RD397 - Review of Virginia’s Transportation Planning and Programming


Executive Summary:
The 2010 General Assembly passed House Bill 42 and Senate Bill 201, both of which direct staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to assess Virginia’s approach to transportation planning and programming.

JLARC staff found the minimal role of the State’s 14 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in allocation decisions is a missed opportunity for more informed decision-making. Stakeholders raise concerns about the priorities being addressed in the State’s current Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), in part because of factors that limit the State’s ability to consistently apply performance-driven prioritization.

JLARC staff also found the need for more written processes governing programming, and more clarity and communication on the roles and responsibilities of the VDOT central office and its districts in the programming process. Additional aspects of programming documentation are confusing and should be addressed.

VDOT’s projections indicate funding available for new systems construction is likely to continue to decline. This future fiscal environment necessitates a more transparent, communicative, and collaborative approach to transportation planning and programming.