Regional Transportation Commission previews North Valleys transit and road projects, funding outlook

Paul Nelson, government affairs officer for the Regional Transportation Commission, told the Washington County Citizens Advisory Board at its meeting that the region is seeing sustained ridership growth and outlined upcoming road and transit projects in the North Valleys.

Nelson said the RTC provided nearly 5.7 million rides over the last 12 months and has recorded 31 consecutive months of ridership growth. He said about 60% of those trips are work commutes. “One of our most successful bus lines are…our Virginia line and our Lincoln line,” Nelson said, noting those two lines together carried about 1.43 million trips over the past year.

The agency is expanding its low- and zero-emission fleet. Nelson said roughly one-third of buses are battery-electric, two-thirds are diesel-electric hybrids, and the RTC is adding hydrogen fuel-cell buses; two are already in the fleet and six more were expected within months. He said the agency is building a hydrogen fueling facility at its central maintenance yard to support the new vehicles.

On fares and payment, Nelson said RTC is moving toward cashless fare collection with kiosks, an app, and on-vehicle tap-to-pay readers. He also described FlexRide, an on-demand microtransit service operating in several zones including North Valleys; fares for FlexRide are $2.50 per trip or $3 for a day pass.

Nelson outlined capital projects affecting the North Valleys through 2027. Projects mentioned with approximate timing included: a Bug Drive circulation and signal project (2025); Military Road capacity and safety upgrades and a flood-elevation realignment of Lemon Drive (2026); North Virginia Street widening and multiuse-path components tied to a larger NDOT project (phased, with major capacity work tentatively in 2027); Moyer Boulevard capacity improvements (2027); and other corridor and signal upgrades. Nelson said the RTC recently approved its regional transportation plan, which guides projects for the next 25 years and feeds a five-year capital program (ARTIP).

Funding for the RTC’s work comes from a mix of sources. Nelson gave a fiscal-year snapshot saying the RTC’s revenue mix included indexed fuel tax receipts (the largest share), a local sales tax share, federal and discretionary grants, modest passenger fees, and contributions tied to development fees. He said total planned expenditures were larger than near-term revenues because the agency plans and sets aside funds for multiyear projects rather than borrowing to cover shortfalls.

On policy matters, Nelson said the indexed fuel tax mechanism the region uses was approved by voters and that the RTC is monitoring trends as more drivers switch to electric vehicles; he noted a legislative proposal, identified in the presentation as bill 8061, had been discussed recently to allow study of tolling options as a revenue source. Nelson said the RTC is also pursuing federal grants and public-private partnerships as potential funding paths for major projects.

Nelson invited public input on routes and stops, saying the RTC’s transit optimization work (conducted roughly every three years) and neighborhood planning will guide where additional stops or service changes are made. He said engineering staff will present more detailed design updates directly to the community as projects reach 30%, 60% and final design stages.

Amanda Gallagher, introduced by Nelson as an RTC engineering manager, was available to take technical questions on geotechnical studies and design timing.

Nelson closed by asking CAB members to share project needs with RTC staff; he said community feedback is a major factor in prioritizing stops, service changes and neighborhood-scale active-transportation investments.

The CAB did not take formal action on the projects during the meeting; Nelson’s presentation served as an informational briefing and public Q&A.