Welcome back to Lynchburg Field Notes, a column that arrives in your inbox on Wednesdays with quick news updates from the past week and previews of what’s coming up next in the Hill City and surrounding communities.
In this edition, learn how you can get up to speed with the construction project that’s set to overhaul the intersection of U.S. 501 and U.S. 221. Plus, catch a roundup of headlines from the city’s economic development office, fire department, community development office and water department.
As summer winds down, I’m looking ahead to a busy fall: The Lynchburg City Council will reconvene Tuesday after its summer recess, thousands of college students are returning to the Hill City for the new school year and we’re all barreling toward the November election. If you have any ideas for what you’d like to see in Cardinal News throughout the season, reach me at emma@cardinalnews.org.
In the meantime, take a tour through these news items:
- Open house scheduled for 501/221 intersection project
- Applications are open for new nonprofit training program
- Lynchburg Fire Department names former captain as new deputy chief
- Survey available as comprehensive plan is updated
- Lynchburg Water Resources receives top honor for operational excellence
Open house scheduled for 501/221 intersection project
Residents can weigh in on a transportation project set to improve a busy Lynchburg intersection at an upcoming public hearing.
The event will be held in an open house format on Thursday from 4-6 p.m. at the Heritage Baptist Church gymnasium on Breezewood Drive. Residents can drop in anytime to learn more about the project plans and share their feedback.
The project aims to overhaul the U.S. 501 and U.S. 221 intersection by dividing U.S. 501, currently congested with two-way traffic, into a split pair of northbound and southbound roads at its intersection with U.S. 221. The main goals of the project are to improve safety, increase the intersection’s capacity and reduce delays, according to a city news release.
About 65,000 vehicles pass through the intersection every day, making it the busiest intersection in Lynchburg. The project has a price tag of more than $90 million, covered by the city and various government grants, including a recently announced $24.5 million award from the federal Department of Transportation.
Crews are set to break ground in the spring of 2029. The preliminary design phase is underway now, according to the project webpage.
Feedback gathered at Thursday’s event will be used to inform decisions in final design phases, according to the news release.
After Thursday’s event, city staff will continue to collect feedback via email to sastyers@mccormicktaylor.com and via mail to the City of Lynchburg, Attn: 501/221 Split Pair Project, 900 Church St., Second Floor-Engineering, Lynchburg, VA 24504. All comments are due by Sept. 3.
Preliminary plans, proposed property impacts and the anticipated construction schedule will be available after the open house, as well. They can be viewed at Lynchburg City Hall through Sept. 3. Residents can call 434-455-3950 to schedule a time to review the information with city staff.
Applications open for nonprofit training program
The regional small business development center is partnering with Lynchburg’s economic development and tourism office to launch a training program that helps nonprofit leaders get their ideas off the ground.
The 10-week program, called CO.STARTERS for Causes, begins Sept. 14 and will be held at 6 p.m. on Mondays at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.
Applications for the program are due Monday and are available online. The program is open to people hoping to create a nonprofit organization and current nonprofit staff and volunteers hoping to strengthen existing organizations. Program tuition is $150 for Lynchburg participants and $200 for people from surrounding counties.
The business development center and economic development office have partnered for the past decade to run the traditional CO.STARTERS curriculum, which helps aspiring entrepreneurs turn their ideas into viable business ventures. Now, the same training methodology is being applied to a curriculum for those launching nonprofits and community projects.
The curriculum includes guided discussions and exercises focused on understanding community needs, developing messaging, identifying funding and staffing requirements, learning about operational and financial structures, building community partnerships, and making plans for sustainable growth, according to a news release.
“Many aspiring founders in our community have a strong desire to create positive change but lack the technical knowledge needed to transform a great idea into a sustainable program,” said Stephanie Keener, director of the Lynchburg region’s Small Business Development Center, in the news release. “If you know someone considering starting a nonprofit or if your organization wants to test, refine, and research a new program idea, we encourage them to apply to CO.STARTERS for Causes.”
The program will be facilitated by Elise Spontarelli, the co-founder and executive director of Vector Space, a local makerspace nonprofit.
Lynchburg Fire Department names former captain as deputy chief
A former Lynchburg Fire Department captain will serve as the new deputy chief of administration, replacing former Deputy Chief Jonathan Wright, who retired on June 1.
Abbey Johnston brings more than 20 years of fire and EMS experience to the role. She most recently served as deputy chief of operations for Bedford County Fire & Rescue, and before that, she had served as a captain in the Hill City.
Johnston is the first major hire in the fire department since the new fire chief, Brad Creasy, was sworn in last month.
Survey available as comprehensive plan is updated
The city of Lynchburg is updating its comprehensive plan and seeking feedback from residents in the process.
A comprehensive plan is a long-term guide to organize a locality’s goals and policies when it comes to capital investments, land use, housing, transportation, tourism and more.
An updated draft of the comprehensive plan and a link to the survey about it are available on the city’s website. The survey asks residents to select what they value about Lynchburg, what concerns them, what goals should be prioritized and more in relation to various topics covered in the comprehensive plan. Input will be taken into consideration as the final plan is developed, according to a city news release.
Lynchburg Water Resources receives top honor for operational excellence
Lynchburg Water Resources’ wastewater treatment plant was awarded the 2025 Platinum Peak Performance Award by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which recognizes regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship and operational resilience, according to a city news release.
The plant is one of fewer than 200 facilities across the country to receive platinum-level honors. It treats about 12 million gallons of wastewater per day and runs more than 30,000 lab tests annually to ensure clean water is returned to the James River after it’s treated.
The plant has had five years, and counting, of perfect permit compliance with no violations — an achievement that “takes focus, commitment, and teamwork every single day,” said Tim Mitchell, director of Lynchburg Water Resources, in the news release.
“Through extreme weather, complex construction projects, and countless other challenges, our Water Resource Recovery Facility team has never lost sight of their responsibility to protect our environment,” he said. “This award is a testament to their dedication and excellence, and they deserve all the credit.”
