Commonwealth Transportation Board Public Review Meeting Tonight

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) released (on April 15) the draft Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), which allocates $12.9 billion to transportation projects over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2015.  Projects include highway, road, bridge, rail, transit, bicycle/pedestrian paths and other transportation improvements across the state.

The SYIP supports nearly 3,000 transportation projects to improve the state’s infrastructure. The draft program does not include new projects that would be subject to scoring under the new prioritization process under House Bill 2 (HB2). This process will help determine critical transportation needs through a fair and objective analysis.

Governor Terry McAuliffe signed HB2 into law in 2014, which directs the CTB to develop and use a scoring process for project selection by July 2016. Candidate projects will be screened to determine if they qualify to be scored. Projects will be scored based on an objective and fair analysis applied statewide. The law will improve transparency and accountability so the public will know how projects scored and the decisions behind the CTB’s project selections.

FY 2015-2020 Six-Year Improvement Program breakdown:

• $9.5 billion – Highway construction
• $3.4 billion – Rail and public transportation
• $12.9 billion – Total six-year program

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will hold a hearing on the draft program at 6 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, April 28, at the VDOT Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive in Fairfax.

Public input is also needed on a how transportation projects should be scored under House Bill 2.

You can also submit your comments by email or mail by May 22, 2015. For roads and highways:
Six-YearProgram@VDOT.Virginia.gov
Infrastructure Investment Director
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23219

For transit and public transportation:
DRPTPR@drpt.virginia.gov
Public Information Office
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
600 East Main Street, Suite 2102
Richmond VA, 23219.

To view changes between the FY 2015 program and the draft FY 2016 program:
http://syip.virginiadot.org/reports/221/FY16-DRAFT-ALLCHG-REPORT.pdf

For more information visit www.virginiadot.org/projects/syp-default.asp.

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Traffic Congestion a Daily Issue for Many in Loudoun County

WTOP Radio's Ari Ash reports that back around 2000, Loudoun County commuters living in South Riding, Brambleton, Arcola and Stone Ridge didn't have to worry about traffic.

But he reports that now, in 2014, it's a daily part of their lives. As sprawl has developed in the area west of Washington Dulles International Airport, roads such as U.S. Route 50, Braddock Road and Va. Route 606 (Old Ox Road) are seeing traffic that planners didn't anticipate.

The Virginia Department of Transportation held a two-hour public hearing on Tuesday at Liberty Elementary School to discuss several options to address the congestion with several hundred residents.

While four options are on the table, only two are being seriously considered to provide some congestion relief to these residents: They're being called Alternative 2 and Alternative 3C. Alternative 2 would cost $239.7 million and 3C would cost $244.6 million.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Federal Highway Administration will ultimately decide between the two, although no date has been set for either to choose. A VDOT public comment period ends May 7.

Read the complete WTOP story.

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Northern Virginia Public Hearing Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will hold a public hearing on Virginia’s Draft Six-Year Improvement Program, which allocates $10.6 billion in funding to transportation improvements over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2012, tomorrow, Thursday, May 3, beginning at 5:30 p.m..

Funding goes toward highway, rail, transit, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation improvements across the state.

The meeting will be held at the Virginia Department of Transportation, Northern Virginia District Office, 4975 Alliance Drive in Fairfax.

The public may comment about rail, public transportation, bicycle, pedestrian and highway projects (except local/secondary roads) at the hearings. Public comments will be considered before the board adopts a final program in June. The final program will be released in June and will take effect July 1, 2012.

The draft six-year program is online at http://syip.virginiadot.org/Pages/allProjects.aspx. The Northern Virginia District draft is available at http://syip.virginiadot.org/reports/192/06-FY13-DRAFT-NOVA.pdf.

Residents also can send their comments by May 18, 2012 to:
Public Information Office
Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
600 E. Main St., Suite 2102
Richmond, VA 23219
drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov

Programming Director
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219
Six-YearProgram@VDOT.Virginia.gov

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Several Loudoun County Roads on Commonwealth Transportation Board's 6-Year Plan

The Commonwealth Transportation Board last week released a draft six-year improvement program which includes funding for projects in Governor Bob McDonnell’s transportation package.

Northern Virginians -- including Loudoun County commuters -- can comment on the proposed program at a public hearing on May 4, at the new VDOT building located at 4975 Alliance Drive in Fairfax. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

In Northern Virginia, the draft plan would fund the following new projects:

• I-66 Gainesville to Haymarket – Add one HOV lane and one regular lane in each direction from Route 29 in Gainesville to Route 15 at Haymarket (three miles). A new interchange would be constructed at I-66 and Route 15. The $132 million project would begin in 2015 and take three years to complete.
• I-66 active traffic management system (ATM) – The draft plan includes $32 million to implement the latest traffic management technology to ease congestion on I-66. Implementation would begin in 2012.
• I-395 HOV ramp at Seminary Road – Construction of an HOV ramp to the Mark Center. The $80 million project would begin in 2015.
• I-95 High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes – Construct 29 miles of HOV/HOT lanes on I-95 from Garrisonville Road in Stafford County to the vicinity of Edsall Road on I-395 in Fairfax County. The draft plan includes about $52 million from the Commonwealth. The majority of funding for the project is being financed by the private sector. Construction could begin as early as the 2012 construction season and take up to three years to complete. Environmental review is underway and public information meetings will be held this fall.
• Route 7 in Fairfax County – Widening from four to six lanes from Reston Avenue to the Dulles Toll Road (5.3 miles). The draft program includes $30 million for design which would begin this fall. No funding is currently available for right of way or construction.
• Route 7 at Sycolin Road in Leesburg – Construct a $21.6 million overpass to carry Sycolin Road over the Route 7 Bypass. Construction could begin in 2014
• Route 7 at Belmont Ridge Road in Loudoun County – Construct a $72 million interchange. Construction could begin in 2015. Loudoun County would design and construct. VDOT would acquire right of way.
• Route 1 at Route 123 in Prince William County – The draft includes $35 million to widen Route 1 beginning in 2015. Phase two of the project, construction of the interchange, is not yet funded.
• Route 123 in Fairfax – The draft includes $15 million to build a connection to George Mason West Campus Road.
• Fairfax County Parkway – Construct a loop at Rolling Road. The draft plan includes $14 million toward the $$25 million project. Construction begins in 2015.
• Battlefield Parkway Extension in Leesburg – Extend the Parkway for one mile. Construction on the $11 million project would begin in 2015.

The following projects in the plan were recommended by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. They would be constructed by VDOT or local jurisdicition.

• Route 1 North in Prince William County – Reconstruction and widening. Design on this $37 million project could begin 2013 and construction in 2017.
• Route 7 and Lexington Drive in Ashburn – Construct a bridge to carry Lexington Drive over Route 7. Design on the $25 million project would begin in 2013 and construction would begin in 2016.
• Route 7 in Tysons Corner – Draft includes $23 million towards $308 million of roadway improvements. Design would begin in 2013.
• Route 123 in Tysons – The draft plan includes $19 million for this $56 million project to improve access to future Metrorail. Construction would begin in 2014.
• Columbia Pike Streetcar Project – The draft plan includes $35 million towards implementation of Arlington County’s streetcar project. Design could begin in 2013.
• Dulles Toll Road – The draft includes $21 million of $25 million for Reston metro access. Design could begin in 2012.
• Route 15 (Market Street) in Leesburg – The draft includes a $5.5 million project for 300 park-and-ride spaces.

Following public hearings around the state, the Board will vote on a final plan on June 15 for the July 1 fiscal year.

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Open Letter from Loudoun County Supervisor Kelly Burk

Do We Need Another Major New Highway in Loudoun?‏

Dear Friends,

Members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) presented a motion at the March 16, 2011 meeting to add a major transportation corridor, otherwise known as the North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance (CoSS), through Loudoun County that would encompass the land area between Route 28 and Route 15.

Loudoun County has long been opposed to this plan which has previously been identified as the “Outer Beltway” and the “Western Transportation Corridor”. Once the Commonwealth Transportation Board makes a CoSS designation, localities must include the corridor in their Countywide Transportation Plans. The county and its residents have no control over location, timing, or size; nor can the county re-locate, eliminate, or change the number of lanes. Additionally, such a designation includes parallel roadway facilities. At the February 16, 2011 CTB meeting, the makers of the motion indicated their intention to bring such a proposal to the March meeting. However, based on the lack of transparency and notice, a motion was made and approved to defer the vote until the CTB’s April 20, 2011 meeting.

I urge you to speak out against this plan by e-mailing the Board of Supervisors as well as the members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board to let them know you oppose the North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance by the CTB. You can reach the BOS by email at: BOS@Loudoun.gov and members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board at www.ctb.virginia.gov/members.asp.

To find out more information about the North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance, go to www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetings.asp.

Reprinted from an April 20 e-mail to constituents from Supervisor Burk.

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Governor McDonnell Announces $492.7 Million Transportation Bond Sale

The Commonwealth Transportation Board today sold $492.7 million of Transportation Capital Projects Revenue Bonds to advance transportation projects managed by the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

The bonds were sold through competitive bidding. Seven underwriters submitted bids on the bonds. Goldman Sachs and Co. had the winning bid with a true interest cost of 3.247 percent. The bonds were rated AA+ by Fitch and Standard and Poor's, and Aa1 by Moody's.

The bond funding will be combined with other state and federal dollars to keep highway, rail and transit projects moving forward when the Commonwealth updates its Fiscal Years 2011-2016 Six-Year Improvement Program this spring.

The bond sale, recently approved by Governor Bob McDonnell, is the first issuance of the Transportation Capital Projects Revenue Bonds that were authorized by the Virginia General Assembly in 2007.

For more information about these bonds and transportation financing, visit www.VirginiaDOT.org or www.DRPT.Virginia.gov.

Read the complete Governor's press release.

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