Commission votes to add four road improvements to comprehensive plan for VDOT Smart Scale consideration

The Washington County Planning Commission voted unanimously to amend the county comprehensive plan to list four road improvement projects so the county can pursue VDOT Smart Scale funding.

Planning presenter Mr. Richardson explained that VDOT typically requires proposed improvements to be referenced in the comprehensive plan when applicants seek Smart Scale scoring and funding. "Anytime you improve roads... they require that we would have that also in our comprehensive plan," Richardson said, adding that the change is largely procedural to keep projects eligible for applications to VDOT.

The four entries named in the amendment are: improvements on State Route 647 (King Mill Pike) and State Route 867 (Jordan Lane) associated with a residential subdivision; intersection improvements at State Route 75 (Green Springs Road) and State Route 670 (Green Springs Church Road); intersection improvements at State Route 75 and State Route 665 (Cleveland Road); and improvements at State Route 91 (Maple Street) and US‑11 (Lee Highway). Richardson noted that Smart Scale funding is competitive and "there's no guarantee that we'll get this." The commission took no public testimony on the item and passed the amendment to be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for ratification.

The commission discussed that, where a developer is required to provide improvements (for example, a turn lane on King Mill Pike), those responsibilities remain with the developer and that Smart Scale, if awarded, supplements county funding opportunities rather than replacing developer obligations.

The commission's affirmative recommendation will go to the Board of Supervisors at its next meeting for final ratification.