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CVTA TAC backs revised Option 5a to reallocate roughly $73 million for regional projects
Summary
The Central Virginia Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee recommended Option 5a, a revised funding plan that reallocates an estimated $48 million in unallocated round‑4 funds plus roughly $25 million freed by deallocation, advancing several projects including Fulton Yard and other bond candidates; the recommendation goes to the Authority for final action after a public review period.
The Central Virginia Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee voted to recommend a revised Option 5a for allocating the unallocated balance from the CVTA round‑4 prioritization process, advancing a package of projects and sending the recommendation to the Authority for final action.
Chet, TAC staff, told members the scoring framework produced roughly $48,000,000 in unallocated funds and that deallocating three projects under the established framework would add about $25,000,000 more, “that gets us to the $73.02,” creating a pot the Authority could use to fully or partially fund other projects. The TAC discussed five ways to use the balance, from leaving funds unprogrammed to advancing bond‑candidate projects by funding preliminary engineering and right‑of‑way.
The recommendation approved by TAC members — Option 5a — is a compromise variant that preserves several projects while adjusting amounts so Hanover’s request returns to $20,000,000 and reduces the Fulton Yard layover facility request from $15,000,000 to $10,000,000 (per the Option 5a spreadsheet shown during the meeting). The motion for Henrico’s original Option 5 failed in an earlier vote; Option 5a passed on a roll call with seven in favor, one opposed (City of Richmond), and one abstention (Town of Ashland).
The committee’s debate focused on trade‑offs across jurisdictions. Daniel, the City of Richmond technical representative, urged members to consider a downtown transit hub as a near‑term construction‑ready priority and requested $13,500,000 to position that project either for a federal BUILD grant or for bonding preparation; he said the temporary transfer plaza already handles about “8,000 transfers every single day.” Other members argued for protecting regionally rated projects such as Fulton Yard and the Bryant Park interchange, citing readiness and the ability to leverage state and federal funds.
Members also raised questions about scoring methodology. TAC members observed that the downtown transit hub scored poorly for some metrics (accessibility and mobility) because modeling treated the project as a replacement rather than a new network node; proponents said the hub would create transit‑oriented development and additional future CVTA revenue. Several members urged caution about setting a precedent of deallocating recommended projects at the TAC level; staff and the chair clarified that formal deallocation decision authority rests with the CVTA Authority, and the TAC’s role is advisory.
Under the timeline Chet outlined, staff will post the staff‑recommended allocations and the TAC’s recommendation for public review beginning Wednesday for a 15‑day comment period in advance of the Authority meeting. The Finance Committee will also see the TAC recommendation at its meeting two days after the public posting. The Authority will consider the recommendation and any public input at its next meeting.
The TAC also conducted routine business: it approved the January 12 minutes earlier in the session and received member comments before adjourning. The TAC’s next meeting is scheduled for March 9.
The TAC vote is advisory; final allocation and any deallocation of previously recommended projects require Authority action at a subsequent meeting. Public comment and the Authority’s review will determine whether the Option 5a recommendation or some other configuration moves forward.
