NVTA technical advisory committee recommends authority adopt TransAction plan and project list

On Nov. 16, 2022, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee unanimously approved a motion recommending that the Authority adopt the updated TransAction long-range transportation plan and its associated project list and forward the recommendation to the Planning and Programming Committee and then to the Authority for adoption on Dec. 8, 2022.

The committee endorsement followed a presentation summarizing changes made to the TransAction document after public and committee comment. Committee members and consultants emphasized that TransAction is a regional plan and an eligibility filter for future NVTA funding rounds, not a land-use plan and not a funding commitment. Mr. Jasper, presenting the changes, said the plan "is compliant with the Code of Virginia" and noted the document had been revised to clarify assumptions and presentation of scenario results.

Key facts discussed included that the published project list was reduced to 424 projects after removing duplicate entries and transferring two projects into the no-build baseline because they had become funded and were under construction. The overall cost estimate for the remaining projects was described as approximately $75,000,000,000; the regional bus-rapid-transit (BRT) projects were noted as accounting for about $10,000,000,000 of that total. A previously published 54% emissions-reduction figure was removed from a chart after committee feedback; presenters said the figure relied on best-case assumptions and that they had reworded the text to avoid implying a guaranteed outcome.

Tom Harrington of the consultant team explained the project-numbering approach: prior project IDs were retained and new projects appended at higher numbers, leaving gaps when projects from prior rounds were funded and removed. Srinampathuri, the project manager, and consultants noted minor renumbering and document edits would be reflected in the interactive online project table and archived versions of prior drafts would remain available on the project website.

Committee member Michelle Cavucci praised the document's linkage to the plan's three core goals—mobility, accessibility and resiliency—and its transparent methodology, stating, "I personally really appreciated the plan's intentional tie back to the 3 goals, mobility, accessibility, resiliency." Chair Boyce called for a motion; Michelle Cavucci moved to approve the recommendation to the Authority and Armand seconded. The chair announced, "Hearing none, unanimous approval of the transaction plan." The committee recorded no roll-call vote in the meeting transcript; the presenters said the next step is review by the Planning and Programming Committee, followed by the Authority meeting on Dec. 8 for adoption consideration.

After the TransAction discussion, NVTA staff provided brief legislative-program updates. Ms. Bachman said NVTA's 2023 legislative priorities would largely mirror 2022's and emphasized protecting the Authority's dedicated revenue streams and statutory powers. On whether previously diverted funds would be returned from Metro, she said the Commonwealth's current surplus includes one-time federal funds and that returning the funds remains uncertain: "We are trying to get it back. ... I don't know."

The committee meeting lasted about 38 minutes, focused primarily on TransAction presentation, clarifications and the endorsement vote. Presenters and committee members repeatedly underscored that TransAction provides regional project eligibility and scenario-based sensitivity testing but does not direct local land-use decisions nor guarantee funding for listed projects.