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Transportation budget set at June CTB meeting

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virginiaThe Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the latest budgets and Six-Year Improvement Program for the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which allocated a record $21.2 billion to highway, rail and public transportation projects over the next six fiscal years beginning July 1, 2018.

“This year’s budget demonstrates our Commonwealth’s commitment to improving infrastructure and advancing our multimodal platform for Virginia’s economy,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine.

The SYIP provides funding to more than 3,800 transportation projects, including highway, road, bridge, rail, transit, bicycle/pedestrian paths and other improvements for the Commonwealth’s infrastructure.

FY 2019-2024 Six-Year Improvement Program breakdown:
$16.8 billion – Highway Construction (VDOT):
$1.3 billion – State of Good Repair
$463 million – Legacy Programs
$2.7 billion – Specialized Programs
$1.2 billion – Revenue Sharing
$1.6 billion – Maintenance
$101 million – Research and Planning
$7 billion – Local and Regional Funding

$4.4 billion – Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT):
$643 million – Rail Initiatives
$3.7 billion – Public Transportation
$21.2 billion – Total VDOT and DRPT SYIP

VDOT’s annual budget for FY 2019

VDOT’s annual budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 is $5.4 billion, representing a 10.5 percent decrease from the Revised FY 2018 budget. The reduction is largely related to the one-time concession fee payment on the I-66 Outside the Beltway Project. Excluding this and comparing to the original FY 2018 budget results in a one percent decrease.

The annual budget is based on the most recent official state revenue forecast from December 2017 and estimated federal funding. Funds that will be provided for highway maintenance and operations represent 41 percent of the total budget, followed by nearly 32 percent for highway construction. Smaller portions of the budget are directed to address the needs and requirements of debt service, support to other agencies, tolls, administration and other programs.

The breakdown:
$390.5 million – Debt service
$2.2 billion – Road maintenance and operations (includes city and county street payments)
$569.5 million – Support to other agencies, tolls, administration and other programs
$1.7 billion – Construction
$471.5 million – Funding dedicated to Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads Regions for local and regional transportation projects
$5.4 billion – Total VDOT annual budget

Department of Rail and Public Transportation

The DRPT SYIP allocates over $2.1 billion to address the significant capital and operating needs of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), an increase of $927 million. $158 million in toll revenue collections from I-395 and I-66 are also programmed to public transportation and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) options in those corridors.

DRPT will also invest $643 million in Passenger and Freight Rail Programs, including major capacity and improvement projects, such as the Atlantic Gateway, Acca Yard, Long Bridge, and the Virginia Railway Express along the I-95 corridor. The SYIP also allocates capital and operating funding to four state-supported Amtrak routes consisting of six daily round-trip Amtrak trains, including funding the extension of additional Amtrak service to Norfolk, and studying future extension of the Roanoke service to the New River Valley and beyond.

To support short-line freight railroads in Virginia, the SYIP also allocates $35 million to the Short Line Rail Preservation program, including a $9 million transfer from the Rail Enhancement Fund.

DRPT’s Annual Budget for FY 2019

The annual DRPT budget for FY 2019 is $793.5 million and is based on estimates of actual outlays of federal, state, and local funding.

The breakdown:
$631.6 million – Public Transportation Programs
$106.2 million – Passenger and Freight Rail Programs
$1.3 million – Rail Industrial Access Programs
$12.6 million – Rail Preservation Programs
$10.8 million – Commuter Assistance Programs
$14.6 million – Agency Operating Budget
$4.4 million – Planning, Regulation, and Safety Programs
$12.0 million – Human Service Transportation Programs
$793.5 million – Total DRPT annual budget

I-66 Inside the Beltway – Commuter Choice Program

The CTB also approved over $12 million for 15 projects for the first round of I-66 Inside the Beltway toll collections dedicated to providing additional public transportation and TDM options in the corridor. Project highlights, previously approved by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, include: $3.5 million for new Fairfax Connector Express bus service between the Vienna and Pentagon Metrorail stations, $1.7 million for Loudoun County’s Route 88X extension to Dulles South, $1.1 million for on-demand commuter lot shuttles in Prince William County and $1.1 million to connect the new Purcellville Park and Ride lot in Loudoun County to Metro.

The Commuter Choice Program reinvests toll revenue to provide multimodal commuter options along the I-66 corridor.

Appointed by the governor, the 17-member CTB establishes the administrative policies for Virginia’s transportation system. The CTB allocates highway funding to specific projects, locates routes and provides funding for airports, seaports and public transportation. The board normally meets on the third Wednesday of the month in months when action meetings are scheduled.

For more information:
Final bid results and projects:
www.virginiadot.org/business/const/bidresults-list.asp

CTB meeting, times and locations:
www.ctb.virginia.gov/public_meetings/schedule_overview/default.asp

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