Transportation Funding
Transportation funding and VDOT continue to be hot issues again in Virginia. Recent items in the news include rest area closures and other service cuts,
Statement of the Issue
Transportation funding and VDOT remain at the forefront of policy debates in Virginia. The governor’s proposed $4 billion funding package the General Assembly largely adopted in 2011, a multi-billion backlog to fix structurally deficient bridges and repave highways, a drop in the state share of transit funding, and the need to identify a source of funds to operate passenger rail service are among the recent topics of debate. Elected and state officials acknowledge the need to reform VDOT, to better link land use and transportation to reduce the rising costs of transportation, and to provide funding for more transportation choices. Yet the state continues to focus heavily on highway construction and slights both transportation alternatives and land use impacts. This approach is costly to taxpayers, increases energy dependence, destroys natural and rural areas, spurs sprawl, increases air and water pollution, contributes to global climate change, and limits transportation choices, while doing little to relieve congestion in the long run.
Governor Kaine, Governor-elect McDonnell, Speaker Howell, and General Assembly member of both parties have recognized the need to reform VDOT and to improve our transportation policies.
Background
Transportation has been a central issue in General Assembly sessions for years, and some important provisions have been adopted that better link transportation and land use planning. Meanwhile, our transportation challenges are increasing. Gas prices are volatile, transit services have been cut and/or fares hiked, gridlock is getting worse, many existing roads and bridges are in poor condition, and transportation and land use decisions are rarely coordinated. Transportation is also the leading- and fastest rising- source of carbon dioxide in the state.
Virginia will spend billions of taxpayers’ dollars on transportation this year. This spending and the long range transportation plan continue to focus overwhelmingly on roads. Evidence indicates that new and wider highways generate significant new traffic without providing long-term congestion relief because they cause development to spread out and the amount of driving to increase. Despite significant congestion within the metropolitan areas of the state, VDOT is advancing major rural highways and bypasses that divert scarce resources, increase sprawl, and fail to target areas of greatest need. In addition, VDOT’s focus on privatizing highways and tolls is limiting input by the public and by public officials, undermining environmental review, slighting transit, and advancing unneeded projects and speculative development.
Governor McDonnell, Speaker Howell, and General Assembly members of both parties have recognized the need to reform VDOT and to improve our transportation policies. Some positive steps have been taken. But these are relatively minor steps in light of the magnitude of the problems we face, and any benefits they produce will be more than outweighed by proposed new highway projects.
Recommendations
Support a more balanced transportation system. Any legislation or budget provision that provides or relates to transportation funding should advance four key goals:
First, use our resources more efficiently by focusing on repairing our existing transportation system and on improving local street networks before spending billions of dollars on major new roads.
Second, shift funding to alternatives to driving, such as public transit, passenger and freight rail, transit-oriented development, walking, and bicycling. These alternatives are cheaper and can reduce congestion, energy consumption, and pollution; moreover several provide better services for elderly, disabled, and low income citizens. Providing new funds and flexing existing funds to passenger and freight rail improvements in the I-95, I-81, and I-64 corridors should be a particularly high priority.
Third, tie transportation funding to measurable performance criteria, such as reduced air pollution from vehicles and reduced per capita vehicle miles traveled.
Fourth, transportation funding allocation formulas need to be changed from a single statewide formula in order to give regions flexibility to determine the funding levels for various transportation modes – above certain minimum levels – that best meet their needs.
Provide dedicated funding for passenger rail. A dedicated source of funding should be provided for the Virginia Intercity Passenger Rail Operating and Capital fund the Assembly created in 2011. Other changes may be needed to ensure or enhance Virginia’s ability to qualify for federal rail funds.
Support transportation process reform. There have been numerous efforts in recent sessions to reform various aspects of state transportation planning. Any action that will reduce the environmental impacts of transportation projects, enhance public involvement in planning, improve the Public Private Transportation Act, or seriously reform VDOT planning and CTB oversight should be supported.
Support stronger performance standards for transportation planning. Expand requirements for the development of performance standards and require VDOT and large metropolitan areas to meet measures that include reduction in per capita vehicle miles traveled and increased mode share for transit, carpooling, walking, bicycling and telecommuting.
Support improving the link between transportation and land use, and providing incentives for smarter growth. Potential measures include: target transportation spending to existing communities and congested areas, tie transportation funding to land use changes that reduce travel demand, target economic development assistance to existing communities and locations with adequate pre-existing transportation infrastructure, work with localities to conduct build-out analyses of their land use plans, and provide technical assistance to localities to promote transit-oriented development. Any effort to weaken or rollback recent reforms should be opposed.
Contact
Trip Pollard, Southern Environmental Law Center
804.343.1090
Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth
202.244.4408