County of Fairfax, Virginia
HB 2313 Transportation Funding—
Projects and Priorities
Society of American Military Engineers
Northern Virginia Post
May 1, 2014
Tom Biesiadny, Director
Fairfax County Department of Transportation
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Summary of HB 2313
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Summary of HB 2313
• Approved by the General Assembly in April 2013.
• Includes several components
– Statewide
• Increased funding for highway construction
• Increased funding for highway maintenance
• Increased funding for transit (operating and capital)
• Provided dedicated funding for intercity rail service
– Regional
• Funding for regional projects
• Funding for local projects
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Statewide Component
–
–
–
–
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Eliminates the 17.5 cents per gallon gas tax.
Imposes a 3.5% wholesale gas tax and a 6% wholesale diesel tax.
Increases automobile sales tax from 3% to 4.15%, over three years.
Increases state sales tax from 5% to 5.3%.
Transfers an additional .175% (from .5% to .675%) of the state’s portion of
existing sales tax from the General Fund to transportation, phased in over
five years.
– Increases the fee for alternative fuel vehicles to $64, including electric and
hybrid vehicles, but excluding natural gas-powered vehicles.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Statewide Component Continued
– Dedicates potential federal revenues that would become available if
Congress enacts the Marketplace Equity Act (grants states legal authority
to collect out-of-state sales taxes). If Congress does not pass the Act by
January 1, 2015, the wholesale gas tax (not diesel) increases to 5.1%.
– Prohibits tolling on I-95 south of Fredericksburg without prior General
Assembly approval.
– Allocates $300 million from the state maintenance funding, or other
available revenue sources, to Dulles Rail Phase II over three years.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Regional Component
– Imposes a .7% sales tax, to a total of 6% for Northern Virginia.
– Imposes a 2% Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel tax).
– Imposing a regional congestion fee (grantors tax) of $0.15 per $100
valuation.
– 70% will be provided to NVTA for:
• regional projects included TransAction 2040 or future updates that
have also been evaluated by VDOT for reducing congestion, or
• mass transit capital projects that increase capacity.
– 30% of funds will be distributed to localities.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Regional Component (Continued)
– Localities must enact a Commercial and Industrial Property (C&I) or
dedicate an equivalent amount for transportation
– Requires NVTA and its member jurisdictions to work with the towns
when implementing these provisions to ensure that towns receive their
respective share of transportation project revenues.
– Annual Revenues = ~$300 million.
• $210 million (regional) ~ $105 million for Fairfax County
• $ 90 million (local) ~ $45 million for Fairfax County
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Northern Virginia
Transportation Authority
(NVTA)
County of Fairfax, Virginia
What is the NVTA?
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) was created in 2002 to
provide Northern Virginia communities with a regional organization responsible
for:
•
Developing a long range transportation plan,
•
Supporting initiatives and TDM programs aimed at improving air quality
and relieving congestion, and
•
Advocating for transportation needs before State and Federal
Governments.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
NVTA Background
• The counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William.
• The cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas
Park.
• Membership
– One elected official from each of those jurisdictions
– Two members of the House of Delegates
– One State Senator
– Two citizen members appointed by the Governor including one
member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board
– One non-voting member rotated among several towns in Planning
District 8
– The Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner’s designee (exofficio)
– The Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation
(DRPT) (ex-officio)
County of Fairfax, Virginia
NVTA Decisions
• A quorum requires a majority of the Authority, including at least a
majority of the representatives of the counties and cities embraced
by the Authority.
• NVTA typically reaches decisions via consensus.
• Decisions of the Authority shall require the affirmative vote of:
– Two-thirds of the members of the Authority present and voting;
and
– Two-thirds of the representatives of the counties and cities
embraced by the Authority who are present and voting and
whose counties and cities include at least
– Two-thirds of the population embraced by the Authority.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
NVTA Staffing
• NVTA has been staffed through borrowed staff from its members
jurisdictions and agencies.
• NVTA is not expected to hire a large staff.
• A small number of staff may be hired to manage NVTA’s funds, track
and distribute revenues, and undertake planning and reporting
activities.
– Four hired so far.
• Project implementation will largely be undertaken by NVTA’s
member jurisdictions and agencies.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax County Efforts to Prioritize
Unfunded Projects
(Countywide Dialogue on
Transportation)
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Purpose
• Evaluate unfunded projects based on
multiple selection criteria
• Utilize all available revenue sources to
meet the needs of these projects,
including new HB 2313 revenues
• Obtain public input on project selection
• Assist the Board of Supervisors in
selecting transportation priorities
through FY 2020
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Funding Outlook
• Staff has considered all available revenue sources for FY2014-FY2020.
• Revenues committed to projects in the Board’s Four-Year Plan (FY2013FY2016) have been excluded from discussion.
• Total revised estimate of funding available through FY2020 is approximately
$1.4 billion which assumes the receipt of USDOT loan (TIFIA) for Dulles Rail
Phase II and no debt service until FY2024.
• The $1.4 billion reflects a recalculation of total available revenues since the
beginning of the outreach effort.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Potential Projects
• FCDOT staff prepared a list of 214 potential projects
• Multi-modal approach
– Roadways
• Interchanges
• Extensions
• Spot Improvements
• Widenings
– Transit
• Park-and-Ride Lots
• Other Facilities
• Bus Service
– Bicycle
– Pedestrian
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Snapshot of Public Outreach
• On-line survey conducted from 10/25/13 to 11/22/13
• 2,554 survey responses
• 5 public meetings, 15 additional presentations
• 206 attendees (not including elected officials and staff)
at the 5 public meetings
• 155+ attendees at the 15 additional presentations
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Other Outreach
• Countywide Dialogue on Transportation web site contained:
• Interactive map, project descriptions, and link for feedback.
• http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/cdot/
• “Ask Fairfax” live, online Q&A on Tuesday, Nov. 12
• News Releases sent to:
• Media, elected officials, stakeholders (TAC/Advisory group, EDA,
TMAs, NVTA, Chambers, county agencies, etc.)
• Board Members’ email subscribers, HOAs
• Reporter requests, media coverage
• WTOP, NBC, Washington Post, Patch, Connection, Washington
Business Journal
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Recap of Criteria for Project Selection
(Not in Priority Order)
• Congestion Reduction*
• Economically Disadvantaged
Populations
• Mode Balance
• Safety
• Travel Time Savings*
• Community Input
• School and Park Access
• Regional Consideration (included
in NVTA TransAction 2040)
• Countywide Balance
• Disabled/Elderly Populations
• Economic Development (support
for revitalization areas and major
Activity Centers)
• Healthy Communities Initiative
• Air Quality*
*Included in the Cost Benefit Analysis
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Project Selection Factors - Roadways
• Focuses on known areas of high congestion.
• Compliments other funded or recently completed projects.
• Completes improvements over a significant length of corridor.
• Compliments funding already secured for some projects.
• Fills “gaps” in the network.
• Other factors included on previous slide.
• Allocated funds for design of future projects.
• Set aside for Fairfax County Parkway.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Project Selection Factors - Transit
• All projects were recommended in the 2009 Transit Development Plan.
• Projects either provide new links between residential areas and activity
centers and/or transit hubs, or enhance service on existing links.
• All projects were evaluated using the Cost Benefit tool, and other
factors.
• Set aside funding for implementing results of major transit studies,
Metro 2025, and VRE Capital.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Project Selection Factors – Bike and Pedestrian
• Neighborhood connectivity
• Connection to transit (Metrorail, bus service, VRE, park & ride)
• Park connectivity
• Identified on Bicycle Master Plan
• School walking route
• Completing missing links/completing the network
• Historic long standing community request
• Other factors previously listed.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Summary of Proposed Six-Year Funding
$ in Millions Description
(Six Year Total)
$1,431.0 Total Available Funding
($ 57.6) Needed for Projects Previously Approved
by the Board
($ 75.0) Projects Previously Partially Funded by the
Board
$1,298.4 Funding for Proposed Unfunded Project
List
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Staff Proposed Funding for Currently Unfunded
Projects
$ in Millions Description
(Six Year Total)
$ 195.0 Interchanges*
$ 115.3 Road Extensions*
$
66.0 Spot Improvements*
$ 381.3 Roadway Widenings*
$ 326.8 Transit Capital, Operating, and Reserve
$
10.0 Capital Projects Reserve
$ 203.9 Bicycle and Pedestrian
$1,298.4 TOTAL
*Many of these transportation projects include facilities for bicycle and pedestrian needs.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Reserves
• Proposing $199 million in transit reserve
• Future needs may include capital and operating costs,
including:
• Metro 2025 (Momentum),
• Virginia Railway Express,
• Fairfax Connector,
• Implementation of the Richmond Highway and Route 7
Alternatives Analyses, and
• Implementation of the Countywide Transit Network Study.
• Proposing $55 million in reserve for study/design/construction of Fairfax
County Parkway Improvements, following completion of corridor study.
• Proposing $7.7 million in reserve for bicycle and pedestrian projects
• Needed to further study new project requests as a result of the
outreach effort.
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Preparing for the Increased Workload
FCDOT staff have been discussing ways to improve project delivery. Meetings
have included other agencies, such as VDOT and DPWES.
• Some ideas can be addressed in the short-term, and many are already
underway.
• Others involve longer-term coordination, sometimes with other agencies
such as VDOT and DPWES.
Three main improvement themes have been discussed:
• Improve project budgeting and scheduling
• Identify project issues early
• Expand County expertise
• Improve internal/external communication
and build teamwork
• Alternative delivery methods
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Additional Activities
• December-January: Board review of staff’s proposed projects for
funding.
• January 14: Proposed deadline for feedback from the Board on the
recommended list of projects.
• January 28:
• Staff returned to the Board with revisions, based on feedback
received;
• Board endorsed a revised list of project priorities.
• Board consideration of agreement with NVTA for local portion of
regional funding.
May 6: Staff will return to the Board with draft project timelines for
the projects priorities approved on January 28
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Projects Near Fort Belvoir
• I-95 to Fairfax County Parkway – Northbound Flyover
• Widen Richmond Highway from Mt. Vernon Highway north to Napper
Road (4 to 6 lanes)
• Widen Richmond Highway from Occoquan River to Armistead (4 to 6
lanes) – preliminary engineering only
• Widen Pohick Road from Richmond Highway to I-95 (2 to 4 lanes)
• Intersection improvements on Fairfax County Parkway (I-95 to
Telegraph Road)
• Enhanced bus service in the South County area.
• New bus service on the Fairfax County Parkway
• Fairfax County Parkway and Transit Reserves
County of Fairfax, Virginia
Questions?