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Commissioner reports progress on regional transportation authority discussions
Summary
Commissioner Hayes reported that a planning‑district‑level group is exploring a regional transportation authority to retain local fuel and sales tax revenue for regional projects; the idea faces political obstacles in the General Assembly, the commission heard.
Commissioner Hayes told the Planning Commission that he is participating in a working group at the regional planning district commission examining whether a regional transportation authority could be created to retain locally collected gasoline and sales tax revenue for regional priority projects.
Hayes said the group is considering capturing roughly 7.7¢ of gasoline tax and about 0.7% of sales tax currently distributed through VDOT processes and reallocating a portion for locally prioritized projects. He said the concept would allow localities in the proposed region to prioritize projects rather than compete statewide through VDOT’s SmartScale and other programs.
Hayes acknowledged political hurdles: any regionwide plan would require approval from each locality’s elected board and implementing legislation in the General Assembly. He said he expects opposition from more politically powerful regions that already have authorities, such as Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, because the proposal would redirect revenues. Bassett and other commissioners discussed similar existing authorities and noted there are four authorities in the Commonwealth, including ones covering Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond and I‑81 corridor projects.
The commission did not take formal action but asked Hayes and staff to continue outreach and said the matter could be discussed further with regional partners and at future committee meetings.
