Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor Aims to Boost Economy and Transportation in Southern Virginia

A new coalition of business and education leaders has formed to highlight the economic strengths of Southwest and Southside Virginia and advocate for infrastructure improvements in these areas.

Named the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor (BRIC), the group focuses on promoting the economic potential of the Blacksburg, Roanoke, Danville, and Martinsville metropolitan areas. Virginia Tech and its research institutions, along with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, serve as major anchors for BRIC.

BRIC aims to position this region as a growing economic powerhouse in Virginia, comparable to Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads. However, for this growth to continue, BRIC advocates for necessary transportation improvements, such as upgrading U.S. 220 into North Carolina, a road they argue is outdated and hinders the flow of goods and people.

Virginia Tech President Tim Sands expressed confidence in the region's potential, emphasizing the need to address infrastructure issues to attract talent and opportunities in the next 10 to 20 years. While BRIC supports regional transportation improvements broadly, a specific focus is on U.S. 220 between Southside Virginia and Greensboro, North Carolina. The Virginia Department of Transportation is currently studying improvements to a 7-mile stretch of this road and held a public meeting on May 21.

Improving U.S. 220 is seen as vital for better connecting educational and research efforts in the region with institutions in North Carolina, such as Wake Forest University, which partners with Virginia Tech through the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences. The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke and the Fralin Life Sciences Institute in Blacksburg are examples of Virginia Tech’s significant research initiatives in the region.

Heywood Fralin, chairman of Roanoke-based Retirement Unlimited, highlighted the growth of these research institutes and the need for better connectivity. Similarly, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville supports applied research, advanced manufacturing, and economic development, including a training school for industrial 3D printing for the U.S. Navy.

Ben Davenport, chairman of First Piedmont Corp. and Davenport Energy, noted the ongoing efforts to reinvent the Southside Virginia economy since the decline of textiles and other industries. He emphasized that transportation has been a consistent hurdle for economic development, with companies valuing quick and efficient routes for their operations.

Former delegate William Fralin, an attorney and CEO of Retirement Unlimited, reiterated the importance of U.S. 220 as a vital commercial thoroughfare. Mimi Coles, vice president of marketing and business for Bristol-based Permatile Concrete Products Co., stressed the critical nature of improving U.S. 220 for maintaining ties between Virginia and North Carolina.

BRIC also seeks to enhance the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport. Sands and Coles both emphasized the need for more flights and connections to support business travel and recruitment efforts for Virginia Tech.

The BRIC region, home to over 710,000 people, has seen major economic developments and has numerous development-ready industrial sites. However, outdated perceptions of the region as economically stagnant persist, something BRIC aims to change by showcasing the growth in advanced manufacturing, health science, and education.

Currently, BRIC is in its early stages, forming a board of directors and seeking nonprofit status. A bipartisan group of 14 state legislators recently wrote a letter to the Commonwealth Transportation Board supporting improvements to U.S. 220, indicating political backing for BRIC’s goals.

Heywood and William Fralin, along with Davenport and Jay Dickens, CEO of The Lester Group, are key figures in BRIC’s leadership. Virginia Tech is expected to have significant involvement, with members providing expertise and support.

BRIC’s strength lies in its regional approach, linking various localities to create a unified economic force. Sands and Davenport both believe that this collective effort will bring critical mass and drive substantial economic growth in the identified region.