All of these proposed projects were from regional and local planning authorities. In addition, Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne published a series of recommended projects, which will receive funding according to the score from the new process system.
The scores were mandated by House Bill 2, a new law designed to spend only a limited amount of tax money on specific transportation projects that are considered the most important. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will evaluate the scores during the next five months before they decide on the chosen projects.
“This process was developed with extensive opportunity for public review,” Layne said. “Meetings to review the process were held in several locations throughout the state, plus the projects were made available online. The prioritization process improves the transparency and accountability of Virginia’s transportation program. Public engagement will continue through the spring prior to the CTB adopting the final six-year program in June.”
The goal of the new law is to change the future of choosing transportation projects in Virginia.
“This new law is revolutionizing the way transportation projects are selected,” McAuliffe said. “Political wish lists of the past are replaced with a data-driven process that is objective and transparent, making the best use of renewed state funding received in 2013 and the recently approved federal transportation funding. Each project is scored based on its merits and value, making Virginia the first state in the nation to use such an outcome-based prioritization process.”
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