AGENDA DATE: 9/6/2023
TITLE:
Title
VDOT Revenue Sharing Program Applications
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolutions of Support for Three Final Application Submissions in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s FY2024 Revenue Sharing Program
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Rosenberg, Herrick, Filardo, McDermott, Hersh-Ballering
PRESENTER (S): Hersh-Ballering
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Revenue Sharing program provides up to $10 million in state funding for local projects over the lifetime of the project. Successful Revenue Sharing applications require a 50% local match. Project costs that exceed $20 million are the responsibility of the locality.
Revenue Sharing project applications are sorted into one of four priority levels, with Priority 1 projects being most likely to receive funding. Priority 1 projects are those that have received funding in a previous round of Revenue Sharing.
VDOT accepts Revenue Sharing project applications in odd-numbered years. Pre-applications are submitted in June and final applications are submitted in early October. For each round of Revenue Sharing, a locality may request a total equal to or less than $10 million in state funds for any number of projects.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure & Placemaking - Invest in infrastructure and amenities that create connection, opportunity, and well-being.
DISCUSSION: Albemarle County submitted five Revenue Sharing pre-applications in June 2023, requesting over $15 million in state funds. At the August 2, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting, staff described all five pre-applications and noted that only a subset of those pre-applications could be submitted as final applications due to the $10 million request limit per round.
At that meeting, the Board determined that the Hydraulic Road & Lambs Lane Campus Improvements project and the Eastern Avenue South Connection project would not be pursued as final applications in this round. Staff noted that the Hydraulic Road & Lambs Lane Campus Improvements project requires additional investigation. In addition, its priority level categorization (currently Priority Level 4) could be improved in the next two years, making the project more competitive in a future Revenue Sharing round. The cost of the Eastern Avenue project was estimated to have significantly increased since it was initially partially funded, and the maximum $10 million request over the project’s lifetime required a large investment of local funds beyond the $10 million match. As a result, staff is investigating alternative funding opportunities for this project.
The Board of Supervisors must provide Resolutions of Support in order for the three remaining pre-applications to be submitted as final applications. The total request for state funds is less than $10 million.
BUDGET IMPACT: Successful Revenue Sharing applications require a 50% local match. If all three project applications are awarded funding, the Transportation Leveraging Fund has sufficient funding to allow Albemarle County to meet its match obligations.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the Resolutions (Attachment A, B, & C) in support of the submission of the following three Revenue Sharing projects: Commonwealth Drive/Dominion Drive Sidewalks, Berkmar Drive Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements, and Berkmar Drive Extension to Airport Road.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Resolution to Participate in VDOT Revenue Sharing Program for Fiscal Year 2024: Commonwealth Drive/Dominion Drive Sidewalks
B - Resolution to Participate in VDOT Revenue Sharing Program for Fiscal Year 2024: Berkmar Drive Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements
C - Resolution to Participate in VDOT Revenue Sharing Program for Fiscal Year 2024: Berkmar Drive Extension to Airport Road