Commonwealth Transportation Board Approves Six-Year Improvement Program

RICHMOND - The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved today the latest Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), which allocates $13.3 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 program does not include new projects that will be subject to scoring under House Bill 2 (HB2), passed by the General Assembly last year. Certain projects will be scored based on a data-driven process. Once projects are scored, the CTB will select projects for funding to be included in next year’s update of the SYIP. 

FY 2016-2021 Six-Year Improvement Program breakdown:

$9.9 billion – Highway construction

$3.4 billion – Rail and public transportation

$13.3 billion – Total six-year program

VDOT’s Annual Budget for FY 2016  

The Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) annual budget for Fiscal Year 2016 is $5.29 billion, representing a 21 percent increase from the previous year. The growth over the previous year is primarily driven by the planned allocation of bonds, anticipated local and regional funding for VDOT administered projects and the additional revenue provided by the increased sales tax on gasoline that was effective in January 2015.  The annual budget is based on the most recent official state revenue forecast from March 2015 and estimated federal funding.

Funds that will be provided for highway maintenance and operations represent 38 percent of the total budget, followed by 37 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:

$334.5 million – Debt Service

$2.01 billion – Road maintenance (includes city and county street payments)

$495.7 million – Support to other agencies, tolls, administration and other programs

$483.5 million – Funding dedicated to Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads Regions for local and regional transportation projects

$1.959 billion – Construction

$5.29 billion – Total VDOT annual budget