Virginia's transportation network needs to efficiently and effectively meet the demand for travel and connectivity between different parts of the state, all while working with limited public funds. The Statewide Transportation Plan identifies the most critical needs to guide public investment in our transportation network. Please visit the About VTrans webpage for regulatory and statutory requirements for state transportation plans.

The Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) is located within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and was created in 2002 to encourage the coordination of multimodal and intermodal planning across the various transportation modes within the state. OIPI takes a leadership role within the performance-based planning and programming process—Plan, Invest, Evaluate, and Manage. In this role, OIPI convenes stakeholders and engages the public, conducts planning studies and technical analysis, prioritizes investments, and tracks system performance. The Office has the following four sections that assist the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB):

• Plan: This section focuses on three areas: (1) statewide transportation planning process through VTrans - Virginia's Transportation Plan; (2) technical assistance and capacity building through the Growth and Accessibility Planning (GAP) Technical Assistance program; and (3) other statewide transportation planning initiatives focusing on transportation needs.
• Invest: This section focuses on the SMART SCALE Program, which prioritizes solutions that address transportation infrastructure needs identified in VTrans.
• Evaluate: This section focuses on the Project Pipeline program, which identifies solutions for Priority 1 and 2 locations identified in VTrans.
• Manage: This section tracks the performance of investments to ensure optimal use of limited transportation dollars.

VTrans is multimodal and includes the following modes of transportation:

• Highways
• Public transportation
• Passenger and freight rail
• Bicycling
• Walking

Transportation needs identified in VTrans become eligible for funding consideration in the SMART SCALE Program and receive priority consideration in VDOT’s Revenue Sharing Program. In addition, funding requests selected through these programs are included in the state’s Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP). The SYIP is approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) annually.

Similarly, Priority 1 locations established in VTrans are further evaluated under the Project Pipeline program. We continue to strengthen the connection between planning and investment to ensure the best usage of limited transportation dollars.

We welcome feedback on these existing policies and suggestions for new policies. The Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment conducts outreach before recommending modifications to the existing policies listed below. Please join our email list to get four to six emails by providing your contact details on this webpage or participating in one of the upcoming public meetings in your area.

1. VTrans Travel Markets: Pursuant to Virginia State Code § 33.2-353, VTrans identifies Mid-term Needs and Priority locations for three distinct travel markets: Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS), Regional Networks (RN), and Urban Development Areas (UDAs). VTrans also evaluates all public roadways and identifies safety needs.

2. Identification of VTrans Mid-term Needs: VTrans identifies Mid-term Needs to advance the Goals and Objectives established by the CTB over the next ten years. The latest set of identified transportation needs, referred to as the 2021 VTrans Mid-term Needs, are can be seen on InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

3: Prioritization of VTrans Mid-term Needs: Once the VTrans mid-term needs are identified, they are prioritized to focus on locations with more pressing needs or locations with several overlapping needs. The latest set of priority locations, referred to as the 2019 Prioritized VTrans Mid-term Needs, are can be seen on InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

4. Policy for the Development and Monitoring of the VTrans Long-term Risk & Opportunity Register: VTrans Long-term Planning focuses on the development and monitoring of a long-term transportation risk & opportunity register which identifies four Megatrends (Climate, Technological Advancements, Consumption Patterns, and Socio-Demographic Changes).

• Sign up for email updates using the subscription form at the bottom of this page.
• Check our recent Program Updates and Meetings posts at VTrans.org.
• Email us at Comment@VTrans.org.
• Visit InteractVTrans, an online tool for searching and downloading VTrans Mid-term Needs. information specific to your jurisdiction.
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• Write to us at our mailing address below

Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment

1221 E. Broad Street, 2nd Floor, East Wing, Richmond, VA 23219