STAUNTON – Staunton Mayor Stephen Claffey stepped out from under the tent, stepping into the sole spot in the sunlight as a crowd gathered in the shade.
The tent was set up in the parking lot on Crossing Way, just beyond a barricade that’s been on the road for months as the new road was built.
“In the spring of 2020, when COVID hit and I was campaigning for City Council, there wasn’t a whole lot we could do as far as getting out and meeting the people,” said Claffey. “We started doing videos. I stood right up here on a pile of dirt and said, I’m standing here on the road to nowhere. I must admit, it was the video that got the most response. We’ve known that we have a wonderful site out here.”
Staunton Crossing began over 10 years ago, when Staunton purchased the 300-acre property for $15 million through city-issued bonds in a land-swap deal with the state.
So far, the 25 acres near I-81 have been developed with restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. The new Crossing Way expansion, built by Caton Construction Group, will allow more development in the area. Along with a road, the new section of Crossing Way has a pedestrian path running alongside it.
“The roadway behind me, Crossing Way, is a VDOT funded project paid for with a $10.5 million grant,” Claffey said. “The road through the property makes the site more marketable and appealing to businesses and industries looking for a new home.”
Claffey thanked a long list of people, present and not present, for their work on Crossing Way. Amid the thanks, he teasingly acknowledged Augusta County Administrator Timothy Fitzgerald.
“I’m glad to have you, show you what a really nice industrial park is,” Claffey said, the crowd laughing.
“I just came for Billy,” Fitzgerald shot back, to more laughter. He’s referring to Staunton’s Director of Economic Development Billy Vaughn, who was there on his second-to-last day of work before he retires. Claffey thanked Vaughn for his work on Crossing Way, and a round of applause was held for him.
Also speaking was Mark Merrill, who represents the Staunton District on the Commonwealth Transportation Board, and Devon Thompson, transit per grade manager for BRITE. New stops and an eventual new route will be added for people traveling with BRITE to get to Crossing Way.
After the ribbon cutting, many in attendance got into a parks and recreation bus. The bus drove through Staunton Crossing, the new road, old road, and off road alike, with Vaughn pointing out details about the project as riders passed them.
The property now has 19 empty lots, roads and driveways abruptly ended where buildings used to be. Many were former Western State Hospital buildings, which relocated as part of the land-swap. Claffey explained there was over a mile of piping and tunnels under the buildings.
Want to dig into the project’s history? Check out The News Leader history of Staunton Crossing.
Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It’s welcome through email to [email protected]. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Crossing Way in Staunton opens with ribbon cutting
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