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Stafford supervisors back SmartScale and CMAQ applications, ask for follow-up on local road projects
Summary
After a biannual transportation briefing, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved resolutions to pursue SmartScale and CMAQ/STBG grant applications and directed staff to return with focused engineering task orders and cost estimates for local projects including Route 1, Brookpoint/Blackhawk Drive and Garrisonville Road.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Sept. 16 to support SmartScale and CMAQ/STBG grant applications and authorized staff to continue pre-scoping work on several county road projects.
The action followed a transportation biannual update from county transportation staff, who outlined candidate projects for SmartScale Round 7 and related grant programs, including improvements on Garrisonville Road, Warrenton Road, Treslow (Truslow) Road, Mine Road and safety/operational work on Route 1.
"What we're looking for tonight is just a general approval to continue work on these projects," said Matt (county transportation staff), asking the board to indicate whether to proceed with pre-scoping and grant applications.
Board members focused on the readiness and fiscal implications of particular items. Several supervisors asked staff to return with engineering task orders and clearer cost estimates before the board committed significant funding. County staff said some projects could be advanced through prior-year fund balance or contingency funds if the board elected to do so, while others should be routed into the FY2027 CIP for fuller review.
On Brookpoint/Courthouse Road and the Blackhawk Drive entrance to the new school, supervisors pressed staff for more detail after learning the school’s traffic study did not analyze the VDOT-proposed roadway improvements. County transportation staff said a preliminary engineering task order — which the presentation estimated might be in the neighborhood of $150,000 — would be required to define scope and costs before seeking full project funding.
Supervisor questions about Treslow Road, near the new high school, led staff to underscore that VDOT’s pipeline study is evaluating alternatives (including a roundabout and curve-softening realignments) and will provide recommendations early next year. "That will likely be into a SmartScale application," staff said, noting the study’s findings will inform any future applications.
The board approved resolution R25-218 (SmartScale) and R25-219 (CMAQ/STBG) by unanimous vote and asked staff to return in October/November with more detailed engineering task orders, traffic-impact data and potential cost-sharing scenarios with the schools where applicable.
As part of the presentation, staff also noted local transit ridership has recovered to roughly pre-pandemic levels, a factor cited for regional funding discussions.
The county will present more detailed project scopes and proposed funding sources at future meetings after the engineering work and VDOT studies are completed.
