AGENDA DATE: 9/2/2015
TITLE:
Title
House Bill 2 Application
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Virginia House Bill 2 (HB2) Application
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker, Davis, Graham, Benish, Gatobu
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: Virginia House Bill 2, signed by Governor Terry McAuliffe on April 6, 2014 and effective as of July 1, 2014, requires the development of a prioritization process and directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to develop and use a scoring process for project selection by July 2016. The prioritization process will evaluate projects in the following factor areas: congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, safety, environmental quality and land use coordination. The HB2 implementation process will start in August 2015, with projects initially selected by the CTB for inclusion in the draft Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) by April 2016.
Candidate projects will be solicited from eligible entities in August of each year, with project applications due September 30th. From there, the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will screen, review, and evaluate the projects per the HB2 process from October through early January. By mid-January, the list of projects and scores will be released to the public and the CTB, allowing the CTB to consider the evaluated project lists for inclusion in the SYIP. In April, the draft SYIP will be released by the CTB, followed by public hearings to gather input. In June, the revised final SYIP will be released and considered for adoption by the CTB. The following July, the next year’s process begins again.
The Board of Supervisor approved the County Transportation Priority list in April, 2015 (Attachment A).
STRATEGIC PLAN: Critical Infrastructure: Prioritize, plan and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
DISCUSSION: The Commonwealth Transportation Board is now soliciting candidate projects from local communities for consideration in the new HB2 prioritization process with project applications due September 30th. A total of up to five (5) projects in the County are being recommended for funding. Under the new HB2 process, applications for funding of projects in the MPO area can be submitted by either the MPO or the locality, but not by both entities. The County and MPO’s highest priority project is the I-64 and Rt. 29 Interchange (Exit 118). This project will be submitted by the MPO as its highest priority project. Staff is recommending that the County also request funding for the following four (4) projects.
PRIORITY #1: I-64 and Rt. 250 Interchange (Exit 124) - Increase capacity and rebuild the interchange to be safer for higher volumes of traffic. Improve Safety / Operations and increase Capacity - This project will meet congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, and safety factors on corridors of statewide significance.
PRIORITY #2: Proffit Road Improvements from Leake Ln. /Worth Crossing to Baker Butler Elementary School. Improve alignment, install Curb and Gutter, bike lanes and sidewalks. The project is in the Places 29 Master Plan.
PRIORITY #3: Sunset Road and County Green Road Improvements (secondary) From Fifth Street to City Limits/Moore’s Creek, and from Old Lynchburg Rd to Sunset Rd. Improve alignment, install Curb and Gutter, bike lanes, and sidewalks. The project is in the Southern-Western Neighborhood Master Plan.
PRIORITY #4: Rt. 250 West Intersection Improvements at Rt. 151. Safety/operation/capacity improvements (traffic light, roundabout, lengthen turn lanes, and/or other). The project is in the Long Range Transportation Plan, Rural Long Range Transportation Plan and the Crozet Master Plan.
The two I-64 interchanges are the two highest ranked primary road projects on the County’s Transportation Priority list and MPO Long Range Plan, while Proffit Road and Sunset Road are the two highest secondary road projects on the County’s priority list (Attachment A). The intersection of Rt. 250 and Rt. 151 is listed as the 4th highest priority primary road project (Rt. 250 intersection improvements) and is being requested for funding because of its identification in the VTrans Plan Safety Needs Assessment (high number of accidents) and because of the extent of project scoping (and cost estimates) already undertaken for the project. Staff is currently working with VDOT to establish or complete cost estimates for the four projects. Accurate cost estimates are very important to the new HB2 project review and prioritization process. To date there has been limited or recent scoping/design work of the Proffit Road or Sunset Road projects. Please note that if VDOT staff cannot provide accurate and reliable cost estimates prior to the application deadline (September 30th), these projects will not be submitted this year. If not submitted this year, VDOT and County staff would complete scoping/cost estimates over the intervening period for potential submittal next year).
BUDGET IMPACT: This is a State-funded program, so there are no direct impacts to the County’s budget unless the County decides to fund a project for which some or all of the cost is being covered with Revenue Sharing funds that require a dollar for dollar County match.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board approve submittal of HB2 applications for the following four (4) projects:
1. I-64 and Rt. 250 Interchange Improvements (Exit 124),
2. Proffit Road Improvements from Leake Ln. /Worth Crossing to Baker Butler Elementary School (provided accurate cost estimates can be completed by the application deadline)
3. Sunset Road and County Green Road Improvements (secondary) From Fifth Street to City Limits/Moore’s Creek, and from Old Lynchburg Rd to Sunset Rd.
4. Rt. 250 and Rt. 151 intersection, Proffit Road Improvements from Leake Ln. /Worth Crossing to Baker Butler Elementary School (provided accurate cost estimates can be completed by the application deadline)
Further, staff recommends that the Board supports The MPO’s submittal of HB2 application for the I-64 and Rt. 29 Interchange Improvements (Exit 118)
ATTACHMENTS:
A - County Transportation Priorities