help create a better ﬁrst impression of Vinton. Enhancements may involve signage, landscaping, and placing utilities underground. • Intersection Improvement in Progress highlights the current state-funded project to install a roundabout at Hardy Road and Bypass Road. This project will help improve safety and traffic ﬂow and is important to recognize on the vision map. • Corridor Improvement in Progress highlights a project currently under design to reconﬁgure the lanes on Gus Nicks Boulevard between the City of Roanoke and S. Pollard Street. This project will help improve the roadway’s performance for all users and improve safety and is important to recognize on the vision map. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN Page 2 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Page 3 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 A r e a s t o C o n s e r v e | F u t u r e L a n d U s e P l a n AREAS TO CONSERVE Description & Sample Photos Areas with natural resource or open space value that are unsuitable for development. These areas include major stream and drainage corridors characterized by steep slopes. These areas should be protected to preserve Vinton’s undeveloped ridgelines and stream/river corridors and to protect adjacent areas from excessive stormwater runoff. CONSERVATION/OPEN SPACE Preserving existing waterways in Town in as natural a state as possible is of primary importance. Long term conservation of these areas may include restoring eroded streambanks to a natural state and replanting areas with native plant species, such as the Woodland Place Stream Restoration Project off Niagara Road. Land Uses Uses include recreational activities and public utilities as needed that will not harm the environmental resources in the district. Scale and Density No new development other than for low impact Hiking trails and other passive recreation uses are appropriate in this area. Vinton’s blueways also are a rich recreational resource that contributes to the Town’s attractiveness and quality of life. recreational uses that will protect the environmental resources. Community Design Principles Low impact design of recreational amenities, using natural or recycled materials and native plantings. Description & Sample Photos Areas for the public that serve the functional, civic, and institutional needs of the Town and surrounding area. COMMUNITY FACILITIES The Vinton Farmer’s Market is one of the Town’s treasured community facilities. Schools such as the W.E. Cundiff Elementary School, which is scheduled for upcoming renovations, are a vital part of the Town’s public facilities. Land Uses Public facilities such as schools, cemeteries, places of worship, fraternal organizations and clubs, and other municipal buildings and lands. Community Design Principles The community facilities throughout Vinton are The War Memorial carries a legacy of service to the Town’s residents and is a symbol of its sense of community. The fire station, although a Roanoke County facility, is an example of the close connections between Town and County facilities in Vinton. well distributed and adequately serve the public, with municipal functions being concentrated in the downtown area. Emergency and services that involve the frequent use of vehicles that cause traffic impacts (EMS, Fire, Postal Service) should be relocated out of the Downtown in the long-term. Page 4 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Page 5 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Description & Sample Photos Public parks and recreational facilities to serve town residents and visitors. These facilities will offer Vinton residents with gathering points throughout the Town for social and recreational purposes. The proposed greenways should be interconnecting these facilities and providing access to both residents and businesses. PARKS AND RECREATION The Town’s greenway network is a key recreational asset planned for expansion in the coming years. School playgrounds also frequently serve as additional park space for their surrounding neighborhoods such as the new playground at W.E. Cundiff Elementary School. Land Uses Public parks and recreation areas including pocket parks, playgrounds, greenways, and trails. Scale and Density Existing larger parks should be maintained and expanded where feasible while opportunities for new Partnerships with local recreational groups help the Town expand recreational opportunities such as the Gladetown Trail. A new addition to the Town’s recreational opportunities will be the proposed Multi-Generational Park to be located on the grounds of the former Vinton Municipal Pool on the hills behind the Vinton War Memorial. small scale pocket parks should be implemented. Community Design Principles Existing larger parks should be maintained and expanded where feasible while opportunities for new small scale pocket parks should be implemented. AREAS TO ENHANCE Description & Sample Photos Areas with established neighborhoods of primarily detached, single-family homes. New infill development is expected to a limited extent on vacant lots. However, to maintain stable homeownership and property values, these low-density areas should accommodate primarily detached, single-family development. LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL Vinton is a town of neighborhoods. These areas include established neighborhoods of primarily detached, single-family homes. Homes may be enhanced or new homes may be constructed in the coming years but they should be sensitive to the scale and architectural character of the neighborhood as shown in this new home example. Land Uses The primary development should be single-family detached homes on lots that are similar in size to existing lots in the neighborhood. However, new types of detached single family housing such as cottage courts or small lot single story elderly homes may be appropriate on limited infill sites. Scale and Density Within this category, the zoning ordinance should Vinton has many unique architectural styles embodied in its housing. New infill housing should be compatible with the existing context. Pedestrian enhancements should be pursued where feasible in these areas such as sidewalks where there is available right of way or marked “slow streets” where feasible within the existing right of way. specify density requirements associated with the availability of public utilities. Higher density types of residential use are not encouraged. Community Design Principles In general compatibility with surrounding homes in the neighborhood is a primary design consideration. Compatibility should be in terms of lot sizes, setbacks, and architectural style. A r e a s t o E n h a n c e | F u t u r e L a n d U s e P l a n Page 6 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Page 7 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Description & Sample Photos Areas intended for a wide variety of industrial operations adequately buffered from existing neighborhoods and near arterial roads. INDUSTRIAL Vinton is home to a number of successful industries that provide economic returns and jobs to the Town while retaining compatibility with the Town’s character. Industrial buildings should be visually buffered. Site design should include landscape buffers and greenery to soften the building surroundings. Land Uses Industrial uses including warehousing, wholesaling, manufacturing, and processing operations, as well as associated office development and support facilities. It is the intention of this category to preserve these lands for industrial use only and to exclude new residential or commercial development except for certain appropriate adjuncts to industrial operations. Scale and Density In general, the primary consideration for scale is that Industrial areas should remain flexible over time to accommodate new types of industries and compatible uses including small scale workshops and maker spaces. Typical screening for industrial uses should include both deciduous and evergreen trees and landscaped berms or decorative fencing if landscaping is insufficient to protect viewsheds from surrounding residential areas. industrial uses should be buffered from impacts on residential areas and primary commerce areas in the Town. Uses should be low scale, with visual and noise buffers to surrounding areas. Community Design Principles Architecture need not be compatible with surrounding areas if it is visually buffered. Site design should include extensive landscape buffers and balance paved areas with landscaped areas. AREAS TO REVITALIZE Description & Sample Photos Areas with a variety of housing types. The intent is to provide low scale walkable residential neighborhoods with a mixture of densities and housing types. These can include small clusters or individual infill lots. MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL This area can accommodate a variety of housing types from single- family detached to small scale multifamily. An example is shown of a “cottage court” developed on an infill site in a residential neighborhood. An aging population will call for new housing prototypes such as single story patio homes, duplexes and accessory units. Land Uses Permitted uses include one and two-family dwellings, townhouses, small multifamily buildings up to 12 units per building, and other similar living arrangements. Scale and Density Buildings should be no more than three stories and generally no more than eight units to the acre for multifamily or townhouse developments. This designation includes areas that are anticipated to see redevelopment of older housing stock in the coming decades. As these areas redevelop, Multifamily housing should be low scale with architectural detail, siting and landscaping that is compatible with the single family character of many neighborhoods in the Town. New townhome development should be low scale, compatible with surrounding areas and have extensive landscaping and recreation areas. consideration should be given to compatibility with the scale and character of surrounding homes. Community Design Principles New or infill development should be compatible with surrounding neighborhoods while introducing more diversity in housing types. Architecture and materials as well as architectural features should incorporate the traditional character of Vinton’s neighborhoods. Higher density housing should be buffered with extensive landscaping from existing single-family homes. Ar e a s t o R e v i t a l i z e | F u t u r e L a n d U s e P l a n Page 8 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Page 9 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Description & Sample Photos Areas set aside for high-density residential uses, generally in clusters of similar development rather than as infill in existing neighborhoods. As a general rule, apartments and other large-scale group housing are best sited on arterial roads near major commercial centers. In these locations, high-volume circulation needs can be met without disrupting lower-density neighborhoods. HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL Multifamily buildings should have materials and architectural details that are compatible with traditional neighborhoods in the Town. Buildings should be connected to each other and to recreational areas with walkways. Land Uses Higher density housing types including apartment buildings, assisted-living facilities (elderly/nursing homes), and other large-scale forms of multi-family development. Scale and Density Up to four stories in height and up to 24 units to the acre when appropriately buffered from adjacent single- family neighborhoods. Multifamily housing should be at a walkable scale with buildings oriented toward streets with landscaped front yards. Higher density housing can reflect modern design but should have architectural variation and detail in the facades and should be oriented toward publisc streets when possible. Community Design Principles Higher density housing should be designed to be walkable and oriented towards public or interior streets with extensive landscaping including street trees and parking lot islands. Open space should be usable recreational facilities to serve new residents and located in areas with good visibility from the housing units or from the street. AREAS TO TRANSFORM Description & Sample Photos Mixed-use areas to serve as a transition zone between residential areas and more intense mixed uses. It is expected that existing residences may transition to office or small scale business uses while maintaining low impacts on surrounding residential neighborhoods. MIXED USE TRANSITION Small scale businesses that front on the street are appropriate for Mixed Use Transition areas. Live/Work buildings are appropriate in this area with offices or shops on the ground floor and residential uses above. Land Uses Low scale business uses such as childcare centers, medical, legal/financial, real estate, personal services, and other types of low-impact business uses. Also includes residential uses such as single- family detached, duplex and townhomes as well as small scale multifamily buildings of 12 or fewer units per building. Businesses should generate a low volume of traffic, be controlled in terms of times of operation and be generally non-intrusive to neighboring residences. Existing homes may transition to low impact commercial uses with parking behind the building and screening from adjacent residential neighborhoods. New commercial buildings should be small scale with architecture that is compatible with surrounding residential areas. Scale and Density Up to three stories if buffered from lower scale residential neighborhoods. Scale and density should be compatible with adjacent homes if infill within an established neighborhood. Community Design Principles Architecture should be compatible with the scale of Vinton’s neighborhoods. Modern design is permitted if not in the middle of a traditional neighborhood context. Buildings should front on sidewalks and first floor business entrances or residential front doors are encouraged. A r e a s t o T r a n s f o r m | F u t u r e L a n d U s e P l a n Page 10 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Page 11 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 1.28.2025 Description & Sample Photos Commercially focused mixed use areas. May include residential uses if mixed in with nonresidential uses to promote a general mixed use urban environment. These areas should be located on collector or arterial roads, have sufficient parking, and be adequately served by public utilities and services. It is anticipated that existing single use retail centers will convert to dense and compact mixed use centers with a pedestrian focus and civic uses and plazas to create a dynamic active street life. MIXED USE CORRIDOR FOCUSED Examples of appropriate corridor-focused mixed use include the commercial/residential concept proposed for the Bypass Rd. site in the 2023 Vinton Housing Study. Parking areas should be screened from public streets and have substantial interior landscaping and tree canopy. Land Uses Commercial uses may include retail stores, services, lodging/restaurants, offices, and shopping centers. Residential uses may include townhome and multifamily communities if mixed with nonresidential uses but single-family detached uses are discouraged. Scale and Density Mixed use buildings may be up to five stories if buffered from impacts to existing residential neighborhoods. Residential density is not limited but Building heights should include step back facades to lower the scale when adjacent to lower scale neighborhoods. Architecture should reflect a walkable street frontage and architecture and materials that are compatible with the traditional character of Vinton. should be integrated with a mixture of nonresidential uses to promote a walkable diverse streetscape. Community Design Principles Architecture should reflect walkable mixed use buildings with articulated facades, ample ground floor openings and architectural elements and materials compatible with the traditional context of Vinton. Streetscapes should be pedestrian rather than car oriented and signage, landscaping and open space should all be pedestrian scaled. Description & Sample Photos Downtown and town center mixed uses. These areas include both the existing traditional downtown and areas where downtown types of uses may expand in the future. The intent is to create and reinforce an attractive, convenient, and relatively compact arrangement of uses and buildings with a strong pedestrian orientation. There should be a varied mix of residential and commercial uses and civic spaces for commercial, financial, professional, governmental, and cultural activities. MIXED USE DOWNTOWN Buildings should front the street with welcoming facades, street furniture and wide sidewalks. New buildings should have the types of details and of traditional materials that are found in Vinton’s downtown but may be modern adaptations of historic architecture. Signage and outdoor parking should promote attractive street views. Land Uses Mixed uses, both within the same site and within buildings to include offices, residences, shops and services. Typically, residential buildings would have retail, service or office uses on the ground floor. Purely auto-oriented uses with large parking needs or drive throughs are discouraged. Scale and Density Buildings should be sensitive to the scale of surrounding areas but can be up to four stories and create a continuous street frontage with minimal setbacks to reinforce a traditional walkable street New business uses on infill sites should maintain the traditional scale of downtown with walkable street frontages and parking in the back. Mixed use can be within the same building or in buildings with varied height and scale on the same site. frontage with pedestrian friendly ground floor uses. Residential densities are not limited except that the scale and massing of residential uses should be compatible with the traditional Vinton downtown character. Community Design Principles Architecture should have appropriate detail and careful use of traditional materials as found in older buildings in Vinton’s downtown but may be modern adaptations of historic architecture. Signage and outdoor parking should be adequately controlled to promote attractive street views. Page 1 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 VOLUME 2 OF THE TOWN’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT 1.22.2025 VINTON IN 2025 - OUR COMMUNITY STORY COMMUNITY CONTEXT Historic Context Regional Context Planning Context Assets and Opportunities Vinton’s Treasured Places Opportunities for Vinton’s Future COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT Transportation Land Use and Environment Recreation and Quality of Life Downtown and Economic Development Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Community Facilities and Services Stormwater, Water, and Sewer COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Phase 1 - Assets and Opportunities Phase 2 - Needs Assessment Phase 3 - Vision and Policy Phase 4 - Implementation Phase 5 - Adoption TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 2 OF THE TOWN’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 4 6 10 12 16 16 18 24 30 48 58 66 76 84 94 104 106 110 XX XX XX Page 2 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 3 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Vinton in 2025 is a welcoming community of about 8,000 people, nestled in the heart of the Roanoke Valley between Southwest Virginia’s largest city – Roanoke – and one of its greatest outdoor attractions and second largest lake – Smith Mountain Lake. Town residents’ easy access to jobs, entertainment, and nature have made it a cherished hometown for generations. Vinton’s Comprehensive Plan is about building on its many strengths and addressing the community’s needs to ensure a high quality of life for generations to come. The Community Story that unfolds across the following pages is the result of extensive community engagement, research, and data analysis. It looks back through nearly 150 years of Town history to describe the path that has led Vinton to 2025. It is also based on extensive analysis of the Town’s existing conditions that reveal opportunities the Town can build upon, and the needs that it must address, to enhance quality of life and keep Vinton competitive as a great place to live, visit, and enjoy well into the future. The Community Story lays out three fundamental layers for the foundation of the comprehensive plan. These are treasured places, opportunities, and needs, which are defined as follows: • Treasured Places– Places valued by residents that came from earlier investments. • Opportunities – Strengths that Vinton can build upon over the next 25 years. • Needs – Issues to address over the next 25 years to enhance public health, safety, and wellbeing. COMMUNITY CONTEXT Co m m u n i t y C o n t e x t TREASURED PLACES NEEDSOPPORTUNITIES VISIONS GOALS POLICIES ACTIONS Co m m u n i t y S t o r y Co m p r e h e n s i v e P l a n VO L U M E 1 VO L U M E 2 Vinton in 2050 Comprehensive Plan Page 4 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 5 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EARLY SETTLEMENT The area of present-day Vinton was part of a Native American trail called the Great Warriors’ Path that extended from the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee to Virginia and on north to Pennsylvania and New York. Most of the Native Americans in this area were of the Monacan Tribe and spoke languages in the Siouan language group. White settlers first came in the mid- 1700s, drawn by the region’s rich natural resources and abundant water supply. Brothers Christian Gish and David Gish were two of the area’s earliest settlers and they established a grist mill on Glade Creek in 1797. This led to the Town’s first name of “Gish’s Mill.” Gish’s Mill became a part of Roanoke County in 1838 and soon became a hub for the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroads. Families slowly came to the area, but substantial growth was not seen until the late 1800s. A TOWN IS BORN In the 1870s and 1880s, the Gish Family began and led a movement to establish a town. New construction from Roanoke City, which was charted in 1882, along with increasing job opportunities on the railroads spurred population growth in Gish’s Mill. A large meeting to discuss incorporation was held in 1883 and on March 17, 1884, the Town of Vinton was chartered. At this time, Vinton had a population of 584 and a land area of 1.5 square miles. EARLY GROWTH The City of Roanoke was the main driver of economic growth and development in Vinton. As Roanoke industrialized and shifted away from an agricultural society, Vinton was well-situated to follow suite. Intense land speculation was widespread in these early industrial years and much of the area’s farmland was made available for development. This land speculation soon decreased along with the costs of land and housing. Families were able to purchase properties at a lower cost and were largely employed by the Norfolk and Western Railway Company. In the late 1800s, Vinton became widely known as a working person’s town. Population growth also led to greater demand for services within the town. In 1889, the Vinton Dispatch was established as the first weekly newspaper. Gish’s Mill (Source: Town of Vinton) Vinton Train Depot (Source: Town of Vinton) HISTORIC CONTEXT In the early 1900s, the Town of Vinton welcomed many new businesses and commercial enterprises that provided additional job opportunities for residents. Among these were the American Viscose Plant (closed in the 1950s), Burlington Mills (now known as Precision Fabrics Group Inc), Vinton Milling Company, Vinton Fuel Company, Southern States Cooperative (now known as Cargill), and various others. Many schools, churches, restaurants, banks, and other businesses that served the needs of residents were also constructed around this time. 1969 Newspaper Clipping of Road Construction in Vinton (Source: Town of Vinton) BUILDING COMMUNITY A sense of community is important to residents of Vinton, which is evident in the Town’s events and community facilities. The Vinton Dogwood Festival was established in the late 1950s and continues today as an annual occasion that brings together community members, volunteers, and tourists for a multi-day celebration. Another focal point of the community is the Vinton War Memorial, which was constructed in 1948 to recognize the sacrifices of the Town’s citizens during World War II. It was later re-dedicated (in 1998) to recognize the sacrifices of the Town’s citizens during all conflicts since World War II. The War Memorial also serves as an event center and a community meeting place for civic groups and residents to gather. Vinton celebrated its centennial, or “Vintennial,” in 1984 and the Vinton Historical Society was formed that same year; the Historical Society published a book that documented the first 100 years of Vinton’s history. That same year, the Vinton History Museum was opened with the mission of “Preserving the past… for the future.” RECENT HISTORY A key part of Vinton’s recent history was the annexation of Roanoke County property in 1963. This added 1.7 square miles of land to the Town of Vinton and nearly doubled its population. 1963 Annexation Map (Source: Town of Vinton 2004-2024 Comprehensive Plan) Vinton 2024 Dogwood Festival H i s t o r y o f V i n t o n | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t In the early 2000s, as part of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, Vinton invested in improvements and developments throughout the town that brought new growth and change. These major projects included upgrades and renovations to the Farmer’s Market, enhancements to downtown streetscapes, and improvements to the Town’s public infrastructure. In 2015, Vinton partnered with Roanoke County to construct the new Vinton Branch Public Library. Redevelopment picked up around this time as underutilized properties were reimagined and redeveloped for new businesses. One example of this was the conversion of the former library to a full-service restaurant. Vinton also continues to develop its greenway system to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and enjoyment. Wolf Creek Greenway, Glade Creek Greenway, and the Gladetown Trail are all located within the town, as well as a canoe/kayak launch at Tinker Creek. Vinton is also situated among a regional network of trails and greenways that extends to Roanoke County and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Page 6 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 7 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 96 1,057 1,438 1,928 2,779 3,610 3,455 3,620 3,432 6,347 8,027 7,665 7,782 8,098 8,0521884 - Town of Vinton is chartered with a landmass of about 1 square mile and a population of 584. Samuel H Pollard starts his term as the ﬁrst Town Mayor. 1920 - Vinton’s ﬁrst electric railway car is operational 1956 - Town holds the ﬁrst Dogwood Festival 1971 - Lake Drive Plaza Shopping Center opens 1988 - River Park Shopping Center opens 1984 - Vinton’s centennial or “Vintennial” is celebrated, the Vinton Historical Society is formed, and the Vinton History Museum opens (Source: Town of Vinton) 1926 - Vinton Motor Company, the Town’s ﬁrst automobile dealership, opens 1999 - Town opens the Wolf Creek Greenway, the ﬁrst greenway in Vinton 1890 Map of Vinton (Source: USGS Topo Maps) 2015 - The Vinton Branch Public Library is built (Source: Roanoke County Public Library) S. Pollard Street, Vinton VA circa 1960s (Source: Town of Vinton) 1948 - Vinton War Memorial is constructed and becomes a focal point for the community (Source: Vinton War Memorial Website) 2017 - Town opens the ﬁrst phase of the Glade Creek Greenway POPULATION OF VINTON OVER TIME H i s t o r y o f V i n t o n | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t Page 8 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 9 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 REGIONAL CONTEXT Vinton’s history of growing along the railroad and Roanoke River has resulted in one of its greatest present-day strengths, which is its geographic location within the Roanoke Valley region. Vinton is in eastern Roanoke County and borders the City of Roanoke to the west and north. The downtown is less than three miles and a 10-minute drive or 15-minute bike ride to downtown Roanoke, which is southwest Virginia’s largest urban center. A Norfolk Southern railroad main line crosses east-west across the southern edges of Vinton, hugging the Roanoke River, on its path between Roanoke and Norfolk. This line also once again carries passengers from Roanoke to Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Washington, DC and beyond on restored Amtrak passenger rail service north of Walnut Avenue. Vinton is also the region’s most accessible location to Bedford County, the Town of Bedford, and Lynchburg. The Town’s location along the railroad and Roanoke River fueled its early development in the downtown area. Downtown benefited from growing during an era when towns were built around walking as the main mode of transportation. It has a dense mix of uses, a compact walkable grid of streets, and civic spaces such as the Vinton Farmers’ Market. Downtown also benefits from easy access to population centers in Roanoke and Roanoke County, and as a result is emerging as a destination for the region. Places like downtown Vinton and Roanoke are considered “activity centers” because they include the highest concentrations of jobs and residents in the region. The context map below shows Vinton in relation to existing and emerging activity centers, including smaller neighborhood centers such as the cluster of commercial activity in Vinton near Hardy Road, Washington Avenue, and the Bypass Road. Vinton is easily accessible to several centers in the City and County, including job clusters such as the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and associated services. To Carvins Cove and Botetourt County581 Orange Ave Hardy Rd Route 24 Gus Nicks Blvd Dale Ave Virginia Ave Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway Downtown Roanoke Explore Park Mill Mountain Town of VintonDowntown Vinton City of Roanoke Bedford County Roanoke County Roanoke River Blueway LEGEND Existing Greenways & Trails Proposed Greenways & Trails Parks/Open Space Areas Water Bodies Regional Centers Existing Neighborhood Centers Emerging Neighborhood Centers Roads Jurisdictions To Smith Mountain Lake Town of Vinton Context Map Re g i o n a l C o n t e x t | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t Having great access to activity centers helps bolster Vinton’s economy, keeps its housing market strong, and maintains the Town as a desirable place to live for the region’s workforce. Enhancing transportation connections, by all modes, from Vinton to these centers is important for the Town’s economic success. The map highlights the importance of Washington Avenue/Gus Nicks Boulevard, Hardy Road, Virginia Avenue, and the regional greenway system for making connections between Vinton and nearby activity centers. The map also depicts emerging centers, which are places that the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County have identified as future centers but may have limited development in 2025. Vinton’s access to outdoor recreation and tourism amenities is also a strength. The Blue Ridge Parkway is less than a half-mile to the Vinton town line. The 469- mile scenic byway maintained by the National Park Service connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Vinton is also less than 10 miles to the world-famous Appalachian Trail, which connects Georgia to Maine. The regional greenway network is another significant asset for Vinton and the entire region. Vinton has access to Roanoke and Salem along the Roanoke River Greenway and sits at the junction of the Tinker Creek Greenway and Glade Creek Greenway, which both have plans for extensions into Roanoke and Botetourt counties. The existing and planned greenways put Vinton at the heart of this expanding network that is among the most extensive in the Southeastern United States. The assets and advantages described in this section are driving growth in Vinton and across the region. The COVID pandemic enabled people to live in places like Vinton and the Roanoke Valley and work remotely. Places like Vinton that offer a high quality of life and great transportation access are benefiting from this ongoing trend. The Roanoke Valley region’s population reached about 315,000 in 2020, up from about 288,000 in 2000.1 The official forecasts from the Weldon Cooper Center, which prepares official population forecasts for localities in Virginia, anticipates this trend will continue with the Roanoke Valley region forecast to add another 24,000 people by 2050. Vinton is well situated to capture some of this growth given its ideal location within the region, however future growth will largely come from infill development and redevelopment since most land within the Town of Vinton is already developed. 1 Vinton is in the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The MSA in 2020 includes the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Franklin, and Craig, and all of the towns located within those counties. The population change since 2000 reflects this geography. 270,000 275,000 280,000 285,000 290,000 295,000 300,000 305,000 310,000 315,000 320,000 2000 2010 2020 Roanoke Valley Population Change Population 1 Page 10 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 11 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 PLANNING CONTEXT The Vinton Comprehensive Plan is a general, long-range plan for the development of the entire Town. The Comprehensive Plan incorporates the recommendations of more detailed studies and plans for the various elements that make up its physical development including transportation, parks and greenways, housing, utilities, and more. The Vinton Comprehensive Plan incorporates many of the recommendations of the Plans described in this section, which have been adopted or developed since the last major update to the Comprehensive Plan in 2004. The previous Comprehensive Plan set Vinton on a course to several important accomplishments during the last 20 years including greenway extensions, downtown revitalization, repurposing of old school buildings into housing, and new community facilities such as the Vinton Library. The Vinton 2050 Comprehensive Plan is an opportunity to take stock of where the Town has been, and adjust direction based on today’s existing conditions, priorities, and needs. These plans that predate the Vision 2050 Comprehensive Plan are summarized at a high level here to provide the reader with important context. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Vinton developed this 2004 Plan in conjunction with its Comprehensive Plan update as a supplement to its implementation strategy. The Plan identified deficiencies and action plans for five critical components of the Town: gateway/entrance corridors, housing and neighborhoods, greenway/parks and recreation/youth centers, economic development, and downtown redevelopment. The Plan identified six priorities: design and develop a new Town Center, create a downtown green, adaptive reuse of the old William Byrd High School and Roland E. Cook Elementary School into elderly assisted living housing, complete infrastructure and housing improvements in the Gladetown neighborhood, design and construct consistent signage throughout Vinton, and construct proposed greenways throughout Vinton. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN The Downtown Vinton Revitalization Plan from 2010 outlines strategies for improving the economic and physical landscape of downtown. The Plan’s recommendations focused on housing development, business retention and recruitment, and physical improvements such as wayfinding, gateway and streetscape improvements, farmers’ market expansion, and redevelopment of the Dunman Floral and Vinton Motors properties. The two properties have redeveloped into a library and popular restaurants, which are helping Vinton become more of a regional destination. DOWNTOWN RESTRUCTURING PLAN The 2010 Economic Restructuring Plan assessed the local market conditions and made recommendations for how to increase economic activity downtown. Among the recommendations were the development of a new brand for Vinton, recruitment of target retail industries, and the development of mixed-use and residential projects downtown. P l a n n i n g C o n t e x t | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t VINTON AREA CORRIDORS PLAN Roanoke County developed this plan in 2010 and it was adopted as part of the comprehensive plans for the Town of Vinton and the County. The Plan reports extensive data on Vinton’s key roadway corridors for all modes of travel. The Plan considered various future land use scenarios to arrive at a set of land use, economic development, and transportation recommendations. Among the recommendations were gateway and wayfinding signage improvements, bike lanes and bicycle accommodations, enhanced crosswalks, new sidewalks and spot improvements for pedestrians, parking and intersection improvements, improvements to the Town’s downtown façade program and County’s commercial corridor matching grant program, and long-term redevelopment of aging commercial centers. URBAN DEVELOPMENT AREAS STUDY Using a State grant for technical assistance, the Town of Vinton in 2016 identified Urban Development Areas (UDAs), which become a component of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. UDAs are growth areas defined by local governments per the code of Virginia (15.2-2223.1). These areas are deemed appropriate for higher density development due to their proximity to transportation facilities and the availability of utilities. As such, they are areas appropriate for redevelopment or infill development. The study identified eight areas within the Town as UDAs and the Town incorporated these into its Comprehensive Plan. The UDAs are Downtown, Mid-Town: Bypass Road/ Hardy Road, Virginia Avenue West Gateway, Hardy Road East Gateway, Mid- Washington Avenue Corridor, Virginia Avenue/Hardy Road Corridor, Walnut Avenue West Gateway, and Washington Avenue East Gateway. Page 12 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 13 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 DOWNTOWN PUBLIC REALM DESIGN GUIDELINES This 2018 study was funded by the State UDA Technical Assistance program and included several recommendations to the Town’s zoning and subdivision ordinances to support traditional neighborhood development within the Town’s designated urban development areas (UDAs). The study also produced public realm design guidelines for the downtown area. GUS NICKS BOULEVARD/WASHINGTON AVENUE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT STUDY This 2019 study by the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization looked at opportunities to improve the Gus Nick Boulevard/Washington Avenue corridor. The study recommended near term opportunities, such as adding bike lanes as part of routine repaving; and studied a range of possible improvements to the roadway including narrower travel lanes, a four-lane to three-lane conversion including a dedicated center turn lane, and incorporating a reversible lane in the center. The study also recommended intersection improvements and new crosswalks. ROUTE 24 BIKE/PED PLAN This 2022 Plan was funded by a Virginia GAP (Growth and Accessibility Planning) grant. It is focused on improving multimodal infrastructure and access along the Route 24 corridor and in the central portion of Vinton. The plan provided a “toolkit” for bicycle and pedestrian improvements, introduced the concept of a “slow street” that emphasizes shared space for pedestrians and vehicles with traffic calming improvements. Key projects identified in the Plan include new sidewalks on Virginia Avenue and Hardy Road, intersection improvements at Pollard Street and Virginia Avenue, wider sidewalks on Pollard Street, implementation of the Slow Street concept on Cleveland Avenue, reconfiguration of Washington Avenue from four to three lanes with buffered bike lanes, and pedestrian improvements on Vinyard Road and Bedford Road. P l a n n i n g C o n t e x t | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t OTHER PLANS AND STUDIES Several regional and statewide plans also include recommendations for transportation that affect Vinton. These are briefly summarized below. 2018 ROANOKE VALLEY GREENWAY PLAN Includes recommended extensions of the Glade Creek Greenway, the Wolf Creek Greenway, the Tinker Creek Greenway, the Gladetown Trail, and the Roanoke River Greenway. 2015 REGIONAL PEDESTRIAN VISION PLAN Includes more than 30 recommended projects in Vinton to improve pedestrian travel including new sidewalks, crosswalks, intersection improvements, and trail/greenway extensions. Among the projects was adding sidewalk on Walnut Avenue from Lee Avenue to the city line, which is advancing towards implementation. 2016 ROANOKE VALLEY TRANSIT VISION PLAN Includes recommendations for increasing service to Vinton and adding a short-term park and ride facility in the Town in the near term, adding a small transfer station and new service in the medium term (by 2030), and adding new service to Vinton in the long term (by 2040). 2012 BIKEWAY PLAN FOR THE ROANOKE VALLEY Includes recommendations for new bicycle facilities on 13 street segments. Streets identified as “priority” for bicycle facilities in Vinton include Bypass Road, Hardy Road, Mountain View Road, Pollard Street, Virginia Avenue, and Walnut Avenue. 2023 ROANOKE VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN The regional transportation plan identifies several needs for the transportation network in Vinton, which are summarized in the community needs assessment section. Page 14 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 15 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 ASSETS AND OPPORTUNITIES VINTON’S TREASURED PLACES Treasured places are part of what make Vinton special. Vinton has many treasured places that represent the investments of prior generations and which benefit the people who live, work, and visit Vinton. Community input shaped the map of treasured places and community assets described on this page. The places include historic sites such as the Gish Mill; community facilities such as the Vinton Library, Vinton War Memorial, and Vinton Farmers’ Market; districts such as the downtown and shopping centers; and outdoor recreation assets such as the Tinker Creek Canoe Launch, Wolf Creek Greenway, and Glade Creek Greenway. Vinton has an abundance of treasured places and opportunities to create more that future generations will cherish. Tinker Creek Canoe Launch Treasured Places A key aspect of Vinton’s Comprehensive Plan is to identify strategies to protect, enhance, and build upon these places so that future generations will benefit from them as well. These are places that Vinton can build upon to achieve the community’s goals 2050. A s s e t s a n d O p p o r t u n i t i e s | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t W. E. CUNDIFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HERMAN L. HORN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GLADE CREEK PARK GEARHART PARK M A BANKS TINKER CREEK CANOE LAUNCH Gladetown Trail Gladetown Trail 1 2 3 9 107 12 14 11 13 8 4 15 6 5 17 Roanoke RiverRoanoke RiverTinker CreekTinker CreekGlade CreekGlade Creek Wolf Creek Wolf Creek Community Assets Map | Town of Vinton, Virginia LEGEND Building Footprints Parks Flood Zones Railroads Streams Greenways Community Assets Town Municipal Building & Police Station Fire/Rescue & EMS Station Roanoke County Vinton Branch Library Vinton Historical Society Museum Carilion Clinic Family Medicine - Vinton Farmers’ Market Central Business District (Downtown) Gish Mill Vinton War Memorial Charles R. Hill Community Center Herman L. Horn Elementary School River Park Shopping Center W. E. Cundi‡ Elementary School Lake Drive Plaza Shopping Center Lancerlot Sports Complex Tinker Creek Canoe Launch Wolf Creek Greenway Glade Creek Greenway 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Tinker Creek Tinker Creek Roanoke River Roanoke River Wolf Creek Wolf Creek Glade Creek Glade Creek WASHINGTO N A V E WEST VIRGINIA AVE Glade Creek Greenway Glade Creek Greenway Tinker Creek Greenway Tinker Creek Greenway Wolf Creek Greenway Wolf Creek Greenway City of Roanoke Roanoke County Aerial imagery of Vinton Glade Creek Greenway Page 16 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 17 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Opportunities OPPORTUNITIES FOR VINTON’S FUTURE Vinton has several opportunities to enhance quality of life for residents. The opportunities listed in this section are based on existing strengths of the community. They go beyond the physical locations and include less tangible elements like strong Town leadership and the Town’s position in the regional geography. Opportunities differ from treasured places, which are focused on past investments, and needs, which focus on deficiencies for key elements of the Town. Opportunities are oriented towards action and describe things the Town can take advantage of and build upon during the next 25 years. The opportunities described in this section are based on extensive community engagement at the Dogwood Festival, with the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, the community survey, and the Town Council and Planning Commission. These opportunities - along with treasured places described previously and needs that are described next - are the foundation of the Comprehensive Plan. The list of opportunities is not exhaustive; it captures those that came up most frequently during engagement. ROANOKE COUNTY’S ORIGINAL DOWNTOWN Downtown Vinton is highly walkable with a mix of civic and commercial uses that make it a cherished place for the entire region. The block lengths are conducive to walkability with lengths ranging from 340 to 360 feet, and the heart of downtown can be traversed on foot in less than five minutes. Popular destinations include the Vinton Farmers’ Market, Vinton Library, Town Hall, War Memorial, in addition to several retail and restaurant options. While the downtown has several needs that are outlined in the next section, the infrastructure is in place for it to continue growing and accommodating more residents and businesses on vacant and underutilized parcels. New developments such as Vinyard Station are visible examples of what is possible through redevelopment and repurposing of the historic building stock. Lee Avenue is in the heart of downtown with potential to grow as the key connector between civic spaces, such as the Vinton Farmers’ Market, the local business community, and residential areas adjacent to the downtown. Public art in Vinton Glade Creek Greenway Phase 2A Ribbon Cutting Vinton Library CONNECTED GREENWAYS WITH ROOM TO EXPAND Vinton sits at the junction of several greenways of regional significance on the Roanoke River Greenway System. The Roanoke River Greenway spans a nearly continuous 14 miles from Salem on the west to the confluence of Tinker Creek and the Roanoke River just outside of Vinton. The Tinker Creek Greenway in Roanoke City and the Glade Creek Greenway in Vinton provide a direct connection to the Town. Upon completion, the Roanoke River Greenway will span 25 miles between the Explore Park in Roanoke County and Salem. Tinker Creek Greenway and Glade Creek Greenway both have planned extensions that will create an opportunity for Vinton to position itself as a trail hub for the region. The Tinker Creek Greenway upon completion will allow a person to travel all the way to Daleville Town Center and Appalachian Trail in Botetourt County, about 10 miles north of Vinton. The Glade Creek Greenway and Wolf Creek Greenway provide access to nature from the Town, with Glade Creek Greenway proposed to connect the Town to Vinyard Park and potentially Stewarts Knob Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Meanwhile Wolf Creek Greenway connects the east end of Vinton with the Blue Ridge Parkway. An east-west connection between the Glade Creek Greenway and Wolf Creek Greenway would further enhance the Town’s opportunity to be a trail hub for the region. UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS Vinton is crossed by a pair of regionally significant roadway corridors – Washington Avenue/Gus Nicks Boulevard and Virginia Avenue/Hardy Road. Walnut Avenue also provides a key connection between Washington Avenue, downtown Vinton, and Wise Avenue in the City of Roanoke. These roadways are not only key connectors for residents of Vinton, but also provide access from outlying parts of Roanoke and Bedford counties into the City of Roanoke. Several transportation improvements for these key corridors are in various stages of planning, design, and construction: • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Walnut Avenue between downtown and the City. • Roundabouts to improve traffic flow and safety for all users at Washington Avenue and Bypass Road and Hardy Road and Bypass Road. • Pedestrian crosswalk and safety enhancements along West Virginia Avenue. These projects will bring many benefits including better traffic flow and safety for all travel modes, better walkability and biking options, and new opportunities for development and redevelopment of aging commercial centers along these roadways. These projects also reflect the Town’s success at winning grant funding to conduct planning, design, and constructions of improvements to the transportation system. Wolf Creek Greenway Crosswalk under construction at Gish Mill Roundabout engineering plan A s s e t s a n d O p p o r t u n i t i e s | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t Page 18 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 19 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 OUTDOOR RECREATION ASSETS Vinton and the entire Roanoke Valley region are rich in outdoor recreation assets. The Town has an expanding greenway network, sits along the Roanoke River Blueway, is less than 3 miles from the popular Explore Park in Roanoke County, is less than a half mile to the Blue Ridge Parkway with a greenway connecting the eastern end of Town directly to the famous scenic byway. The Blueway runs for more than 40 miles between Montgomery County in the west to Smith Mountain Lake in the east. Vinton has an access point on Tinker Creek and Roanoke County is planning for another access point to the Explore Park from Hardy Road, which would create more direct access for residents of Vinton. Building on the Town’s brand as a thriving and charming small town with easy access to both the City of Roanoke and some of Virginia’s best outdoor recreation assets is a great opportunity for the Town. In an age where parts of the workforce are more mobile than ever, outdoor recreation can attract employees and businesses, supporting the Town’s economic development. COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL RELATIONSHIPS Vinton maintains strong and productive relationships with Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke, which opens opportunities for collaboration around transportation investments, economic development, and greenway expansion. Regional collaboration is also critical for addressing emerging and urgent issues such as assisting the population that is homeless and housing affordability. Being able to demonstrate regional collaboration also helps the Town win grants to fund infrastructure and recreation investments. Maintaining strong relationships and participating in regional forums will likely open additional opportunities for Vinton in the future. VINTON’S EMERGENCE AS A DESTINATION Vinton has been an important population, employment, and entertainment center in the region throughout its 140-year existence. However, the Town experienced a decline in its downtown economic fortunes, like many towns across the state and country, and has worked hard to restore its vitality. Today Vinton is emerging once again as a top destination within the Roanoke Valley with popular restaurants, a downtown brewery, the Vinton Library, greenways, the Tinker Creek Canoe Launch, and more. The Town is also emerging as an entertainment and sports destination beyond downtown with facilities such as the Lancerlot, drawing people from across the region for ice hockey and figure staking, and Rosie’s Gaming Emporium offering the region’s only gaming facility. Additionally, the Blue Ridge Parkway delivers thousands of tourists per day to the Town’s doorstep. More than 16 million people per year ride along a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway spending more than $1.3 billion in gateway communities. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited property in the entire National Park Service system. Tinker Creek Vinton Municipal Building Rosie’s Gaming Emporium Herman L. Horn Elementary School Multi-Generational Park concept plan Dogwood Festival A s s e t s a n d O p p o r t u n i t i e s | C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t LOCAL SCHOOL QUALITY & COMMUNITY The Town is home to a pair of Roanoke County elementary schools – Herman L. Horn Elementary School and W.E. Cundiff Elementary School. The Town is also served by William Byrd Middle School and William Byrd High School, which are located just east of the Town’s limits. Each of the four schools meets or exceeds the state’s standards for school quality according to the 2023 accreditation reports from the Virginia Department of Education. Public engagement revealed that many people are concerned their children will leave Vinton upon graduating from high school and would like for them to have opportunities to return and live in Vinton during their adulthood. School quality is an important factor in where people decide to put down their roots and maintaining the quality of local schools represents an important opportunity for the Town and County. CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP & EFFECTIVE OPERATIONS Vinton has benefited from effective and long-standing leadership in both elected and appointed positions. This has enabled the Town to tackle challenging projects, such as selling the water and sanitary sewer system to the Western Virginia Water Authority, and to make substantial headway on upgrading infrastructure across the Town, such as repaving a large share of the Town’s streets in recent years. The Town has secured $18.9 million in grants over the last decade to extend what the Town can do with its own resources, which is showing up in physical improvements to the Town such as the Glade Creek Greenway extension, the mid-block crosswalk of Gus Nicks Boulevard at the Gish Mill, and the Multi-Generational Park that will be constructed near the Vinton War Memorial. The Town also is debt free and in a strong position to invest in its future. WELCOMING COMMUNITY FEEL Early community engagement revealed that many Vinton residents value the tight-knit sense of community that exists in the Town. People shared stories of how the Town rallies to help those in need, how a police officer stopped and helped an older person put groceries in her car trunk, and how people are proud to live in Vinton and be from Vinton. The Town has local institutions and events that are important points of social connection, such as its churches and houses of worship, and the annual Dogwood Festival. Residents report a strong desire to maintain the sense of community even as the Town changes and grows in the coming decades. What some call “social capital” is an important asset, and one in short supply in many communities across the United States. The relationships among people, institutions, and businesses in Vinton are a significant opportunity and one that is important to continue nurturing. Page 20 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 21 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Carvin’s Cove via Western Virginia Water Authority MOVE TO REGIONAL WATER AND WASTEWATER SANITARY SEWER SERVICE Much of Vinton was developed several decades ago and the underground utilities are old and in need of repair and replacement. Vinton also has relied on well water in the past, which limited development in parts of the Town due to insufficient water flow and pressure. The Town sold its water and wastewater utilities to the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA) in 2022, which has increased the resources available to improve these critical utilities. The Authority is also in the process of moving Vinton away from the well water source and onto the regional water source, which is Carvin’s Cove in Botetourt County. The western third of the Town, including the downtown area, is now served by the regional water source and the Authority is planning to move the eastern two-thirds of the Town onto the regional source in the coming years. In addition to anticipated water quality and pressure improvements, the Town will have more capacity to support long-term redevelopment in key areas that have previously been identified for it. C o m m u n i t y C o n t e x t Page 22 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 23 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 24 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 25 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION The Town of Vinton’s Comprehensive Plan is a guiding document for growth, development, preservation, and investment in the Town of Vinton through the year 2050. The Plan includes several policies and investments for achieving the Town’s goals. Vinton started the comprehensive plan update by studying existing conditions and identifying critical needs to address over the next 25 years to ensure the Plan’s policies and investments are sound. Vinton defines a need as an issue to address over the next 25 years to enhance public health, safety, and well-being. ORIENTATION TO THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT The needs assessment studied existing conditions for seven broad topic areas: • Transportation • Land Use and Environment • Recreation and Quality of Life • Downtown and Economic Development • Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization • Community Facilities and Services • Stormwater, Water, and Sanitary Sewer Within each section you will find a summary of the top needs, maps and charts presenting key data, and a summary of the existing conditions that justify the needs. “Welcome to Vinton” Postcard Mural Vinton defines a need as an issue to address over the next 25 years to enhance public health, safety, and well-being. The community needs assessment involved an in-depth evaluation of the state of Vinton’s infrastructure, facilities, and overall quality of life. The needs assessment was data driven but also included input from the community and the people charged with managing the Town’s infrastructure, services, and facilities. The community helped identify needs through a community survey while focus groups for each needs assessment topic helped the Town prioritize needs. Vendors at the Dogwood Festival outside of the Vinton Library Ov e r v i e w | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t VINTON AT A GLANCE TOTAL POPULATION TOTAL HOUSING UNITS HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE MEDIAN GROSS RENT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME POPULATION 25 & OLDER WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME ENGLISH ONLY AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME TO WORK WORKED FROM HOME 8,059 FEMALE AGE 53%47% 0 - 19 20 - 34 35 - 49 50 - 64 65+ 22% 20% 17% 21% 19% 98% SPANISH 1.3% OTHER 0.7% 3,774 56.5% $851 $65,481 19.2% 25.3 MINUTES 11% UP FROM 2.4% IN 2010Source: All data are from the 2022 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau except for total population (2020 Census) The findings for each topic are presented on the following pages. However, first it is important to consider the existing demographic characteristics of the Town, and the forecast for population change through 2050. These important data points also underlie the identified needs. MALE Page 26 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 27 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 DEMOGRAPHICS OVERVIEW This section presents background information about the population of Vinton and how it has changed over time. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Vinton’s population totaled 8,059 in the 2020 United States Decennial Census. The Town’s population has been stable over the past 40 years. The 1980 Census found 8,027 people living within the Town. While the overall population has remained stable, the composition of the population has changed over time. The median age in 2022 was 41.1. This was slightly up from 38.2 in 2010, but significantly up from 31.4 in 1980. Not surprisingly, the population is skewed towards older age groups, as seen in the population pyramid, compared to Virginia or the United States as a whole. While population pyramids tend to taper to a point at the top of the pyramid, due to there being fewer older people than younger people, in Vinton some older age groups have nearly as many people as younger age groups. This has implications for the services and infrastructure provided by Vinton. Source: 2020 Decennial Census Data MEDIAN AGE COMPARISON Town of Vinton Roanoke County Botetourt County Bedford County Franklin County City of Roanoke City of Salem 41.1 44.5 47.5 46.8 48.4 38.1 40.8 Source: 2022 American Community Survey VINTON POPULATION Female Male 85 years and over80 to 84 years75 to 79 years70 to 74 years65 to 69 years60 to 64 years55 to 59 years50 to 54 years45 to 49 years40 to 44 years35 to 39 years30 to 34 years25 to 29 years20 to 24 years15 to 19 years10 to 14 years5 to 9 yearsUnder 5 years 400 300 200 100 0 100 200 300 400 In terms of race and ethnicity, a higher share of the Town’s population is white than Virginia as a whole. Whereas about 90 percent of the Vinton population is white, the figure is about 60 percent for Virginia. The Town’s racial and ethnic composition is nearly in line with Roanoke County as a whole, with the Town having a slightly higher share of residents that are white and black than the County, but a smaller share that are Hispanic/Latino. Vinton’s population has lower rates of educational attainment than other jurisdictions in the region at both ends of the education spectrum. More Vinton residents lack a high school diploma and fewer have a college degree or higher than the City of Roanoke, City of Salem, and Roanoke County. This may be driven by the presence of colleges and universities in those jurisdictions. Anecdotally this may also be driven by the Town’s history of blue-collar employment. While the educational attainment is lower than neighboring jurisdictions, the Town’s income has been growing faster and the unemployment rate is low. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT RACE & ETHNICITY POPULATION FORECAST Ov e r v i e w | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Vinton’s steady population across several decades could indicate that it will remain stable into the future. However, the state’s official source for population forecasting, the Weldon Cooper Center, shows the population increasing to 9,114 by 2050, an increase of about 13 percent from 2020. 9,200 9,000 8,800 8,600 8,400 8,200 8,000 7,800 7,600 7,400 8,059 8,317 8,651 9,114 2020 2030 2040 2050 Year Po p u l a t i o n The Town’s consulting team assessed the Weldon Cooper Center forecast and developed the following points, some of which support the forecast while others cast doubt: • Population change has been flat for decades. Extending recent trends would place the population well below the forecast of 9,114. • Vinton’s population is aging with more people aged 40 and over in 2020 than in 2010. This would indicate that births are likely on the decline. • Vinton’s land development patterns would indicate room for growth in housing units through development of undeveloped parcels, and redevelopment of aging parcels. This would indicate population growth is possible through the addition of households, even if average household size declines. • The housing and real estate markets in Vinton are strong. Housing does not stay on the market long in Vinton and there are effectively no vacant, available housing units in the town. Vinton also has good access to regional jobs. This would indicate that Vinton has a strong market and can be expected to have a strong market into the future. While population forecasting is an inexact science, there are indicators that both question and support the population forecast of 9,114 in 2050. Therefore, the Town finds this forecast is a reasonable growth possibility for planning purposes. White alone, 90.0% Black or African American alone, 3.1% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 0.1% Asian alone, 0.6% Two or More Races, 2.7%Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 2.8% Source: Weldon Cooper Center Some other Race alone, 0.6% High school graduate or equivalency, 35.4% Some college, no degree, 22.4% Associate’s degree, 8.8% Bachelor’s degree, 14.1% Less than 9th grade, 5.4% 9th to 12th grade, no diploma, 8.8% Graduate or professional degree, 5.1% Page 28 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 29 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 TRANSPORTATION Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 30 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 31 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AT A GLANCE Vinton’s street network developed gradually over time beginning in the late 19th century. Largely completed by the latter half of the 20th century, the Town’s streets are characterized by small grids of local streets that feed into a larger grid of collector and arterial streets serving the surrounding area. The primary connecting corridors of Vinton are Gus Nicks Boulevard/Washington Avenue in the northern part of the Town and Hardy Road/Virginia Avenue in the southern part of the Town. These corridors connect the Town to Roanoke County. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities are not nearly as extensive as vehicular ones as is typical for most communities of its era. Listed below are the top transportation-related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: TRANSPORTATION NEEDS • Transportation for an Aging Population – Vinton’s aging population requires accessible, affordable, and safe transportation options tailored to their unique needs. Mobility is essential for fostering independence, maintaining social connections, and accessing services. Well- maintained sidewalks, safer crosswalks, and traffic calming measures can support this goal. • Modern & Safe Street Design that Reconnects Neighborhoods & Accommodates All Modes – Many of the Town’s neighborhoods lack street lighting and safe walking connections to key destinations such as schools and parks. Strengthening pedestrian connections is needed to improve safety and accessibility for residents. • Connected Networks for Walking & Biking – Community engagement has highlighted a need for improved pedestrian connections, enhanced bicycle facilities, and slower vehicular traffic. Street improvements designed with the needs of all users in mind create a safer and more connected community. • Better Downtown Vinton to Downtown Roanoke Connections for All Modes – Improving the links between Vinton and Roanoke is vital for fostering regional connectivity. Safe routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers will strengthen community ties and enable Vinton residents to access services located in the City. • Town-City-County Coordination on Washington/Gus Nicks & Greenway Connections - Greenway gaps exist across Vinton from Glade Creek Greenway to Wolf Creek Greenway and from Vinton to other destinations in Roanoke County. Coordinated effort between Vinton, Roanoke City, and Roanoke County will be required to expand greenway access. WHAT WE HEARD Vinton has a great opportunity to become a more walkable, accessible Town. It can be difficult to safely cross Washington Avenue and Virginia Avenue/Hardy Road on foot. Need connections on road between Wolf Creek Greenway and Tinker Creek/Glade Creek Greenways. Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Make streets safer for all users Reduce traffic congestion Improve walkability VINTON’S RESIDENTS INDICATED THE FOLLOWING TRANSPORTATION GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT: Washington Avenue is very congested. It is difficult to enter into traffic. Not great protected options for walking or biking outside of my neighborhood. 4.2 3.9 3.6 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important Street improvements designed with the needs of all users in mind create a safer and more connected community. Page 32 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 33 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 VINTON CRASH DATA Year Total Crashes No. of persons killed No. of persons injured 2016 143 0 14 2017 112 2 22 2018 104 0 10 2019 129 0 14 2020 132 0 12 2021 164 0 23 2022 167 0 15 2023 138 0 14 Crash activity generally centers on the two main arterials of Hardy/Virginia Ave and Gus Nicks/Washington Ave, as well as along Bypass Rd. Other streets where crashes are centered include Pollard St, Mountain View Rd, and Vinyard Rd. The Hardy Rd/Bypass Rd intersection has the highest crash density in Vinton and among the highest in the region. EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY - VEHICULAR As summarized in the stakeholder outreach on transportation, the primary vehicular needs in Vinton are for operational and safety purposes. The Town’s well connected grid of streets and ample capacity on the majority of streets is the result of car centric roadway planning in past decades. While most streets have the capacity to accommodate average daily trips, there are a significant numbers of crashes at key intersections. Crashes T r a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Annual Average Daily Traffic Volumes Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) measures the average number of vehicles traveling on a particular road each day over the course of a year. AADT values can help to establish needs based on road usage and indicate potential areas of congestion and accident risks. Analysis of past and projected AADT volumes shows relatively stable traffic on most major roads. During the COVID pandemic, traffic volumes sharply declined worldwide due to lockdowns, remote work, and reduced commuting. The cultural shift toward remote work and increased local travel could impact future transportation planning. VDOT projections for the future show traffic volume increases for Vinton’s roadways through 2045, however, even with increases in traffic volumes, Vinton’s roadways do not exceed their maximum capacity. Virginia Avenue - Town Limits to Chestnut Street Hardy Road - Bypass Road to Town Limits Gus Nicks Boulevard - Town Limits to Pollard Street Washington Avenue - Mitchell Road to Bypass Road Hardy Road - Chestnut Street to Bypass Road Bypass Road - Hardy Road to Washington Avenue Washington Avenue - Pollard Street to Mitchell Road Washington Avenue - Bypass Road to Town Limits Page 34 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 35 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Potential for Safety Improvements VDOT analyzes the roadway network based on guidelines set by the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) to identify areas with Potential for Safety Improvements (PSI). Factors compared in this analysis are the predicted number of crashes versus observed number of crashes in a given year. VDOT ranks these PSIs in order of priority for each district. Vinton’s highest ranked segment in the Salem district is Hardy Rd from Vinyard Rd to Clearview Dr. Other safety concerns include the Hardy Rd/Bypass Rd, Hardy Rd from Niagara Rd to Vinyard Rd, and Washington Ave near the eastern Town limits. Some of these issues are being addressed through current transportation projects including the Hardy Rd/ Bypass Rd roundabout. Other segments remain a safety concern in Vinton. The map below displays Vinton’s PSI segments and intersections. HOUSEHOLD TRANSPORTATION COSTS Vinton Roanoke County Median Household Income $65,481 $75,258 Average Transportation Costs as % of Income 22%25% Transit Ridership % of Workers 2%1% Annual Transportation Cost $12,324 $14,087 Income significantly influences transportation costs, as individuals with higher incomes are more likely to afford private vehicles, fuel, and maintenance, while those with lower incomes may rely on more affordable public transportation options. In Vinton, transportation costs are largely linked to private vehicles, with 92.5% of residents commuting to work by driving alone or working from home.1 1 2022 ACS 5-Year Estimates Source: H & T Affordability Index T r a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t BUS SERVICE The two Valley Metro bus routes that service the Town of Vinton are Routes 31-32 and 35-36. Route 31-32 connects downtown Roanoke to Wildwood neighborhood and the River Park Shopping Center in Vinton. Route 35-36 destinations include Downtown Roanoke, Belmont and Fallon neighborhoods, Fallon Park and Elementary School, Tinker Creek Greenway, downtown Vinton, Lake Drive Plaza, and the River Park Shopping Center. Service for these routes is offered Monday-Saturday from 5:45am to 8:45pm, hourly. Routes 31, 32 and 36 performed below the system average of 20 trips per hour in FY2023. Route 35 exhibited the highest ridership out of the routes that service the Town of Vinton.2 ROUTES SERVICING VINTON Route Passenger Trips FY2023 Estimated Cost Per Trip FY2023 Trips Per Mile FY2023 Trips Per Hour FY2023 31 37,515 $6.52 1.24 15.06 32 27,836 $7.83 1.12 12.54 35 57,390 $3.63 2.72 27.06 36 46,690 $5.00 2.12 19.62 2 Greater Roanoke Transit Company - Valley Metro Transit Strategic Plan (TSP) FY2025 - FY2034 Page 36 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 37 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 The Walkability Gap Analysis Map highlights pedestrian attractors such as parks, greenways, schools, and community facilities and sidewalks. The downtown area is well connected with sidewalks, however, pedestrian connectivity is lacking from residential neighborhoods to pedestrian attractors, especially schools and the downtown area. EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY - PEDESTRIAN In Vinton, 73% of major corridors are equipped with sidewalks and they are generally well maintained.1 Sidewalk gaps exist outside of the downtown area and access to pedestrian attractors such as parks, greenways, schools, and community facilities is limited from residential areas. High priority pedestrian projects should include ADA compliant sidewalks to schools and parks and connectivity with greenways. The map below shows recorded walking paths individuals have documented on Strava. This data is not comprehensive as not everyone who walks in Vinton uses Strava but it does demonstrate potential gaps in pedestrian connectivity. Beyond the downtown, pedestrian accessibility is limited as demonstrated by the Walkability Gap Analysis Map. Despite the lack of pedestrian infrastructure outside the downtown, individuals do walk to and from pedestrian attractors as demonstrated in the map above. Community engagement activities highlighted a strong desire for sidewalks connecting to local schools, the need for safe crossing points at major roads, particularly Washington Ave and Hardy Rd, and widespread support for making commercial areas more accessible by foot. T r a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Walkability Gap Analysis Map Sidewalk Map 1 Vinton Major Corridors Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations Page 38 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 39 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY - BICYCLE There is a need for better bicycle connectivity in Vinton. Currently, bicyclists in the Town utilize greenways, as there are few formal bike facilities. As highlighted in community engagement activities, there are some connectivity issues between greenways. Additionally, roadways with higher traffic volumes such as Washington Ave and Virginia Ave need better infrastructure to improve safety. Bicycle Level of Service Map The RVARC Vinton Major Corridors Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations analyzed four Vinton corridors for bicycle compatibility in 2018. Factors considered included number of lanes, curb lane width, bicycle lane presence and width, speed limit, traffic speeds, traffic volume, percent large trucks, and on-street parking. These factors inform the level of service for bicycles, with A indicating the best conditions and F the worst. T r a n s p o r t a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t BICYCLE COMPATIBILITY INDEX OF SELECT CORRIDORS Source: RVARC Vinton Major Corridors Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations (2018) Location BCI Level of Service Bicycle Compatibility Walnut Avenue - Glade Creek to 4th Street 2.08 B Very High Walnut Avenue - 4th Street to Lee Avenue 3.22 C Moderately High Lee Avenue 4.67 E Very Low Pollard Street - Virginia to Jackson (southbound)3.99 D Moderately Low Pollard Street - Virginia to Jackson (northbound)4.39 D Moderately Low Pollard Street - Jackson to Washington (southbound)4.05 D Moderately Low Pollard Street - Jackson to Washington (northbound)4.44 E Very Low Virginia Avenue - West City Limit to Pollard (eastbound)5.63 F Extremely Low Virginia Avenue - West City Limit to Pollard (westbound)5.17 E Very Low Virginia Avenue - Pollard to Clearview (eastbound)4.87 E Very Low Virginia Avenue - Pollard to Clearview (westbound)4.72 E Very Low Hardy Road - Clearview to Bypass 4.11 D Moderately Low Hardy Road - Bypass to East City Limit 4.11 D Moderately Low Bypass Road 4.16 D Moderately Low Washington Avenue - East City Limit to Gus Nicks Blvd 5.09 E Very Low Gus Nicks Blvd - Washington Avenue to West City Limit 4.97 E Very Low The highest priority recommendations from the study included improvements along Walnut Ave, Lee Ave, Pollard St, Virginia Ave/Hardy Rd/Bypass Rd, Washington Ave, and Gus Nicks Blvd. Bicycle infrastructure on these roadways should include narrowing lanes, adding bike lanes (protected bike lanes where possible), and shared lane markings (sharrows). Page 40 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 41 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 CURRENT AND PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS Title Description Need Addressed Estimated Cost VDOT 6-Year Improvement Program FY 25 FINAL (2024) GLADE CREEK GREENWAY, PHASE 2 Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from intersection of 5th St and Walnut Ave to Gus Nicks Blvd Safety (bike and ped)$649,000 GLADE CREEK GREENWAY PHASE 2B Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from Gearhart Park/GC Greenway Phase 2A to Walnut Ave/GC Greenway Phase 1 Safety (bike and ped)$892,000 WALNUT AVE BIKE/PED ACCOMMODATIONS (5TH ST TO TOWN LIMIT) Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from .01 miles east of 5th St to town limits Safety (bike and ped)$2,068,000 ROUTE 24 PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS Safety from 4th Street to Pollard Street Safety (ped)$2,571,000 #SMART22 - WALNUT AVENUE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 3 Reconstruction w/o Added Capacity from 1st St to 4th St System Management $7,690,000 HARDY ROAD/DILLON WOODS CROSSWALK Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from Bypass Rd to McDonald St Safety (bike and ped)$415,000 GUS NICKS BOULEVARD PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE CROSSING Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from Glade Creek greenway to Gish Mill Property Safety (bike and ped)$394,000 #SMART24 - ROUNDABOUT AT HARDY RD & BYPASS RD (RTE 24) Reconstruction w/o Added Capacity from Bypass Rd to Clearview Dr System Management $17,154,000 VINYARD ROAD PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (PE ONLY) Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from Hardy Road to end of Vinyard Road Safety (bike and ped)$356,000 WALNUT AVENUE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles from W. Lee Avenue to 1st Street Safety (bike and ped)$1,064,000 MOUNTAIN VIEW RD RECONSTRUCTION Reconstruction w/o Added Capacity from Washington Avenue (Route 24) to Shalon Circle System Management $853,000 RVTPO Long Range Plan Funded Projects (2023) GLADE CREEK GREENWAY, PHASE 2A Paved 10’ wide greenway from Gus Nicks Boulevard to Gearhart Park Safety (bike and ped)$705,177 WALNUT AVE BIKE/PED ACCOMMODATIONS (5TH ST TO TOWN LIMIT) Construct a sidewalk and bike lanes on Walnut Avenue between 5th Street and the City of Roanoke - Town of Vinton limit Safety (ped)$2,068,142 HARDY ROAD/DILLON WOODS CROSSWALK Install a pedestrian crosswalk on Hardy Road at Dillon Drive Safety (bike and ped)$497,911 This is a comprehensive list of current and proposed transportation projects in Vinton. Current/Funded projects are highlighted white and proposed/unfunded projects are highlighted in gray. Proposed/unfunded projects with a higher priority (listed in respective plans) are highlighted yellow. Some projects are included in multiple plans, with some receiving funding across different plans. No projects were removed despite these repetitions. Estimated costs are from the year of each plan (not inflated to current year). APPENDIX A Title Description Need Addressed Estimate RVTPO Long Range Plan Funded Projects (2023) WALNUT AVENUE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS Design and construction of ADA access from the Farmers Market to 1st Street. Connecting existing sidewalks with new concrete sidewalk and curb ramps, adding bike lanes, crosswalks and cross street intersections, pedestrian lighting, and construction storm drain improvements as required Safety (bike and ped), System Management (operations, assets) $881,360 GLADE CREEK GREENWAY PHASE 2B Paved 10’ wide greenway from Gearhart Park to Walnut Avenue Safety (bike and ped)$784,659 #SMART22 - WALNUT AVENUE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS PHASE 3 New Sidewalk, Bike land and Pedestrian crossing improvments between 1st Street and 4th in Vinton Safety (bike and ped)$7,399,781 GUS NICKS BOULEVARD PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE CROSSING Bike/Pedestrian Crossing from Billy Byrd Apartments to the Gish Mill Property Safety (bike and ped)$404,000 GLADE CREEK GREENWAY PHASE 3 PE/STUDY Facilities for Pedestrians and Bicycles Safety (bike and ped)$275,000 RVTPO Long Range Plan Priority Projects to Pursue (2023) STUDY: WASHINGTON AVE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT STUDY To identify and design projects to address safety issues, access management needs, multimodal deficiencies, and vehicular congestion issues during peak hours along Washington Avenue between South Pollard Street in the Town of Vinton to Stonebridge Drive at the Blue Ridge Parkway in Roanoke County, a distance of 2.5 miles System Management $150,000 HARDY ROAD AND BYPASS ROUND ROUNDABOUT* Convert the intersection of Hardy Road/Bypass Road (Rt. 24) and Hardy Road (Rt. 634) from a signalized intersection to a two-lane roundabout. The project includes sidewalk in the immediate area of the roundabout System Management $17,123,028 CORTRAN TURNKEY THIRD- PARTY PROVIDED OPERATING ASSISTANCE Operating assistance for Via Transportation, Inc. under contract with Roanoke County to provide ondemand transit services for Roanoke County residents 70+ or of any age with a disability Transit Access $1,200,000 Town of Vinton Gap Summary Route 24 Bike/Ped Plan (2022) VIRGINIA AVENUE SIDEWALK FROM POLLARD STREET TO VINYARD ROAD Install conventional sidewalk on north side of street Safety (ped)$2,535,944 INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ON POLLARD STREET AND VIRGINIA AVENUE Install crosswalks, ADA curb ramps, modified medians, and pedestrian crossing signals Safety (ped)$194,231 POLLARD STREET SIDEWALKS FROM VIRGINIA AVENUE TO CLEVELAND AVENUE Widen sidewalks to 6-ft width, ADA curb ramps, and crosswalks Safety (ped)$1,634,473 CLEVELAND AVENUE SLOW STREET FROM POLLARD STREET TO BEDFORD ROAD Install crosswalks, speed tables, ADA curb ramps, and sharrows Safety (ped)$301,610 WASHINGTON AVENUE LANE RECONFIGURATION FROM POLLARD STREET TO BYPASS ROAD Reconfigure four-lane road to two lanes with center turn and buffered bicycle lanes Safety (bike)$1,671,912 * Project funded through SmartScale Page 42 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 43 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Title Description Need Addressed Estimate Town of Vinton Gap Summary Route 24 Bike/Ped Plan (2022) VINYARD ROAD/BEDFORD ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Install crosswalks, speed tables, ADA curb ramps, sharrows, and conventional or painted sidewalks Safety (ped) $196,556 (painted sidewalks option) $402,729 (conventional sidewalk option) S BLAIR STREET FROM E CLEVELAND AVE TO JEFFERSON AVE Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A JEFFERSON AVENUE FROM S BLAIR ST TO CHESTNUT ST Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A CHESTNUT STREET FROM JEFFERSON AVE TO E VIRGINIA AVE Slow Street: Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at Hardy Rd Safety (ped)N/A PINE STREET FROM WASHINGTON AVE TO E JACKSON AVE Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A E CLEVELAND AVENUE FROM BEDFORD RD TO DEAD END Slow Street: Intersection redesign at Bedford Rd Safety (ped)N/A BEDFORD RD FROM E JACKSON AVE TO VIRGINIA AVE Slow Street: Intersection redesign at E Cleveland Rd Safety (ped)N/A BEDFORD RD FROM VIRGINIA AVE TO HARDY RD Sidewalk (one side); Signalized intersection enhancements at Hardy Rd Safety (ped)N/A E JACKSON AVENUE FROM S POPLAR ST TO PINE ST Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A S POLLARD STREET FROM WASHINGTON AVE TO E CLEVELAND AVE Downtown Toolkit; Signalized intersection enhancements at Washington Ave & E Lee Ave; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at E Jackson Ave & E Cleveland Ave Safety (ped)N/A S MAPLE STREET FROM WASHINGTON AVE TO E CLEVELAND AVE Downtown Toolkit; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at Washington Ave, E Lee Ave, E Jackson Ave and E Cleveland Ave Safety (ped)N/A E JACKSON AVENUE FROM W JACKSON AVE TO S POPLAR ST Downtown Toolkit; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at S Pollard St & S Maple St Safety (ped)N/A E LEE AVENUE FROM W LEE AVE TO S POPLAR ST Downtown Toolkit; Signalized intersection enhancements at S Pollard St; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at S Maple St Safety (ped)N/A 1ST STREET FROM WALNUT AVE TO W CLEVELAND AVE Sidewalk Safety (ped)N/A WALNUT AVENUE FROM WEST TOWN LIMITS TO W LEE AVE Planned/Proposed Improvements Safety (ped)N/A GUS NICKS BOULEVARD FROM GEARHART PARK TO WASHINGTON AVE Planned/Proposed Improvements; Signalized intersecton enhancements at S Pollard St; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at W Madison Ave Safety (ped)N/A FAIRMONT DRIVE FROM S PRESTON RD TO BUSH DR Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A W VIRGINIA AVE FROM GLADE RD TO COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY Sidewalk; Signalized intersection enhancements at commercial driveway Safety (ped)N/A Title Description Need Addressed Estimate Town of Vinton Gap Summary Route 24 Bike/Ped Plan (2022) HARDY ROAD FROM CHESTNUT ST TO VINYARD RD Sidewalk; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at Chestnut St and Spruce St; Signalized intersection enhancements at Bedord Rd Safety (ped)N/A BYPASS ROAD FROM CLEARVIEW RD TO WASHINGTON AVE Sidewalk; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at shopping center; intersection redesign at Washington Ave Safety (ped)N/A PRIVATE DRIVE FROM E CLEVELAND AVE TO DEAD END Slow Street Safety (ped)N/A FOOTPATH FROM E CLEVELAND AVE TO BYPASS RD Off Road 10 ft Shared Use Path Safety (bike and ped)N/A FOOTPATH FROM BYPASS RD TO FAIRMONT DR Off Road 10 ft Shared Use Path Safety (bike and ped)N/A FOOTPATH FROM FAIRMONT DR TO WOLF CREEK GREENWAY Off Road 10 ft Shared Use Path Safety (bike and ped)N/A HARDY ROAD FROM VINYARD RD TO CLEARVIEW DR Sidewalk; Signalized intersection enhancements at Bedford Rd Safety (ped)N/A HARDY ROAD FROM CLEARVIEW RD TO NELSON ST Sidewalk Safety (ped)N/A WASHINGTON AVE FROM MITCHELL RD TO BYPASS RD Sidewalk Safety (ped)N/A W LEE AVENUE FROM WALNUT AVE TO E LEE AVE Downtown Toolkit; Signalized intersection enhancements at S Pollard St Safety (ped)N/A W JACKSON AVENUE FROM WALNUT AVE TO E JACKSON AVE Downtown Toolkit; Uncontrolled crossing enhancements at S Pollard St Safety (ped)N/A W CLEVELAND AVENUE FROM 1ST STREET TO POLLARD ST Slow Street; Uncontrolled crossing crossing enhancements at S Pollard St Safety (ped)N/A E JACKSON AVENUE FROM PINE ST TO BEDFORD RD Slow Street; Intersection redesign at E Cleveland Rd Safety (ped)N/A VDOT Project Pipeline (2024) INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: WASHINGTON AVE./ BYPASS ROAD Traffic control and reduce congestion at this busy intersection on Rte. 24 System management N/A GUS NICKS BLVD./ WASHINGTON AVE. CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT/ ACCESS MANAGEMENT Access management, accessibility, bike/ped improvements Safety (bike and ped), System Management N/A BYPASS ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT Access management, bike/ped improvements, accessibility, economic development activity incentive Safety (bike and ped), System Management N/A VINYARD ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Traffic congestion, bike/ped improvements, accessibility, bus transit improvements, and access management in this corridor Safety (bike and ped), System Management Transit Access N/A INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: SOUTH POLLARD STREET/E. VIRGINIA AVENUE Traffic control, reduction of congestion, and the potential complete reconfiguration of this busy intersection on Rte. 24 Safety (ped), System Management N/A Page 44 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 45 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Title Description Need Addressed Estimate VDOT Project Pipeline (2024) INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: 3RD STREET/W. VIRGINIA AVE. Traffic control, access management, and reduce congestion on this intersection where residential, industrial, and commerical uses converge System Management N/A VIRGINIA AVENUE/ HARDY ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS Access management, accessibility, bike/ped improvements Safety (bike and ped), System Management N/A VINYARD ROAD: POTENTIAL CONNECTION WITH CLEARVIEW DRIVE STUDY AND PROJECT Traffic control, access management, and reduce congestion on this intersection where residential and commerical uses converge System Management N/A INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: SPRUCE STREET/ EAST VIRGINIA AVENUE Traffic control, reduction of congestion, and the potential addition of a traffic signal configuration on Rte. 24 System Management N/A BYPASS ROAD/ HARDY ROAD/ CLEARVIEW DRIVE INTERSECTION/ CORRIDOR STUDY AND IMPROVEMENT Traffic congestion, bike/ped improvements, accessibility, bus transit improvements, and access management on Rte. 24 Safety (bike and ped), System Management Transit Access N/A Page 46 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 47 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 LAND USE & ENVIRONMENT La n d U s e & E n v i r o n m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 48 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 49 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Kudzu is very prevalent in the area, It’s visible along all the greenways. Would like to see more residential above commercial mixed-use downtown. Larger parking lots are an opportunity for more tree planting. 1 Mid-Atlantic Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments. https://www.midatlanticrisa.org/ La n d U s e & E n v i r o n m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Maintain small-town feel & stable neighborhoods Improve water quality for Vinton’s streams, creeks, & the Roanoke River Prioritize downtown & aging commercial centers for future development VINTON’S RESIDENTS INDICATED THE FOLLOWING LAND USE & ENVIRONMENT GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT: Keep and improve upon what makes Vinton special. Vacant buildings transformed into productive use. 4.2 4.1 3.8 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important LAND USE & ENVIRONMENT NEEDS AT A GLANCE Vinton is a Town nestled between the Roanoke River and three of its tributaries – Glade Creek, Tinker Creek, and Wolf Creek. The Town slopes gently up from these waterways, which created an ideal landscape on which to build a Town. Today Vinton’s 3.2 square miles is largely built out, with just a few significant undeveloped sites remaining. The form of Vinton’s natural and built environment contribute to many of the Town’s most important needs. Listed below are the top land use and environment related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: LAND USE NEEDS • Maintain Small-Town Feel & Preserve Stable Neighborhoods – Vinton residents value the Town’s neighborhoods and small-town feel. Protecting this valuable characteristic is important to people, as indicated through the community survey and engagement events. • Mixed-Use Development in Downtown to Increase Vitality – Downtown is a cherished place in Vinton. However, it has several notable gaps in its storefronts and lacks housing within the immediate downtown area. Additional housing will add population, which will support the market for more shops, increasing vitality and filling gaps in the storefronts. • Redevelopment of Aging Commercial Centers – Much of Vinton’s development is several decades old and showing the wear and tear of aging. Trends such as e-commerce have reduced the need for some types of brick-and-mortar retail. Redevelopment of these centers into new uses that are needed in Vinton will be important over the next 25 years. ENVIRONMENT NEEDS • Cleaner Water in Vinton’s Streams & the Roanoke River – The Roanoke River and many of its tributaries are impaired, which means the water does not meet state water quality standards. Reducing polluted runoff to these water bodies is a need. • Mitigate Urban Heat Island Effect – Temperatures have been increasing in Roanoke County. On average Roanoke County exceeds 95 degrees twice per year. By 2070 Roanoke County is forecast to exceed 95 degrees on between 18 and 37 days per year.1 Preparing for this large increase in days with extreme heat is a need for Vinton and the entire region. • Remove Invasives & Plant Natives - Invasive plants such as kudzu, autumn olive, and honeysuckle reduce wildlife habitat and can contribute to erosion along the Town’s waterways. Addressing the impacts of invasive species is an important need. • Organized Environmental Stewardship - There are several environmental organizations in the Roanoke Valley, but none focused primarily on Vinton. The Town could benefit from more organized support for protecting and improving the Town’s natural environment. • Manage & Mitigate Floodplain Risks - Several properties in Vinton are within the floodplain, and many properties at risk from flooding lack flood insurance. • More Trees - Vinton’s downtown area and major commercial centers lack tree canopy. Trees help mitigate the effects of hotter temperatures, and absorb stormwater, which can reduce runoff. WHAT WE HEARD Page 50 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 51 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 IMPERVIOUS LAND COVERAGE Built areas tend to have extensive impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, roofs, and parking lots. They contribute to stormwater runoff and increase heat in urban areas. Higher volumes of runoff can lead to flooding and streambank erosion. The Town’s greatest concentrations of impervious surfaces are found downtown and at major shopping centers. There are areas that should be considered for tree planting. The Glade Creek and Tinker Creek watersheds have most of the Town’s impervious surface area. EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Vinton consists of both the natural and built environments. The natural environment refers to spaces that are mostly undeveloped. While none of Vinton’s land is unaffected by human activity, there are still many natural features that merit protection, such as the streams and steep hillsides with tree canopy. The built environment constitutes most of the Town’s land area. It includes buildings, streets, and parking areas. It is typically characterized by how land is used, such as residential, commercial, industrial, or mixed use. It is important that Towns like Vinton strive for balance between the built and natural environments. Both are essential for a thriving and healthy community. Natural areas are important for absorbing stormwater, providing shade that cools temperatures, and providing habitat for animal and plant life. The built environment is the place where social and economic interactions occur and the degree to which the built environment fosters interactions among Vinton’s residents is important for economic development and quality of life. However, people also need nature and the ability to retreat to the Town’s greenways, parks, and natural areas is highly important to the health of the Town’s residents. This section describes existing conditions for both the built and natural world in Vinton. L a n d U s e & E n v i r o n m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t TREE CANOPY Urban tree canopy helps reduce noise pollution, filter air and water, reduce stormwater runoff, reduce energy use, and provide animal habitat and shade. As a result, tree canopy help support healthier neighborhoods with greater economic value. About 35% of the Town’s land area is beneath tree canopy, which is comparable to the tree canopy areas of the City of Roanoke and City of Salem. The 2024 Roanoke Valley Urban Tree Canopy Assessment indicated that about 32% of Vinton’s land area is suitable for additional tree planting to increase the canopy.2 Tree Canopy Chart WATERSHEDS Water that falls on Vinton makes its way to the Roanoke River via Tinker Creek, Glade Creek, Wolf Creek, or by running off directly to the river. These waterways are important recreation and environmental assets. The 2 Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. 2024 Urban Tree Canopy Assessment. Page 52 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 53 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Roanoke River flows into important state recreational assets, such as Smith Mountain Lake, Kerr Lake, and Lake Gaston. The river also feeds drinking water supplies for many communities, including places as far away as Virginia Beach. It is one of the state’s most important and valued resources, and the quality of its water is of local, regional, and statewide importance. The Roanoke River, Tinker Creek, and Glade Creek are considered impaired by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, meaning they do not meet Virginia’s water quality standards. Among the sources of impairment are sediment, which harms aquatic life, and bacteria, which can lead to illness. The Town’s stormwater does not go to a treatment plant before it reaches these waterbodies, which means that pollutants from streets, yards, buildings, and other surfaces can wash directly into them. The watershed map indicates which waterbody receives the water that runs off the Town’s land. Addressing polluted stormwater is an important regional and local need. Watershed Map FLOODPLAINS Most of Vinton is on high ground and outside of the floodplains. However, there are areas along Glade Creek and Tinker Creek that are within the 100-year floodplain, and some minor areas along Wolf Creek. These areas, known as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), have a 1 percent chance of flooding in any given year. Vinton participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) voluntary Community Rating System (CRS). In exchange for Vinton’s proactive efforts to reduce flood risk through this program, policyholders in Town can receive reduced flood insurance premiums for buildings. However, flooding still periodically occurs within the Town. As a result, the Town has taken measures to reduce flood risk including limiting development L a n d U s e & E n v i r o n m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t LAND USE Most parcels of land within Vinton’s 3.2 square miles are developed. While it is common to call Vinton “built out” as a result, structures within the Town will be altered or replaced over time. It is important to understand the current development pattern and how changing population needs and preferences will shape development in the future. The Town in 2024 is largely residential. About 58 percent of the land is zoned for low-to-medium density residential. The Town’s commercial development is concentrated in two centers – Downtown and around the corridors of Hardy Road and Bypass Road where the River Park Shopping Center and Lake Drive Plaza are located. Most of the remaining commercial development in the Town is stretched out along the major corridors of Washington Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Hardy Road, and Bypass Road. The southwest corner of Vinton, along Tinker Creek and the Roanoke River, are where most of the industrially zoned land is found. to more than 25 feet from stream banks, requiring first floors to be 1 foot above base flood elevation for commercial development and 2 feet for residential, and pursuing flood hazard mitigation grants to acquire properties within the special flood hazard areas. It is important to note that FEMA is expected to release new and more accurate data in 2025 on the extend of the floodplain, which may remove some properties from the special flood hazard areas, while adding others. It is anticipated that more properties will be removed from the special flood hazards areas than added. Floodplain Map Page 54 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 55 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 39%.04%10%4%4%1%3%4%4%2%30% 1.3% 0.1% 9.2% 1.3% 0.6% 10.3% 1.2% 1.1% 0.5% 6.6% 0.7% 9.1%13%45.1% Zoning Map Zoning by Percentage *Colors correspond to the map legend Zoning is the law that describes what is allowed on a parcel of land. Some parcels are either undeveloped or developed for a different use than what the zoning allows. Looking at the existing land use, from the tax assessor, shows that much of the industrially zoned land is undeveloped. This is due partially to steep slopes and former landfills on the Town’s southern boundary near the Roanoke River. Understanding what is possible with those undeveloped parcels is another need. Page 56 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 57 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 RECREATION & QUALITY OF LIFE Re c r e a t i o n & Q u a l i t y o f L i f e | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 58 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 59 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 RECREATION & QUALITY OF LIFE WHAT WE HEARD There is an opportunity for pocket parks along greenways to make more linear parks. Make greenways and trails a priority. I’d love to see more family focused activites and better playgrounds. Spending time in nature provides offers numerous health benefits, including better focus, longer life expectancy, lower stress, and reduced cancer risk.1 NEEDS AT A GLANCE Recreation and quality of life are essential to overall health and well-being for Vinton’s residents. The Town’s existing parks, greenways, and waterways are cherished aspects of the Town, which residents want to protect and build upon. However, it is not only recreation facilities within the Town limits that contribute to quality of life for residents. Vinton sits within close proximity of several major recreation assets in Roanoke City and Roanoke County, as shown in the map to the right. The Town can grow its outdoor recreation advantages through better connections to these assets including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Explore Park, and the regional greenway and blueway networks. The region’s long-term plans call for extending the Tinker Creek and Glade Creek greenways towards Botetourt County, and closing the Roanoke River Greenway gap between the City of Roanoke and the Explore Park. When these projects are complete the Town will sit at the junction of several popular trails. Meanwhile, Roanoke County is planning for better access to the Explore Park for bicycles and pedestrians, and new trails and recreation facilities within the park; and the Town will expand its park offerings with the Multi-Generational Park that is under development. While recreation is clearly a Town strength now and in the future, there are several needs for Vinton to address to maximize the opportunities. Listed below are the top recreation and quality of life related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input. RECREATION & QUALITY OF LIFE NEEDS • Better Access to Parks & Playgrounds – Vinton needs to increase and improve access to parks and playgrounds so that everyone in Town can safely walk to a park or playground. • Connections between Greenways – Vinton’s greenway network is largely concentrated on the eastern and western edges of Town. More access points and connections between greenways are needed. 1 USDA Forest Service (fs.usda.gov) Re c r e a t i o n & Q u a l i t y o f L i f e | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Expand & connect the Town’s greenways and trails Improve walking connections to public parks More parks within walking distance of homes VINTON’S RESIDENTS INDICATED THE FOLLOWING RECREATION & QUALITY OF LIFE GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT: More playgrounds within walking distance of homes 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important • Accessible Recreation for All Ages – The Town needs a wider range of active and passive recreation opportunities to meet the needs of a changing and aging population. • Better Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway & Explore Park – There is a need for safer, more direct connections to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Explore park from Vinton. Page 60 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 61 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Recreation and quality of life in Vinton are closely connected to the broader Roanoke Valley region. Vinton is situated along an expansive regional greenway network that was initially formed in 1995 to improve quality of life for residents throughout the region.1 Vinton is home to three greenways, Glade Creek Greenway, Gladetown Trail, and Wolf Creek Greenway. There are five parks including the two schools within the Town, which are owned and maintained by Roanoke County. Vinton is also along the Roanoke River Blueway with an access point off 3rd Street at Tinker Creek. The Blueway is 45 miles long and extends from Montgomery County to Smith Mountain Lake.2 ACCESS TO PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS Portions of the Town have less access to a public park. A widely used standard for park access, established by the Trust for Public Land, states that everyone should be able to reach a park within a 10-minute walk of their home.3 The Walking Access to Park map highlights areas of Town that meet this standard, as well as areas where increased access is needed. Areas in Vinton that are not within a 10-minute walk of a park need sidewalks or trails that connect the neighborhood to parks and playgrounds. Walking Access to Parks Map Vinton also needs better access to the Roanoke River Blueway. The only water access in Town is at the Tinker Creek Canoe Launch and it needs improvement, including more facilities and signage, additional parking, and an expanded boat launch area. See the map to the right for Blueway access points near Vinton. The Town’s proximity to the Blueway offers additional opportunities to increase tourism for water-based recreation. 1 Roanoke Valley Greenways. 2 Roanoke River Blueway. 3 Trust for Public Land. (10minutewalk.org) R e c r e a t i o n & Q u a l i t y o f L i f e | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t CONNECTIONS BETWEEN GREENWAYS Vinton’s greenways are mainly situated along the eastern and western edges of Town. Pedestrians and cyclists primarily rely on sidewalks and streets to access greenways. The Greenway Network Gap Assessment Map highlights where connections are needed to improve access to the greenway network and connect greenway segments. These areas show a need to improve and increase east-west connections. Washington Avenue is a primary area of concern for pedestrians and cyclists, and has potential through design improvements to become a backbone for greenway connectivity. Vinton needs to upgrade and expand its water access to realize the economic benefits of this resource. Blue Assets and Access Map Glade Creek Greenway Gladetown Trail Sign Page 62 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 63 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Greenway Network Gap Assessment Map ACCESSIBLE RECREATION FOR ALL AGES Residents expressed a need for a wider range of facilities at Vinton’s parks. Most of the Town’s parks have playgrounds or playfields, but a better balance of active and passive recreation is needed. Residents also expressed a need for parks and green spaces that provide solitude, restoration, and a sense of getting away. Pocket parks, linear parks along greenways, and shaded seating areas can help address this need. R e c r e a t i o n & Q u a l i t y o f L i f e | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t PARKS INVENTORY Facilities M A Banks Gearhart Park W. E. Cundiff Elementary School Herman L. Horn Elementary School Glade Creek Park Playground  Picnic Shelter  Picnic Tables  Basketball Court  Water Fountain Athletic Field  Restrooms or Portable Toilet Baseball/Softball Diamond  Walking Trails  Grill  Horseshoes  Indoor Facilities Page 64 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 65 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 DOWNTOWN & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Do w n t o w n & E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 66 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 67 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 DOWNTOWN & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHAT WE HEARD NEEDS AT A GLANCE Vinton is 3.2 square miles and mostly “built out,” meaning there are few large undeveloped lots with economic development potential. The Town’s future development is likely to occur through small- scale, piecemeal redevelopment of underutilized and/or older properties. Listed below are the top downtown and economic development related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS • Invest in Quality of Life as Vinton’s Economic Advantage – One of Vinton’s greatest economic advantages is the quality of life that it can offer for residents and employees of local businesses. Investing in a higher quality of life can help the Town attract more small businesses and employees with work-from-home jobs. • Expand Housing to Meet Demands from Job Growth – Job growth in Vinton has dramatically outpaced housing growth over the last 20 years. The Town needs more housing for its workforce and people working in nearby jobs in Roanoke County and City. • Grow Base of Non-Service Sector Jobs – More than 50% of Vinton’s jobs are in the service sector, led by retail trade and food/accommodation jobs. These jobs are important, but do not grow the local economy as much as industrial, knowledge, or education and medical sector jobs. Diversifying the job base within the Town and the region is an important need. • Grow Local Tax Base – Investing in quality of life requires financial resources. Redevelopment of underutilized properties will help the Town make improvements in new parks, greenways, infrastructure, and more. DOWNTOWN NEEDS • Support for Infill Development – The Town’s economic future depends on infill development. Infill, especially new housing in and around the downtown area, can help the Town achieve its I’d like to see more options for shopping and exploring in the downtown area. Would love to see more walking paths/ sidewalks that connect neighborhoods to the lovely downtown area. Expanded economic development to fund Town projects. goal of a vibrant downtown with more shops and entertainment options. Infill in the downtown is also important for the Town’s fiscal future, as the downtown area is the most productive in terms of tax revenue per acre in Vinton. • Strategic Planning for Town-Owned Property – The Town owns several properties in and around the downtown area. These properties can support the Town’s goals for a vibrant downtown. The Town has a need for strategic planning around these properties to ensure their future use supports the Town’s goals. “Infill” means the construction of new buildings on vacant or underutilized properties Do w n t o w n & E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t More employers & jobs in Vinton Increase the vibrancy of downtown More downtown shopping options VINTON’S RESIDENTS INDICATED THE FOLLOWING DOWNTOWN & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT: Encourage redevelopment of aging commercial centers 3.9 3.7 3.7 3.7 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important Page 68 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 69 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Vinton’s economy is based heavily on service sector jobs found in retail and restaurant establishments in the downtown area; and along the major corridors of Washington Avenue, Hardy Road, and Virginia Avenue. The Town also has industrial businesses, such as Precision Fabrics Group, Cargill, and entertainment businesses, such as Rosie’s Gaming Emporium that help diversify the local economy. Further diversification is an important need for Vinton. Vinton’s greatest economic asset may be its downtown area, which is Roanoke County’s historic and authentic downtown and a hub for culture and entertainment in the region. The Town recently secured historic recognition for the core of downtown with its addition to the Virginia Landmarks Register. Downtown Vinton is also unique as a downtown along a greenway, with potential to be a trail hub for long-distance connections throughout the region along the Tinker Creek, Roanoke River, and Glade Creek greenways. Given the shortage of large lots for development, infill within the downtown area is highly important for the Town’s economic future. The following maps, tables, and charts present existing conditions related to the Town’s economy and its downtown that informed the needs. LAND USE MIX Urban growth in the post-World War II era was dominated by single use development spread out along major roadways, which quickly became magnets for retail shops and inevitably congested with vehicles. Recent decades have seen a growing interest in the older mixed-use development patterns that place homes, shops, offices and parks within walking distance along a connected street network. The land use patterns in Vinton show the Town has both patterns of development. The northeast and southeast portions of the Town are largely single-use residential while major corridors are largely commercial. The downtown area, and nearby neighborhoods, show a more traditional land use pattern with a wide mix of uses in close proximity, served by a well-connected street grid. These patterns are relevant to the Town’s economic development and downtown vitality because the mixed-use areas have D o w n t o w n & E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Land Use By Building Footprint Map many of the Town’s highest value parcels on a per acre basis, which means mixed use development is good for the Town’s financial bottom line. Mixed use development has also been proven to reduce vehicle travel by allowing for shorter trips and diverting vehicle trips to other modes of travel, such as walking. The land use by building footprint map shows the Town’s pattern of land use mix, with the highest concentration of mixed use in the older, central parts of the Town. MARKET VALUE PER ACRE Mapping the Town’s parcels on their value per acre is a useful way to study economic potential. This provides a simple way of comparing how productively land is used, regardless of the size of the parcels being compared. The map shows that the most economically productive land is in the downtown area, in terms of value and local tax revenue that is provided. This makes redevelopment of vacant, underutilized, or older properties in the downtown area especially important. “There is a need for blending economic development and growth while maintaining sense of community”Shops in downtown Vinton Housing in Vinton Page 70 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 71 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Market Value Per Acre Map REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL The ratio between the value of a building and the value of the underlying land is a useful data point for estimating redevelopment potential. Properties where the buildings are worth less than the underlying land are more likely to see redevelopment by 2050. The map shows concentrations of properties with low building to land ratios concentrated in the residential and mixed-use neighborhoods close-in to downtown, and along the Town’s commercial corridors. D o w n t o w n & E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Building Value to Total Value Ratio VINTON’S JOB BASE Vinton’s job growth has far outpaced its population and housing growth. There were 2,700 jobs in Vinton as of 2021, up about 10 percent from 2011 and up 25 percent from 2001. Despite an increase in jobs, the distribution of those jobs has remained about the same. The majority of jobs in Vinton are within the service sector, with retail trade and food/accommodation subcategories leading the way. Gish Mill Redevelopment Project along Gus Nicks Blvd Aerial of River Park Shopping Center (Source: 2023 Vinton Housing Study) Page 72 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 73 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 HOUSEHOLD INCOME Income data from the United States Census Bureau paints a positive picture for Vinton. Vinton’s household income increased more than 50 percent from 2012 to 2022, far outpacing its peers and becoming competitive with the region. HOUSEHOLD INCOME Median HH Income 2022 2017 2012 5-Year Change 10-Year Change Net Change CAGR Vinton Town, Virginia $65,481 $44,389 $43,374 48%51%$22,107 4.2% Roanoke County, Virginia $80,872 $62,134 $61,686 30%31%$19,186 2.7% Roanoke, Va Metro Area $65,687 $52,609 $49,264 25%33%$16,423 2.9% Roanoke City, Virginia $51,523 $41,483 $38,265 24%35%$13,258 3.0% COMMUTING PATTERNS Historically most employed people living in Vinton worked in Roanoke County, Salem, and Roanoke City. That trend is changing. Whereas a decade ago about 80 percent of the Town’s working residents had jobs in one of those three communities, the figure from the U.S. Census Bureau was 66 percent in 2021. This may reflect longer commutes or more people working from home. Page 74 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 75 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZIATION Ho u s i n g & N e i g h b o r h o o d R e v i t a l i z a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 76 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 77 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 WHAT WE HEARD Make Vinton a destination, not a wayside. Allow density and different housing types. Build homes closer to shopping. Focus on lower income families within the Town and the growing homeless situation. navigation infrastructure would help orient people in the space. • Focused Strategy for Incentivizing Specific Housing Types in Appropriate Contexts - With limited undeveloped parcels in Vinton, the Town needs to tailor their housing development efforts to meet the needs of the community and keep pace with housing demand. • Reinforce Homeownership as a Wealth- Building Mechanism - Building financial security is vital for economic development, highlighting the need to encourage residents to invest in their futures through homeownership. A zoning code that supports diverse housing options is an important need. HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION NEEDS AT A GLANCE Nearly 90% of housing units in Vinton were built before 2000 which presents unique challenges for the community. An aging housing stock, combined with Vinton having very few undeveloped parcels, makes revitalizing existing neighborhoods essential. There is a need for upgrading infrastructure, improving housing options, and encouraging mixed-use development that fosters community engagement. Listed below are the top housing and neighborhood revitalization related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION NEEDS • More Housing Units to Keep Up with Demand and Maintain Affordability – Increasing the availability of housing units is crucial for meeting the growing demand and ensuring affordability in Vinton, particularly with a focus on housing options for an aging population, starter homes, and well-located housing for the Town’s workforce. The zoning code should support diversity in housing options. • Assistance for Housing Renovation in Vinton – An aging housing stock presents livability challenges as older homes require renovation to meet modern standards and needs. Residents would benefit from financial support and resources such as Land Banks and low interest loans aimed at improving the overall quality of housing in Vinton. • Comprehensive Regional Solutions for Homelessness – The community survey identified a critical need for addressing homelessness. Working collaboratively with Roanoke County and City is needed to provide support to vulnerable populations. • Better Gateways into Town from Roanoke City & County – Vinton currently lacks effective wayfinding that distinguishes Vinton from its surroundings, leaving residents and visitors unable to differentiate the Town from the surrounding area. Establishing well-designed gateways and Ho u s i n g & N e i g h b o r h o o d R e v i t a l i z a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Support renovation of older homes Improve the look of gateways entering from Roanoke City & Roanoke County More housing options VINTON’S RESIDENTS INDICATED THE FOLLOWING HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION GOALS ARE MOST IMPORTANT: More starter homes & workforce housing 3.8 3.3 3.2 3.0 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important Page 78 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 79 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 TYPES OF HOUSING Housing in Vinton is primarily characterized by single-family homes, which account for approximately 70% of the total housing stock. This includes both attached and detached units. In contrast, multi-family housing, such as apartment complexes with ten or more units, makes up around 12% of the housing market. Diversity in housing types caters to varying needs and preferences, providing options for families seeking single-family dwellings as well as individuals or smaller households looking for more affordable multi-family living arrangements. The variety of housing types in Vinton highlights the small-town, family-oriented lifestyle while also accommodating diversity in housing types. EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Housing and revitalization in Vinton is characterized by an aging housing stock and limited space for new development. As of 2022, there were 3,686 occupied housing units in the Town, with nearly 90% constructed before 2000s. The steady decline in residential building permits since 2008, coupled with a decreasing trend in renovation permits, indicates a slowdown in new construction and property improvements. Despite these trends, Vinton remains relatively affordable compared to the surrounding region, making it an attractive option for families and individuals alike. There is a need for ongoing maintenance and revitalization efforts to enhance the viability of the aging housing stock. Furthermore, with rising home prices in recent years, there is an increasing demand for diverse and affordable housing options that meet the needs of residents. The following maps, tables, and charts provide an overview of the existing conditions related to Vinton’s housing stock and the implications for community development and housing strategies. AFFORDABILITY The costs of home-ownership have been on the rise since the middle of the last decade, surpassing the levels seen in 2012 only recently. This increase in homeownership expenses has coincided with a rise in household incomes, which has reduced the number of cost-burdened households - those spending more than 30% of their income on housing. This shift indicates improved housing affordability for some of the population, despite the ongoing challenges posed by rising home prices. H o u s i n g & N e i g h b o r h o o d R e v i t a l i z a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Occupancy rates are as high as they've been in a decade, with effectively no unoccupied units in the city. VACANCY RATE H+T COST BURDEN 2022 Vinton 37% Roanoke City 47% Salem 41% Using the H+T Affordability index data on transportation and housing costs, plus Census data on median income, the median household in Vinton spent 37% of income on housing and transportation. This is lower than 65% of cities in Virginia - the average of all Virginia cities was 46%. HOUSEHOLD SIZE & HOUSING SIZE OVER TIME Household sizes have been declining for years, affecting both owner-occupied and rented housing markets. This trend is evident in the County assessor data, which indicates that the average residential unit size is approximately 1,615 square feet. In contrast, the Realtor Data Center reveals that homes available for sale are generally larger, at or above 1,800 square feet over the past few years. This disparity highlights the evolving nature of housing demands and preferences. AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE 2012 2017 2022 Average Household Size of Owner-Occupied Unit 2.4 2.4 2.2 Average Household Size of Renter-Occupied Unit 2.1 2.2 2.0 Housing in Vinton Page 80 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 81 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 HOUSING PRICES AND ASKING RENTS Housing prices have been steadily rising since 2016, with Vinton’s latest typical home price reported by Zillow at approximately $264,000. This represents an increase of over $100,000 in seven years. Prices are slightly behind the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), but growth has been similar. While Vinton’s prices lag slightly behind those of the Roanoke MSA, the growth rates have been comparable. Notably, both Vinton and Roanoke remain significantly below the overall prices in Virginia. Currently, equivalent data does not exist for rental prices in Vinton, however, rental data from Roanoke MSA points to an estimated current average rent of about $950/month in Vinton. BUILDING AGE As of 2022, Vinton had a total of 3,686 occupied housing units, with 89.3% of these units being constructed prior to 2000. Approximately 80% of all housing units in the Town are forty years or older. These data highlight the need for ongoing maintenance and revitalization efforts to ensure the continued viability and appeal of these older properties. An aging housing stock presents opportunities for the Town to support enhancing the overall quality of housing in Vinton. HOUSING PERMITS Since 2008, the number of residential building permits issued in Vinton has steadily declined, with two permits issued in 2022 and four permits issued in 2023. This decrease reflects a broader trend in the housing market and may be attributed to economic conditions and changing housing demands. Similarly, there has been a steady decline in residential renovation permits. The combination of these downward trends in housing permits raises concerns about Vinton’s existing housing stock and points to a need for revitalization efforts. H o u s i n g & N e i g h b o r h o o d R e v i t a l i z a t i o n | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 82 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 83 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY FACILITIES & SERVICES Co m m u n i t y F a c i l i t i e s & S e r v i c e s | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 84 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 85 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY FACILITIES & SERVICES NEEDS AT A GLANCE Vinton’s residents receive essential services from multiple entities including the Town of Vinton, Roanoke County, the Western Virginia Water Authority, and Valley Metro. These entities collaborate to manage key community facilities and provide Vinton residents with schools, parks, library, police, fire and rescue, public transportation, street maintenance, water and sanitary sewer, and more. While the community survey indicated a generally favorable public view of these services and community facilities, there are needs for the Town and its partners to address. Listed below are the top community facility and service related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: COMMUNITY FACILITIES & SERVICES NEEDS Future Planning for Schools • Increased capacity at the schools to handle growth. • Safer and more efficient drop-off and circulation patterns at the elementary schools. • More outreach and connection to essential services for the growing population of new English learners enrolled in the local schools. Future Planning for Facilities • Renovations are needed for existing Town facilities including the Charles R. Hill Community Center. • Maintenance strategy for new Town facilities, such as greenways, bathrooms, and parks. • Master planning for Town-owned properties, especially in the downtown area and around the War Memorial. • Consideration of a centrally located fire and rescue station to serve both Vinton and the eastern portions of Roanoke County, where growth is expected. • Expanded police station. Future Planning for Services • Connecting the entire Town to the regional water supply from Carvins Cove to increase water pressure for fire hydrants and improve water quality. • Preparation for increased emergency call volume from an aging population. • Preparation for “forever chemical” regulation that may affect the landfill and increase costs for solid waste management. • Litter management and reduction especially from commercial properties near waterways. WHAT WE HEARD Larger containers to collect a larger variety of recyclables. The senior center needs a complete renovation. I would love to see more vendors and variety at the Farmers’ Market. It’s such a great space! Co m m u n i t y F a c i l i t i e s & S e r v i c e s | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Public transportation Vinton’s residents rated several community services on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). The results of the survey are listed below by order of their rating. No service rated below a 3.0, which is “acceptable.”: 1 = Very poor 5 = Very Good 3 = Acceptable Vinton’s residents also rated community facilities on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). The results of the survey are listed below by order of their rating. The only facilities to rate below a 3.0, which is the level for “acceptable,” were sidewalks and bicycle facilities: Fire & emergency medical services Police services Trash & recycling services Community events Snow removal Stormwater management Internet access Water & sewer Street maintenance Charles R. Hill Community Center Neighborhood streets Vinton Library War Memorial Farmers’ Market Greenways & trails Parks Major streets Sidewalks Bicycle facilities 1 = Very poor 5 = Very Good 3 = Acceptable 4.4 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.4 3.0 4.6 4.2 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.2 2.8 2.7 Maintaining the Town’s existing facilities is an ongoing need. Page 86 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 87 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Vinton’s services and facilities received generally favorable marks from the public through a community survey in September of 2024. However, there are several needs and issues to address by 2050. Some of these issues are the result of aging facilities and infrastructure, while others are the result of anticipated growth in the community and adjacent areas of the County. Ownership and management of the services and facilities used by Town residents is important. The Town provides a portion of the services and facilities, while the County and regional authorities provide others. The table below shows who owns and manages the key services and facilities. RESPONSIBLE PARTY FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES & SERVICES Service Provider Planning & Zoning Town of Vinton Police Town of Vinton Public Works: Refuse & Recycling Collection Stormwater System Maintenance Street Maintenance & Snow Removal Town of Vinton War Memorial/Charles R. Hill Community Center/Farmers’ Market Town of Vinton Fire & Emergency Medical Services Roanoke County Health Department State of Virginia Library Roanoke County Parks Roanoke County Schools Roanoke County Social Services Roanoke County Public Transportation Valley Metro Water & Sewer Western Virginia Water Authority Source: Town of Vinton and Roanoke County Data POLICE, FIRE, AND RESCUE The Town provides police services while the County handles fire and rescue, supported by a volunteer First Aid Crew managed by the Town. • The Vinton Police Department has 27 staff. The department handled more than 15,000 calls for service in 2023, a total that has been increasing each year since 2020. • The Roanoke County Fire/Rescue Department has 18 staff assigned to Vinton. The station is staffed 24 hours per day. The department makes more than 3,000 runs per year from the Vinton Station. • The Vinton First Aid Crew is a volunteer team that supplements the career staff of the County Fire/ Rescue Department. It has a minimum staff of 2 people at all times. C o m m u n i t y F a c i l i t i e s & S e r v i c e s | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Vinton’s first fire department was established in 1929 as an all-volunteer unit. The volunteer Vinton First Aid Crew followed in 1939. Today the County operates the fire and rescue station in downtown Vinton with a career staff. The downtown station is 26,582 square feet and was built in 1977 and renovated in 2006. Response times from the Vinton Station are the second fastest of the County’s 12 stations, at 7.8 minutes on average. The Vinton Station handles more than 3,000 calls for emergency medical services annually. The County’s plans call for maintaining the staffing levels at the Vinton Station for fire response but adding another medic unit supported by six additional staff by 2038. A 2023 study of the County’s Fire and Rescue Department found the Vinton Station to be the most resilient in the County, measured by its ability to “quickly recover from an incident or event, or to adjust easily to changing needs or requirements.”1 The presence of a station in the heart of Vinton is a benefit to the Town’s residents and businesses. Among the key issues shared by staff from the Town’s Police Department and First Aid Crew, and the County’s Fire and Rescue Department are: • Roanoke County’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2024, anticipates growth in the eastern portion of the County, especially along Hardy Road east of Vinton. This raises a potential need for another fire and rescue station in the area or moving the existing station out of downtown Vinton to a more central location within the Town. • The fire department’s greatest concern is water pressure in parts of the Town. The downtown area has sufficient water flow for fire protection from hydrants, but pressure is insufficient in areas east of the Vinton War Memorial. The ideal water flow is at least 500 to 800 gallons per minute. Higher density development in areas below this threshold should not be permitted until the pressure is increased by moving to the regional Carvins Cover water supply. A project to move all customers to the regional water supply is in progress. • The Town’s aging population creates greater demand for more EMS services, but not necessarily more police calls. This needs to be considered in planning for future services. • The Police Department is at capacity within Town Hall and a larger space may be needed. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT The Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA) serves the Town of Vinton and other local governments in the Roanoke Valley region. A four-person team from the Town of Vinton picks up solid waste weekly at the curbside. Solid waste is transported to the Tinker Creek Transfer Station in the City of Roanoke. From there it is hauled to the Smith Gap Regional Landfill in western Roanoke County. The RVRA owns and manages the 950-acre landfill site. The Town picks up recycling every two weeks and transports it to a service provider that processes it. 1 Roanoke County Fire and Rescue. “Assessment of Facilities, Personnel, and Apparatus.” August 2023. New garbage truck purchased by the Town in 2024 Page 88 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 89 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Among the key issues shared by the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA) are the following: • There is a member use agreement with localities, including Vinton, which allows the landfill to receive up to 330,000 tons of solid waste per year. The localities send about 320,000 tons as of 2024, so there is limited room to grow the amount of waste that gets sent to the landfill without amending the member use agreements. • The RVRA anticipates that the United States Environmental Protection Agency will regulate PFAS or “forever chemicals” by 2030. The regulations may require the Resource Authority to separate PFAS from leachate before it is sent to the wastewater treatment plant, which would require significant investment from the RVRA. This will likely increase the landfill’s costs and subsequently the tipping fees assessed to localities, including Vinton. • There is a need to prevent litter from entering water bodies and stormwater best management practices (BMPs), where it can pollute water and contribute to plastic buildup in water bodies. SCHOOLS School quality has been among the attractive qualities of Vinton. Children living in the Town of Vinton attend either W.E. Cundiff Elementary School or Herman L. Horn Elementary School before moving on to William Byrd Middle School and William Byrd High School. Each of these schools performs at or above the state standards for academic achievement, achievement gaps, and student engagement and outcomes. The two elementary schools are located within the Town, while the middle and high schools are just east of the Town off Washington Avenue in Roanoke County. Enrollment for each school during the 2023-24 school year is listed below. The source of school capacity is the Roanoke County Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2024. The elementary schools have limited capacity. An increase in population may require increased capacity within the elementary schools. Herman L. Horn was last renovated in 2004 and is not in the County’s plans for upgrades. W.E. Cundiff will undergo a renovation starting in 2024, but it will not increase capacity. The high school capacity is an existing constraint. However, several schools within the County system have available capacity, so there may be opportunities beyond school expansion to meet future demands. Among the key concerns shared by leadership of the Town’s elementary schools are the following: • Elementary and high school classrooms are nearing capacity, and additional space may be needed in the future as Vinton grows. • Schools have seen a large rise in new English learners and some of their families need assistance with accessing basic needs, such as healthcare. • The student population needs more options for summer activities and more playgrounds. • Pedestrian access and traffic congestion are concerns at both elementary schools. The lack of sidewalks and difficult crossing conditions of major roads make it difficult to reach the schools safely on foot. Meanwhile traffic backups from parents or guardians dropping off children creates intermittent congestion and safety concerns on streets near the schools. C o m m u n i t y F a c i l i t i e s & S e r v i c e s | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t TOWN BUILDINGS/PROPERTIES Vinton owns and maintains several buildings and properties around the Town including the Vinton War Memorial, Charles R. Hill Community Center, Vinton Farmers’ Market, and Vinton Municipal Building. The Town-owned properties are concentrated in the downtown area, around the War Memorial, and around the Public Works facility on the south side of Town. Most properties are adequately serving their intended purpose, although storage capacity is a concern. Town Owned Properties The Vinton Library is an especially popular public space. The Roanoke County Public Library owns and maintains the Vinton branch, which is 21,820 square feet and was built in 2015. The role of the libraries has been changing across the country and the Vinton Library has adapted its programs to evolve into more of a community space. The Vinton Community Connection program is a good example of this shift. The program connects older adults in the community through a weekly Friday program, helping address what has been called the “loneliness epidemic.” Among the key concerns shared by Town and County staff about buildings and properties are the following: • The War Memorial is about to undergo renovations, but the Charles R. Hill Community Center also needs to be renovated and the police department needs more space. Maintaining the Town’s existing facilities is an ongoing need. • The Town owns property in two significant nodes – downtown and about 11 acres around the War Memorial/Charles R. Hill Community Center areas. Both areas would benefit from detailed master planning to maximize their potential. • The Farmers’ Market is somewhat underutilized and would benefit from more vendors. Page 90 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 91 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 • Vinton owns the W Jackson Avenue site where the Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Station 2 is located. Access and egress from the site for large trucks can be challenging, and with growth in the Town and East County, a more centrally-located station may be beneficial. Relocation of the station would allow the Town to repurpose the existing site for mixed-use development that enhances downtown vitality. • Storage is a need across nearly all Town departments. A potential solution is to use space at Gearhart Park for storage of equipment once Roanoke County’s lease on the site ends. • The Town is investing in new bathrooms at the Wolf Creek Greenway and a new park facility behind the Vinton War Memorial (Multi-Generational Park). As the facilities expand, the maintenance needs will grow. Additional maintenance staff within the public works or buildings and grounds departments may be needed. Another options would be to create a park and recreation department within the Town. • The Vinton Library is offering more educational and social programs that cement its role as a community center for the Town. However, there is still a gap in programs for teens. The Library would like to create more space geared towards teens within the building. Page 92 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 93 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 STORMWATER, WATER, & SEWER St o r m w a t e r , W a t e r , & S e w e r | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 94 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 95 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 STORMWATER, WATER, & SANITARY SEWER WHAT WE HEARD NEEDS AT A GLANCE The Town’s water resources are vital to life. Stormwater management, drinking water and wastewater management, and environmental protection of the Town’s waterways are all important for Vinton’s future. Listed below are the top water-related needs based on data analysis, focus groups discussions, and community input: STORMWATER NEEDS • Stormwater System Data – The Town needs more extensive and reliable data on the existing stormwater system in order to effectively plan for future storms and to pinpoint the most vulnerable components of the system. • Increase System Capacity – Portions of Vinton’s stormwater system need to be upgraded to handle higher peak flows caused by more intense storms. • Connect Stormwater Improvements with Community Goals to Obtain Co-Benefits – Stormwater management should contribute to and be integrated with other community goals, such as improving water quality, providing more parks, and revitalizing downtown. WATER & SANITARY SEWER NEEDS • Move Entire Town to Regional Water Supply – The eastern two-thirds of Vinton need to move to the regional water supply to address concerns with water pressure and quality. • Align Sewer Improvements with Growth Areas – As the Western Virginia Water Authority continues work on its sewer master plan, the Town should coordinate with the Authority to ensure that growth areas are prioritized for sewer improvements. Fix and maintain pipes on water/ drainage easements in neighborhoods. Trash getting into stormwater BMPs and creeks has been a concern. It seems like the waterline system is outdated and in constant need of repair. Trees are an important part of stormwater management; one tree alone can capture thousands of gallons of water each year!1 1 Green Infrastructure Center - Trees and Stormwater (gicinc.org) St o r m w a t e r , W a t e r , & S e w e r | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Stormwater management & maintenance Water & Sewer VINTON’S RESIDENTS RATED STORMWATER, WATER, & SEWER SERVICES: Community Needs Assessment | Stormwater System By Drainage Area 3.7 3.5 I think continuing to invest in our public works and infrastructure is important. Improve water quality. 1 = Not Important 5 = Very Important 3 = Important Page 96 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 97 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY Water takes many forms in Vinton from running downhill in one of the Town’s tributaries to the Roanoke River, draining to a stormwater pipe, flowing to our homes and businesses, and moving to the wastewater treatment plan. While each of these water resources has its own unique needs, it is important to recognize that water resources are connected and an issue with one will often affect the others. Vinton’s stormwater system contains about 950 outfalls, storm drains, and other structures, more than 20 miles of piping, and approximately 10 miles of conveyance channels. Vinton has four watersheds: Glade Creek, Tinker Creek Lower, Wolf Creek, and Roanoke River. Watersheds are land areas that channel stormwater and snowmelt to streams and rivers. The Glade Creek watershed is the largest by land area in Vinton. More effective stormwater management is among the Town’s greatest needs. The Roanoke Valley region is expected to face increasingly severe and frequent storms during the life of this Comprehensive Plan.1 Vinton’s stormwater system is aging and not equipped to handle the increased demands from severe storms. Unlike stormwater, water and sewer service are now the responsibility of the Western Virginia Water Authority. Water pressure and quality are concerns in Vinton. Sewer service is available throughout the Town, but there are issues with aging pipes and stormwater intrusion of the sanitary sewer system. These issues contributed to a failed pipe on Niagara Road in 2024 that led to a lengthy road closure. Maintenance and upgrades to these systems are also vital. FORECAST FOR HEAVIER RAIN EVENTS Communities in the Mid-Atlantic region should prepare for heavy rain events to increase by as much as 35% by 2050.2 Virginia state code requires stormwater systems to convey a once every 10 years storm without flooding.3 As the frequency and intensity of severe storms increases, Vinton needs to increase the capacity of its stormwater system to handle these increased flows. Older pipes were not built to handle current and predicted levels of rainfall. Even today major rain events can overwhelm Vinton’s stormwater system causing problems such as sinkholes, broken pipes, washed out roadways, intrusion into the sanity sewer system, and erosion and degradation of the Town’s waterways. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND IMPERVIOUS LAND COVER The Town’s stormwater conveyances have been installed over many decades, with varying methods and materials for conveying stormwater, and under differing regulatory and engineering standards. The age of 1 Community Climate Outlook Roanoke, VA (psu.edu) 2 Mid-Atlantic Regional Climate Impacts Summary and Outlook: Spring 2024 (midatlanticrisa.org) 3 Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook (encodeplus.com) St o r m w a t e r , W a t e r , & S e w e r | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t the system also means data are lacking, especially for older pipes and components. The most urgent need is to gather data on the system. This will enable the Town to model the more severe storms that are expected in the future and pinpoint which components in the system are most likely to fail. These data will feed into a more effective capital improvement program and allow the Town to identify the resources it will need to upgrade the system. Increase System Capacity Even without complete data, it is known that portions of Vinton’s stormwater system need to be updated to handle higher peak flows caused by more intense storms. Higher peak flows can result in erosion at outfalls to streams and in open channels. Pipes that are not designed for higher peak flows will be put under pressure and can cause additional problems such as surcharging (backups) and premature joint failure. These issues create unforeseen costs for the Town and can damage other vital infrastructure, such as streets. Connect Stormwater Improvements with Community Goals to Obtain Co-Benefits Stormwater management should not be isolated from other community goals, such as improving water quality, providing more parks, and revitalizing downtown. Stormwater projects can contribute to each of these goals. Green infrastructure such as bioswales and rain gardens can provide flood protection and better groundwater recharge while also providing benefits to the larger community, including shade to mitigate heat island effects, increased biodiversity, enhanced value of downtown properties, and educational opportunities. Trees are also a critical component to stormwater management. Research from the Green Infrastructure Center shows that just one urban tree is able to capture thousands of gallons of stormwater each year.4 Move Entire Town to Regional Water Supply Water pressure is low in parts of Vinton, especially the eastern two-thirds of the Town. This limits some types of development, such as multifamily housing and commercial. The Western Virginia Water Authority needs to connect the eastern two-thirds of Town (roughly all areas east of the Vinton War Memorial) to the regional Carvins Cove water supply. Align Sewer Improvements with Growth Areas The Western Virginia Water Authority is working on a sewer master plan to guide improvements to the system. The Town should coordinate with the Authority to ensure that areas where growth is likely or preferred are prioritized for sewer improvements. Stormwater Management and Impervious Land Cover Impervious land cover contributes to stormwater runoff, which can cause problems in both water quality and quantity. Impervious land allows higher velocities of water while making it easier for that water to pick up various pollutants before joining a stream or river. This can cause erosion along streambanks, leading to more sediment and pollution entering the waterway. 4 Green Infrastructure Center - Trees and Stormwater (https://gicinc.org) Inspecting stormwater inlets during a walking tour Stormwater inlet in Vinton Page 98 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 99 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Vinton’s stormwater infrastructure needs to be upgraded. The map below shows stormwater pipes and building age, which gives an idea of where pipes may be outdated and in need of repair. Most of these areas fall within the Glade Creek watershed, which includes Downtown and older close-in neighborhoods. This area has an extensive piping system and older than average buildings, so it should be prioritized for upgrades. Factors that need to be considered in upgrading pipes include material, location, size, and cost. STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILDING AGE The map below identifies eroding streambanks in Vinton and their priority ranking scores for restoration. Streambank restoration should be focused on high and moderate priority sections, most of which are found in the Glade Creek watershed. This watershed also has more impervious land cover than the rest of Vinton, leading to increased levels of stormwater runoff. 5 Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook (encodeplus.com) Streambank Erosion Natural and pervious land cover allows water to soak in and recharge the groundwater supply. Pervious land also helps water quality by naturally filtering out pollutants before they reach streams or rivers. This diagram shows how changes in the amount of impervious land cover impacts levels of stormwater runoff and infiltration.5 Focusing development on existing urbanized areas, rather than spreading development outwards, preserves natural ground cover for stormwater management. GUS NICKS BLVD GUS NICKS BLVD JEFFERSON AVE JEFFERSON AVE JEFFERSON AVE JEFFERSON AVE Community Needs Assessment | Stormwater Pipes and Building AgeStormwater System By Building Age PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Public education and outreach campaigns are an essential part of improving water quality. Engaging and informing the public on water quality issues raises awareness and encourages people to adopt practices that protect water quality. Vinton has many local and regional public education and outreach campaigns for water quality that target a wide range of audiences. The Town partners with Roanoke County and local environmental organizations to raise awareness of water quality and the impact of urban stormwater runoff. These educational campaigns are part of the Town’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit for discharging stormwater to local water bodies. For example, Vinton collaborates with the Clean Valley Council on educational initiatives within the school system and they partner with the City of Roanoke and the County of Roanoke for regional education campaigns. The table below summarizes Vinton’s current public education and outreach campaigns for water quality. St o r m w a t e r , W a t e r , & S e w e r | C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 100 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 101 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS FOR WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Public Education Campaign Summary Stormwater Programs Database The Town of Vinton maintains a public database on its website that offers a wide range of educational resources and publications related to stormwater management, stormwater quality, and pollution prevention. The database includes educational videos, brochures, handouts, web resources, and guidebooks. Stormwater Newsletters for Residents The Town of Vinton and Roanoke County work together to distribute an annual stormwater newsletter to every resident of the Town and County. The newsletter covers both regional and local stormwater quality issues. Vinton Stream Monitoring with the Clean Valley Council The Clean Valley Council (CVC) is a nonprofit in the Roanoke Valley Region that collaborates with the Town of Vinton and the cities of Roanoke and Salem to provide environmental education programs. The CVC offers stream monitoring sessions and educational seminars to students and residents of the Town and County. Stormwater Education for All Students The Town works with the CVC and WVWA to develop and implement stormwater education programs for all students in the Town and County. Targeted Education Program The Town of Vinton and Roanoke County send annual messaging to targeted audiences whose daily activities have higher risks of generating stormwater pollution. These educational messages are tailored to the specific stormwater issues of each target audience. Storm Drain Stenciling Program Vinton established this program through the CVC to engage residents and educate the public about stormwater pollution. The storm drains are stenciled with messages that increase public awareness of Vinton’s stormwater systems. Stormwater Public Events Vinton helps to coordinate public, environmental events that raise awareness about stormwater pollution and engage the public. MS4 Program and Pollution Prevention Website Vinton maintains a website about their MS4 Program for residents to access and engage with. Residents can leave comments on the documents and learn about the Town’s efforts on stormwater pollution prevention. Dog Waste Stations and Signage Vinton is working to increase the number of dog waste stations and related signage on Town-owned properties and throughout the greenway network. Public Education: Reducing Food Sources Accessible to Wildlife The Town of Vinton and Roanoke County use the Annual Stormwater Newsletter to inform the public about the risks of having food sources that are accessible to wildlife and how residents can take simple actions to help minimize these problems. Stormwater Public Awareness Program Vinton’s Public Awareness Program is focused on educating the public about stormwater pollution prevention and the ramifications of illegal discharges. The Program focuses on developing and distributing printed materials, signage, advertisements, radio and tv an- nouncements, websites, and social media all around the Town. Source: Town of Vinton Data and the Town of Vinton MS4 Annual Report for 2022-2023 C o m m u n i t y N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t Page 102 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 103 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Co m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Page 104 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 105 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY Vinton’s Comprehensive Plan is built on robust community engagement. The Town used a wide range of methods to ensure that all residents had the opportunity to be involved. This section describes the approaches and outcomes from each phase of engagement. PHASE 1 – ASSETS AND OPPORTUNITIES The first phase began in April and concluded in June, 2024. The purpose of engagement activities during Phase 1 was to identify the town’s assets, challenges, and opportunities. The main public engagement event during Phase 1 coincided with the Dogwood Festival on April 27, 2024. Phase 1 also entailed listening sessions with Town leadership (staff, elected, and appointed officials); listening sessions with representatives of the City of Roanoke, Roanoke County, the Western Virginia Water Authority, and the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; and the first meeting of the Vinton Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee. These engagement activities provided valuable insights into the community’s vision for Vinton’s future, laying the groundwork for the comprehensive plan update. Dogwood Festival Pop-Up The Town set up a station on Pollard Street during the Dogwood Festival on April 27, 2024 to capture input and ideas from the nearly 10,000 people who attended the festival. More than 100 people stopped and shared their ideas about the future of Vinton. The public gave high praise to the downtown area with special attention given to the library, murals, and the Farmers Market. Areas where people felt the Town could improve included multimodal transportation connectivity and streetscaping, downtown shopping and dining options, Roanoke River access and greenway connectivity, and improvements to various community facilities. The following were the major themes that emerged from answers to the question “What are your hopes for Vinton’s future?” • Protect historic/cultural elements of the Town • Make Vinton more walkable and bikeable • Better mobility for all modes of transportation • More shops, a hotel, and general attractions downtown • More parks and recreation options • A strong local economy • More grocery and restaurant options • Continue enhancing Town operationsDogwood Festival Post-It notes from Dogwood Festival Ph a s e I | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Participants indicated treasured places and opportunities for improvement on a map of the town. Their input is summarized below. Treasured Places Opportunities for Improvement War Memorial Move the post office Downtown Renovate the Charles R. Hill Community Center Lady Appalachia mural downtown Improve Gish Mill Gladetown Cemetery Wolf Creek Greenway connectivity Library Street trees and shade downtown Lancerlot Sports Complex (ice rink)Greater bicycle/pedestrian connectivity Farmers Market Complete the Gladetown Loop Trail Public access to the Roanoke River Continue sidewalk and lighting on Clearview Drive Build the Multi-Generational Park Close gaps in sidewalk network, especially those connecting schools/ parks Map the Town’s utilities Add street lighting throughout town Dogwood Festival Summary The Town’s youngest residents also shared their ideas on a coloring sheet. They highlighted assets such as the library and schools, and their desire for more parks and playground, shops, and sidewalks. Page 106 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 107 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Town Leadership Listening Sessions The Town’s consulting team in May and June 2024 organized leadership interviews with each member of Town Council and Planning Commission. The purpose of these listening sessions was to gather their insights on Vinton’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities. The themes that emerged from the listening sessions were as follows: Town Strengths • Strong Town leadership from all sectors • Effective and efficient Town operations • A sense of community, community facilities, and events • Diversified local businesses • Greenways and outdoor recreation • Downtown as a growing destination • Regional management of water and wastewater Town Needs • Opportunities for people to stay and linger, especially downtown • Greater walkability and placemaking • Better connected green spaces and greenways • More green spaces, trees, and shade for relief from excessive heat • More activities for young families • Upgrade stormwater management and infrastructure • Use land wisely given the Town’s nearly “built out” status and only 3.2 square miles • Improve community appearance especially at gateways • More downtown uses and activities including residential and a hotel • More connections between the Town and schools • Improve transportation for all modes and users • More housing and a greater variety of housing types Vision for 2050 • A Destination Town • Wide variety of dining, entertainment, and recreation options • Residents have great access to parks and greenways • A safe community that is friendly and welcoming • Great appearance throughout Town and especially at gateways • A full and thriving downtown • Safe streets for all users • Young people return for jobs after their education • Known for great Town services Advisory Committee Meeting 1 The Vinton Comprehensive Plan Update Advisory Committee met for the first time on Thursday, June 20, 2024 (in-person) and Wednesday, June 26 (virtual). The purpose of the meetings was to build shared understanding of the Comprehensive Plan, clarify roles and responsibilities, and learn about Advisory Committee members’ interests and concerns about the future of Vinton. Glade Creek Greenway Advisory Committee Members • Anthony Conner • Keith Liles, Town Council and Planning Commission • Stephanie Brown Mead • Jonathan Murrill • Megan Noga • Tiffany Rawling • Ray Sandifer • Kerry Werner • Seth Wilkinson • James Wright Advisory Committee Role The role of the Advisory Committee was to share input to the Comprehensive Plan on topics such as draft Plan materials, draft recommendations, and community engagement approaches; share information within their networks and encourage public involvement; and provide input on recommendations to the Planning Commission and Town Council. The Advisory Committee also focused on assets, opportunities, and challenges during its first meeting. A summary of their input follows: Assets and Opportunities • Historic buildings • Promoting outdoor recreation Needs and Challenges • Hotel to accommodate the Town’s many visitors • More downtown retail to provide more reasons to visit and stay • Redevelopment of vacant or underutilized buildings downtown • Sufficient parking as the downtown area grows • Modernization of underground infrastructure to attract more businesses • Traffic calming especially on the perimeter of downtown to create a safe and inviting pedestrian district • Improvement to the Town’s gateways • Updated zoning to reflect the Town’s infrastructure capacities Vision for 2050 • Downtown is a hub for the arts • Proactive improvement of infrastructure has set the Town up for success • Blue Ridge Parkway travelers visit Vinton in droves • Traffic is calm on downtown streets, promoting walkability and a thriving retail district • Western and eastern greenway trails are connected • Major corridors, downtown, and aging commercial centers have evolved and grown • Vinton is a destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts who travel here and live here • Post office has moved out of the downtown and the site is redeveloped as an anchor for the downtown Regional Listening Sessions The Town’s consulting team also interviewed leadership from the City of Roanoke, Roanoke County, the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA), the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA), and the Roanoke Valley – Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC). The purpose of these listening sessions was to raise awareness of Vinton’s Comprehensive Plan update, learn from adjacent and regional government bodies about their plans and projects that may affect Vinton, and their ideas for collaboration and coordination. Ph a s e I | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Glade Creek Greenway Signage Plans/Policies/Projects The following plans, policies, and projects in adjacent jurisdictions or with the regional authorities were highlighted: • The City of Roanoke highlighted the proposed Lick Run Greenway, which would connect downtown Roanoke more directly with Vinton; a development on Savannah Avenue NE that may provide for extension of the Glade Creek Greenway; a study of how the Jamison Avenue/Bullitt Avenue corridor could be improved and support new development in the 9th Street area; and the City’s interest in regional collaboration on issues of housing, homelessness, and childcare. • RVARC highlighted anticipated greenway planning that would look at how to complete the Roanoke River Greenway, build out priority trails such as the Tinker Creek and Glade Creek Greenways, and make on- street connections to close gaps. RVARC also highlighted its comprehensive housing study in 2021, which included a Roanoke County report. • The Western Virginia Water Authority Downtown Vinton Page 108 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 109 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 (WVWA) is working on a Sewer Master Plan and Water Master Plan in 2024. These plans would cover the next 20 years, out to 2045. • Roanoke County is updating its Comprehensive Plan; the area on Hardy Road just east of Vinton is identified as a proposed “activity center.” Roanoke County is also looking at how to improve its commercial corridors. Housing in Vinton Issues & Opportunities The regional listening sessions highlighted several issues and opportunities that may affect Vinton: • Downtown Vinton is well situated for more development and activity given its location within a network of walkable centers. • Commercial corridors around the region are being reconsidered as strip commercial developments age and interest in redevelopment increases. Among the solutions considered in Roanoke City and Roanoke County are allowing for a greater mix of uses, including residential. • There may be opportunities for Vinton and the City of Roanoke to collaborate on major street improvements to ensure a consistent design across jurisdictional boundaries. • The region’s downtowns and neighborhood centers are unique and desirable. There are opportunities to add housing to them, including downtown Vinton. • Major economic development is a challenge in Vinton due to a lack of large tracts of undeveloped land, but it is well positioned to provide housing and a high quality of life for the region’s workforce. • The Town can look to examples from the region for ideas to improve Washington Avenue. The City of Roanoke converted Brandon Avenue from 4 lanes to 3 lanes and saw improvements for vehicular travel time and walkability. The Town of Bedford had a similar experience with Route 122. • Development along Route 460/Orange Avenue is an opportunity for Vinton; Amazon has built a facility in that area and hundreds of apartment housing units are in the pipeline. • The Western Virginia Water and Sewer Authority (WVWA) is gradually upgrading water and sewer infrastructure in the Town; there is a need for more complete data, which they are gathering. • Vinton historically has relied on well water. WVWA is gradually moving Vinton over to the regional supply from Carvin’s Cove. Switching to the regional supply will improve the flow and quantity of water, which will support some land uses, such as apartments, that require greater water flow. • Roanoke County is looking to make roadway improvements on facilities that connect to Vinton. Congestion near William Byrd High School on Route 24 is being studied. The County is also looking to build a new access road from Hardy Road to Explore Park. Downtown Vinton PHASE 2 – COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT The second phase began in July and extended through early November of 2024. The purpose of engagement activities in Phase 2 was to identify community needs, which are defined as “issues to address over the next 25 years to enhance public health, safety, and well- being.” The main public engagement milestone of Phase 2 was a community survey. Phase 2 also included the second Advisory Committee meeting and focus group discussions with people knowledgeable about the Town’s infrastructure and services who could inform the community needs assessment. Community Needs Assessment Focus Groups The Town organized 11 focus group discussions in August and September of 2024 covering schools; town facilities; recreation and quality of life; downtown and economic development; the library; environment and land use; transportation (two discussions); housing and neighborhood revitalization; police, fire, and rescue; and solid waste management. More than 40 people participated in the discussions. The key needs raised during these discussions are summarized below: Schools Participants included Ashley McCallum - Principal, W.E. Cundiff Elementary School; Julie Sandzimier - Principal, Herman L. Horn Elementary School; and Town planning staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Increased School Capacity • Safe Walking Access to Schools • Efficient Drop Off and Circulation Patterns at Schools • More Youth Activities • Outreach to New English Learners Town Facilities Participants included Jamie Hurt - Town of Vinton Capital Projects Director; William “Bo” Herndon - Town of Vinton Public Works Director; Jill Acker - Town of Vinton Public Works Assistant Director; Amanda Payne - Town of Vinton, Vinton War Memorial; and Town planning staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Renovation of Existing Facilities (such as the Charles R. Hill Community Center) • Maintenance of New Town Facilities (such as the Multi-Generational Park) • Master Plans for Town-Owned Properties Recreation and Quality of Life Participants included Pete Eshelman - Roanoke Regional Partnership/Roanoke Outside Foundation; Frank Maguire – Roanoke Valley Greenways Coordinator; Renee Powers – City of Roanoke Parks; Liz Belcher – Roanoke Valley Greenways Commission/Pathfinders for Greenways; Maggie Mace – Roanoke County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism; and Mandy Adkins – Town of Vinton Director of Cultural Placemaking & Events; and Town planning staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • More Parks & Playgrounds • Parks that Provide Solitude & Restoration • Bike Connection from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Town • Close Greenway Network Gaps • Safe Routes to Schools & Parks Downtown and Economic Development Participants included Michael Venable - Boomtown CrossFit; Marshall Stanley – Town of Vinton Economic Development Specialist; Alexander Jones – Assistant Director of Economic Development, Roanoke County; and Town planning and administrative staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Support for Infill Development • Investment in Quality of Life • Planning for Town-Owned Property • More Housing to Keep Up with Job Growth • Enhanced Gateways from Roanoke City and Roanoke County Land Use and Environment Participants included Courtney Plaster - Executive Director, Clean Valley Council; Amanda McGee - Director of Community Development, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; and Town planning staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Alleviating Urban Heat Island Effect • Organized Environmental Stewardship • Removing Invasives & Planting Natives • Addressing Floodplain Properties • Mixed-Use Development Ph a s e 2 | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Bench along Glade Creek Greenway Page 110 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 111 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Transportation The transportation focus group involved two discussions to accommodate the large number of participants. Among the participants were Andrea Garland – TDM Director, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; Scott Hurt – Lieutenant, Vinton Police Department; Tori Williams – Director of Transportation, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARA); William “Bo” Herndon – Public Works Director, Town of Vinton; Barry Trent – Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission; William Long – Director of Transit Planning, Valley Metro; Michael Gray – District Planner, VDOT Salem District; Megan Cronise – Assistant Director of Planning, Roanoke County; Dwayne D’Ardenne – Transportation Division Manager, City of Roanoke; and Town planning and administrative staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Transportation for an Aging Population • Connectivity for People Walking and Biking • Modern Street Designs that Support All Modes and Reconnect Neighborhoods • Safe Routes to Schools • Safer Streets for All Users • East-West Roanoke River Greenway Connection • Town-City-County Coordination on Washington/ Gus Nicks • Town-City-County Coordination for Greenway Connectivity Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Participants included Anne Marie Green – Council of Community Services; Chris Seth – Renovation Alliance; Frederick Gusler – Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority; and Town planning and administrative staff and the consulting team. The top Community Survey The purpose of the Vinton Comprehensive Plan Update community survey was to help the Town better understand public priorities and preferences for the future of Vinton. The survey included sections Encourage redevelopment of aging commercial centers 1 = Not important 5 = Very Important Make streets safer for all users Maintain small town feel and stable neighborhoods Improve water quality for Vinton’s streams, creeks, and the Roanoke River More employers and jobs in Vinton Reduce traffic congestion Support renovation of older homes Prioritize downtown and aging commercial centers for future development Increase the vibrancy of downtown More downtown shopping options 4.2 4.2 4.1 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rating Community Services Survey participants also rated the quality of the services they receive from 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). It is important to note that the services are provided by several entities: The Town provides police, trash and recycling, stormwater management, street maintenance and snow 1 = Very poor 5 = Very Good 4.4 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.5 3.4 3.0Public transportation Fire and emergency medical services Police services Trash and recycling services Community events, such as the Dogwood Festival Snow removal Stormwater management and maintenance Broadband/internet access Water and sewer Street maintenance 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rating Public Facilities Survey participants also rated the quality of community facilities from 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). Like with services, some of these facilities are managed by the County (Vinton Library and parks) while the others are managed by the Town. 1 = Very poor 5 = Very Good 4.6 4.2 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 2.8 2.8 2.7Bicycle facilities Vinton Library Vinton War Memorial Charles R. Hill Community Center Farmers Market Greenways and trails Parks Major streets, such as Washington Ave and Hardy Rd Neighborhood streets Sidewalks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ph a s e 2 | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Pedestrian crossing sign in Vinton at the Gish Mill needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Funds for Housing Renovation in Vinton • Right-Sized Housing • Well Located Housing for the Town’s Workforce • Zoning Code Supportive of Housing • Regional Solutions for Assisting People that are Homeless Police, Fire, and Rescue Participants included Charlie Rucker – Battalion Chief, Roanoke County Fire and Rescue; Chris Linkous – Battalion Chief, Roanoke County Fire and Rescue; Scott Hurt – Lieutenant, Town Police Department; Chris Sayre - Chief, Town of Vinton Volunteer First Aid Crew; and Town planning and administrative staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Connect the Entire Town to the Regional Water Supply • Consider a New Centrally-Located Fire and Rescue Station • Expanded Police Station • Preparation for Increased Call Volume from an Aging Population Vinton Fire and Rescue Station 2 Solid Waste Management Participants included Jon Lanford – CEO, Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA); William “Bo” Herndon, Town of Vinton Public Works Director; and Town planning staff and the consulting team. The top needs identified during the focus group discussion were: • Preparation for “Forever Chemical” Regulation • Litter Management and Reduction on potential goals for the Comprehensive Plan, satisfaction with community facilities and services, and optional demographic questions. The Town posted the survey online and it was available to the public between August 28 and October 4, 2024. 462 people participated in the survey. The results are summarized below. Top Goals Survey participants rated several potential goals on a 1 (not important) to 5 (very important) scale. Among the 24 options for Town goals, the following were the 10 highest rated. Stormwater infrastructure removal, and special events; Roanoke County provides fire and emergency medical services, public parks, schools, and libraries; regional authorities provide water and sewer services and public transportation; and private entities provide electricity, cable and internet. None of the services rated below the acceptable (3.0) threshold. The ratings are below: Page 112 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 113 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Regarding transportation, what are places you find difficult to access and would like to be easier to reach by car, walking, or bike? • High Traffic Areas: Washington Avenue and Hardy Road were repeatedly mentioned for their heavy traffic. Crossing these roads is particularly difficult for pedestrians, with many suggesting more crosswalks and better traffic signal timing. Virginia Avenue and Mountain View Road were also highlighted as inhospitable to pedestrians and bicyclists due to high vehicle speeds and lack of sidewalks. • Pedestrian Safety: A significant number of respondents mentioned a lack of sidewalks along Mountain View Road, particularly between Washington Avenue and Town limits, where residents are forced to walk in the street. The need for sidewalks near Herman L. Horn Elementary School was noted to improve safety for students. • Parking Issues: The downtown area and around Kroger were frequently noted for congestion and inadequate parking. The U.S. Post Office was flagged as problematic due to its poor accessibility. • Cycling Accessibility: Some respondents asked for better bike paths connecting key parts of town, particularly the greenways. What actions could the Town take to improve quality of life in Vinton? • More Family-Oriented Activities: Many respondents wanted more parks and recreational options for children and families, including splash pads at local parks, improved playgrounds, a community recreation center, a movie theater, arts venues, and more events downtown, like concerts. • Safety and Crime Reduction: Increased police patrols were suggested to reduce speeding and other traffic violations. Respondents also raised concerns about drug-related issues and the increased encampments in public spaces like the greenways. • Economic Development: Many respondents wanted more restaurants and shopping options, including national chains like Chick-fil-A and Aldi, and local businesses downtown. There were calls for fewer stores selling tobacco and more diverse businesses to serve different age groups and interests. • Preserving Small-Town Feel: Several respondents stressed the importance of maintaining Vinton’s small-town feel while improving services. Some mentioned the importance of balancing development with maintaining the town’s charm. • More Greenery: Several respondents emphasized the need for environmental improvements in Vinton. A recurring suggestion was to plant more trees, especially in parking lots to provide shade and reduce the urban heat effect. Trees were also requested in parks to enhance shaded areas for families and recreational spaces. What is something the Town lacks that you’d like to see in Vinton? • New Businesses and Restaurants: Many respondents expressed a desire for more dining options, with Chick-fil-A and a steakhouse frequently mentioned. Respondents also wanted a hotel, a bakery, and a clothing store in town, along with a health food store or organic supermarket, such as Trader Joe’s. • Recreational Facilities: A splash pad was a recurring request. Others mentioned a Ph a s e 2 | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y The survey included several open-ended questions. The responses to these questions are summarized below into a set of themes for each. How do you think the Town could enhance services and public facilities? • Infrastructure & Service Improvements: Replace outdated water lines on streets that suffer from frequent breaks and to improve water quality. Additionally, some respondents highlighted a need for improving recycling services, including larger bins and more frequent pickups. • Recreational Facilities: Among the most frequent requests were for a public pool to return, and improvements and expansion of parks and playgrounds, with specific requests for splash pads or skate parks. • Safety and Accessibility: Several respondents asked for speed bumps to be added in neighborhoods to slow traffic, and there were multiple requests for additional sidewalks along Washington Avenue and Hardy Road, which are heavily trafficked and inhospitable to pedestrians. • Public Transportation and Connectivity: More frequent and accessible public transportation, particularly in underserved areas. Some specifically mentioned wanting a connection between the Wolf Creek Greenway and the Tinker Creek/Glade Creek Greenways. • Community Centers and Events: The Charles R. Hill Community Center was identified for a complete renovation, and respondents expressed a desire for more family-focused events and a revitalized Farmers’ Market. Vinton War Memorial Washington Avenue desire for a performing arts center, a gym, or a dog park. Some respondents also called for a community pool. • Family and Youth Activities: Respondents noted a lack of activities for teens and young adults, suggesting the addition of arcades, movie theaters, a skate park, and an indoor kids play space. • Improved Infrastructure: Many responses asked for more sidewalks, particularly along Mountain View and Ruddell Road, to make walking to schools and parks safer. • Sense of Belonging for All: Several respondents expressed a desire for the Town to continue focusing on helping create a sense of belonging for all groups, by including more events that celebrate various cultures and building more public spaces and activities that feel welcoming to all residents. Glade Creek Greenway What other goals do you think are important for Vinton’s future? • Sustainability and Safety: Several respondents emphasized the importance of environmental initiatives, including pollinator gardens and reducing chemical use. Additionally, there were calls for more action to address the issue of homelessness and drug-related issues. • Economic Development and Growth: Respondents wanted to see downtown revitalization, with new businesses replacing vacant lots and underutilized spaces. Specific requests included revitalizing the area around Pollard Street with more shopping options and housing. Some respondents also called for better parking options downtown. Local businesses in Vinton Page 114 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 115 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Transportation The Advisory Committee indicated “safety improvements for all modes” as the most important need, followed closely by “safer mid- block crossings of major streets for pedestrians” and “close sidewalk gaps in areas with the most potential for walking.” Among the main points of their discussion on this topic were: • Better connection from Roanoke is important, but less about the infrastructure and more about feeling safer and secure while traveling between downtown Roanoke and Vinton. • Interest in safer mid-block pedestrian crossings. • Interest in better/safer bicycle facilities; can support the outdoor recreation economy. • Interest in street standards allowing for 1-way streets; opportunity to increase tree canopy. Recreation and Quality of Life The Advisory Committee indicated “more playgrounds with easy access to residents” as the most important need followed closely by “connections between the existing greenway segments” and “better access to the regional recreational assets of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Explore Park.” Among the main points of their discussion on this topic were: • Interest in using the old landfill as a park. • Need for attractive and safe playgrounds and parks especially for young kids and families. • Safe access and ADA accessibility to all parks are important. • The Midway community needs attention. • Preserving Small-Town Identity: Maintaining the small-town feel was a common theme, with respondents wanting to avoid overdevelopment and preserve the Town’s history. Several people expressed concerns regarding housing affordability. • Infrastructure Improvements: Many respondents asked for better synchronization of traffic lights, particularly on Hardy Road and Washington Avenue, to ease congestion during peak hours. Others requested improvements to water infrastructure and roadway conditions for Virginia Avenue and Washington Avenue. Advisory Committee Meeting 2 The Advisory Committee held its second meeting on Tuesday, August 13th. The purpose of the meeting was to share initial findings of the community needs assessment and obtain input of the Advisory Committee on what’s important, what’s missing, and what should be the priorities. They provided input to an initial set of draft community needs by topic. Land Use and Environment The Advisory Committee indicated “maintain small- town feel and preserve stable neighborhoods” as the most important need followed closely by “improve water quality of Vinton’s streams and the Roanoke River.” Among the main points of their discussion on this topic were: • Desire to maintain single-family residential zoning. • Interest in small-scale apartments in parts of Town. Design multi-family that will fit within the neighborhood. Advisory Committee Meeting 2, in August of 2024 • Interest in taller apartments (4 stories) in the downtown area. More density within walking distance of downtown supports downtown vitality. • Find ways to get people to the Town from development on Route 460 in Roanoke City. • Families want to live in Vinton due to the good school system. Downtown and Economic Development The Advisory Committee indicated “more housing units in the downtown area to support growth of retail, restaurant, and entertainment options” as the most important need followed closely by redevelopment of aging commercial centers and strip retail” and “maintain the local tax base.” Among the main points of their discussion on this topic were: • Interest in increasing revenue from sources other than property tax. • Want to embrace change but without losing the small-town feel. • Interest in expanding the downtown area, including north of Washington Avenue. • Interest in slowing vehicular traffic on downtown streets. • Need for housing for Carilion employees that need short-term housing. • Avoid high-rise buildings that do not fit with the surrounding areas. • Put energy/focus in the needed areas – be strategic for redevelopment activities. • Embrace change where needed (Walnut Avenue, Washington Avenue, Gus Nicks Blvd, areas along the Norfolk Southern tracks) and maintain the applicable areas. Billy Byrd Apartments Vinton sign Ph a s e 2 | C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization The Advisory Committee indicated “renovation of aging housing units” as the most important need followed closely by “address housing in disrepair.” Among the main points of discussion on this topic were: • Town was awarded grants in the past to support home renovations/energy efficiency (Midway and Cleveland), but demand was low. • Interest in increasing owner-occupied housing; renter-occupied housing percentage has been high (about 50/50) and some rental properties have not been well maintained. Single-family houses in Vinton • County handles home inspections. Building maintenance is an issue. Need building maintenance requirements/codes to address. • Focus on areas within the town for homeownership. • Building new apartments can alleviate market demand on single-family housing that has fallen into disrepair; these homes can be recycled into the market as owner- occupied. Page 116 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 Page 117 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024 C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t S u m m a r y Page 118 | Vinton 2050 DRAFT 11.14.2024