Background
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the FY 2020–2025 Fairfax County Transportation Priorities Plan (TPP) (Dec. 3, 2019), that directs County priorities for transportation projects through FY 2025. The current funding estimate for transportation capital projects to be implemented in Fairfax County through FY 2025 is $3.036 billion.
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FY 2020–2025 TPP Revenues
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Total (in millions)
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Previous Allocations (Local, State, Federal, Regional)
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$519.4
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Local
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$952.2
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Federal
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$314.0
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Private
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$181.5
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Regional
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$738.2
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State
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$330.6
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Total Available
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$3,035.9
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Project Included in the FY 2020-2025 TPP
With the Board approval, Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will continue to implement projects that are currently underway.
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FY 2020–2025 TPP Project Categories
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Total Estimated Cost (in millions)
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Major Roadway Capital
(e.g. widenings*, extensions, interchanges)
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$1,626.9
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Spot/Intersection Improvements
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$180.9
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Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects
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$219.5
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Transit Capital and Operating
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$837.2
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Debt Service
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$78.5
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Project Support Needs
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$68.3
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Other Transportation Needs
(e.g. studies and planning, traffic calming, etc.)
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$9.8
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Reserve/Contingency
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$14.8
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Total Expenses
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$3,035.9
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* Road widening projects typically include bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.
Impacts of Weakened Funding Climate and Rising Project Costs
The anticipated funding for a draft FY 2018-2023 TPP was $600 million in new revenues to fully fund existing projects and $170 million in new projects. These funding estimates were not realized, because in 2018, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that designated $154 million per year for the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) to address system improvement needs largely did so by diverting funding from existing local and regional sources. Of the $102 million annual diversion, the financial impact on Fairfax County was estimated to be $45-50 million per year, or approximately $300 million over six years. As a result, there is no available revenue for new transportation projects. In addition, the County was required to adjust schedules for some previously approved projects, many beyond FY 2025. Projects that have been deferred in Fairfax County include the improvements to several segments of the Fairfax County Parkway, the Richmond Highway widening from Armistead Road to the Occoquan River, the extension of Frontier Drive to Loisdale Road, and various bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
Another factor heavily impacting the TPP update evaluation was the continually increasing project costs. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), project costs have been rising for various reasons, including the number of large-scale projects underway across the National Capital Region causing shortages of labor and materials; economic factors such as tariffs and rising right-of-way costs; and across the board increases on project contingencies required by VDOT.
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