Virginia CTB Approves $6.3B Six-Year Improvement Program

The Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) on June 21 approved the FY2024-2029 Six-Year Improvement Program, which allocates approximately $6.3 billion in funding to public transportation and rail programs over the next six years.

According to the CTB, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will administer the funds for rail and public transportation systems in Virginia to “help manage traffic congestion and provide transportation choices while also safely transporting people and goods across the Commonwealth.”

The program, CTB says, is supported by the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, which uses a methodology to distribute funding to rail, transit, highway, bridge, transportation demand management, ports, aviation, and space flight projects.

“The six-year program advances the Commonwealth’s commitment to improving the quality of life for Virginians through an integrated multimodal transportation system,” said DRPT Director Jennifer DeBruhl. “The budget focuses on investing in infrastructure and innovative projects aimed at providing safe and reliable public transportation and rail networks to support Virginia’s economy.”

The CTB approved $861.9 million in funding for public transportation and rail programs in Fiscal Year 2024. This funding, the Board says, will help support the operation of transit and commuter service programs. The program funds enhancements to the rail network, such as rail crossing upgrades to improve safety.

The program will also assist with the improvement of bus stops and replacement of aging transit vehicles, some of which will be low- and no-emission vehicles. State funding will go toward Transit Ridership Incentive Program projects that improve regional connectivity and reduce barriers to transit use for low-income riders.

More information on the Six-Year Improvement Program is available here.