Shenandoah Valley offers a thriving economy without urban headaches

by Bernie Niemeier
Virginia Business
August 2007

Imagine driving an easy 20 minutes from home to the local airport, arriving 30 minutes before flight time. You then fly 25 minutes to Washington Dulles International Airport. Once there, you are inside the airport system — beyond the ticket counter and the security checkpoint — and ready to go anywhere in the world.

By contrast, your fellow Virginia passengers have likely battled traffic to arrive at the Dulles airport two hours before their flights only to endure a series of long lines to get to the spot where you stand.

Easy access to Dulles is just one of the advantages that life in the Valley of Virginia has to offer. Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave offers three flights each weekday to Dulles.

In its third outing examining Virginia's economy, Lead Virginia's Class of 2007 visited the valley, traveling from Staunton to Lexington, Bridgewater and Harrisonburg. The event even included a group dinner in an old-order Mennonite home.

What we saw was a healthy regional economy. This area has a lot of natural advantages: a good location, many natural resources, a diverse group of employers, easy access to Interstate 81 and a strong work ethic.

The Shenandoah Valley still has a thriving poultry industry, but has also transformed itself into a player in the information economy. Companies such as SRI and SI International have set up shop locally. The area is an easy first step for downstate expansion by many companies needing access to Washington, but nearing gridlock in their Northern Virginia locations.

However, the valley has its own transportation challenges. Increasingly congested I-81 badly needs improvement, but finding consensus on those changes has been difficult. The interstate touches many communities as it stretches across the state from Maryland to Tennessee.

The 6th Congressional District is home to more four-year colleges and universities than any other congressional district in the U.S. That is an economic advantage that translates into more vibrant cities and towns as students help support independent retailers, the arts, restaurants and coffee shops.

The downtown areas in Lexington and Staunton, in fact, are great examples of the successful revival of historic business districts. Small local retailers have replaced grocery stores, which have sold to chains and moved to strip malls, and local car dealers who've moved out of downtown to be close to the interstate. The downtown districts are now home to local bed and breakfasts, numerous coffee shops, galleries, high-end clothiers and upscale restaurants, owned by local families and a burgeoning class of young entrepreneurs. If you haven't visited them, you should. They are another sign of the livability and economic viability of the Shenandoah Valley region.

Bernie Niemeier, publisher of Virginia Business, is a member of the 2007 Class of Lead Virginia which visited the Valley of Virginia in June. Lead Virginia is a nonpartisan statewide organization that brings together leaders with the intention of creating "social capital" that will positively impact Virginia's future.