Six-Year Improvement Program FAQ
What Is the Six-Year Improvement Program?
The Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) is the Commonwealth Transportation Board's (CTB) program for allocating funding for rail, public transportation, commuter assistance, bicycle, pedestrian, interstate and primary highway transportation projects over the next six years.
What Is the Commonwealth Transportation Board?
The 17-member CTB is appointed by the governor and meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The board is primarily responsible for locating routes, approving construction contracts, creating traffic regulations, naming highways and administering and allocating the Transportation Trust Fund.
How Are Projects Selected To Be Included in the Six-Year Improvement Program?
Allocations are applied to projects in the SYIP based on the type of funding.
Special program funds are allocated based on priorities and eligibility criteria specific to that program:
- Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funds are allocated by eligible Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) according to their established processes.
- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds are allocated by the CTB in coordination with MPOs in air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas according to CTB priorities and CMAQ eligibility requirements.
- Bridge funds are allocated based on priorities defined by structural deficiency and other technical factors.
- Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds are allocated based on eligibility criteria related to safety issues and a cost/benefit analysis.
- Enhancement funds are allocated based on the established CTB process and eligibility criteria.
- Revenue Sharing funds are allocated based on the established CTB process.
- Other special funded programs include Safe Routes to School, High Risk Rural Road, Rail Safety, Open Container
Urban and secondary formula funds are allocated based on local government priorities and following the CTB’s policies and guidelines noted below.
Statewide discretionary funds are allocated based on CTB policies and guidelines, including:
- Fund deficits on current project phases
- Maximize use of federal funds to meet federal strategy
- Fund project phases underway as well as project phases that start in the current federal fiscal year
- Fund deficient bridges and paving projects
- New capacity expansion projects
To identify new capacity or expansion projects, local governments work with residents and Virginia’s transportation agencies to develop a transportation plan that anticipates land use changes and travel patterns more than two decades into the future. These factors are taken into consideration:
- Statewide and regional plans that identify transportation needs and projects required to serve future travel demands over a 20- to 25-year period
- An analysis of projected traffic volumes and population, as well as business and residential growth
- An evaluation of the priorities for implementation of the transportation plan
- Citizen and community participation meetings to receive input on the transportation priorities
Residents’ input on transportation priorities at the SYIP public hearings is important in determining which projects to add to the program.
What Is the CTB’s Role After the Projects are Identified?
The CTB members set priorities and evaluate the input received from the public hearings and then approve the projects to be included in the SYIP update.
What Was the Budget for the Six-Year Improvement Program Last Year?
The FY11-16 SYIP allocated $5.7 billion to highway construction projects and $2.1 billion to rail and public transportation projects through Fiscal Year 2016.
When Is the Next Update of the Program?
The next update is for the next six fiscal years that will begin July 1, 2011. The Fiscal Years 2012 - 17 SYIP will be presented to the CTB for adoption on June 15, 2011.
Where Does Funding for Virginia’s Transportation Systems Come From?
Major sources include:
- Motor fuel tax (17.5 cents per gallon)
- A vehicle sales tax of three percent
- A portion of the vehicle license fees ($29)
- General sales and use taxes (0.5 percent)
- Bond proceeds: $1.8 billion outstanding as of June 2010
- Federal funds (18.4 cents federal motor fuel tax and other sources)
- Auto insurance premiums
Does the Six-Year Improvement Program Include Projects I Want to Recommend for My Subdivision?
The Six-Year Improvement Program focuses on the interstate, primary, rail and public transit systems. The CTB will take remarks about secondary and urban projects, but city and town councils and county boards of supervisors normally determine these project priorities. Subdivision streets are local city or town streets or county secondary roads. City and town streets are managed and improved by the municipal public works departments.
What Happens Once a Project Is Included in the Six-Year Improvement Program?
Project development begins. This involves:
- Environmental studies (including public hearings for citizen participation)
- Preliminary engineering
- Acquiring property for construction
Once a project is fully funded and project development is complete, it moves to construction.
Why Are Some Projects Taken off of the Six-Year Improvement Program?
Projects are removed from the SYIP once they are completed. Projects are also taken out of the SYIP if there is not enough funding to finance them or if preliminary engineering determines that the project is not feasible. The CTB has policies and goals to ensure that priority projects that are included in the SYIP have sufficient funds.
Why Are Some Projects Slow To Get Off the Ground?
The CTB and VDOT have made a concerted effort to assemble projects in the SYIP so they can move through the development process in an orderly fashion. As projects are being developed, many issues arise that must be addressed, such as citizen concerns, project development, or environmental issues. Projects must also be fully funded to move to construction.
While these are typical issues that arise as a project moves forward, it often appears that little progress is being made.
