RD386 - Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report to the Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability


Executive Summary:
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, created in 2002 by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Act, Chapter 25, Title 33.2, of the Code of Virginia (SB 576). The NVTA’s primary function is to conduct transportation planning, prioritization, programming and funding for the Northern Virginia region.

On April 3, 2013, the Virginia General Assembly approved the final version of House Bill 2313 (HB 2313). This legislation established a dedicated, sustainable funding stream for transportation in Northern Virginia. HB 2313 separates these funds into “70% Regional Revenues,” which are allocated by the Authority to regional transportation projects; and “30% Local Distribution Revenues,” which are distributed to localities for locally determined transportation projects and purposes. These funds allow the NVTA to begin fulfilling its mission to address regional transportation challenges.

The Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability (JCTA) through the Budget Bill HB 5002 of 2014, was given the responsibility of review and oversight of the usage of funding generated pursuant to the provisions of HB 2313. The NVTA has prepared this report to inform the JCTA of the uses of the HB 2313 funds through FY2015.

On July 24, 2013, the Authority approved its first project list , the FY2014 Program, setting in motion a new era of transportation improvements for the Northern Virginia region. The FY2014 Program projects were reported last year. On April 23, 2015, the Authority adopted its second list of projects, the FY2015-16 Two Year Program. This Two-Year Program continues the work of reducing congestion and improving mobility in Northern Virginia.

Through the FY2014-16 Programs, the Authority has programmed $535 million in regional transportation investments. While this is a large amount, it represents only a fraction of the nearly $42 billion in transportation infrastructure and service expansions identified in the Northern Virginia portion of the D.C. metropolitan region’s Constrained Long Range Plan and the additional recommended regional improvements in TransAction 2040.