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COALITION FOR SMARTER GROWTH

PRESS RELEASE
January 11, 2006

AUDIT OF VIRGINIA'S TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FINDS

"The Commonwealth Lacks a Coordinated Transportation Plan"

Fixing Planning Must Come Before More Spending Says Coalition

"It will do no good to throw more money at transportation without fundamental reform in state transportation planning," said Chris Miller, President of the Piedmont Environmental Council. "The Auditor of Public Accounts findings regarding the state's transportation program confirm this and reinforce the case we have been making in our Reconnecting Virginia reform campaign." (see www.reconnectingvirginia.org).

Virginia's Auditor of Public Accounts released a year-end report on Virginia's transportation programs. The report's major finding was a lack of a coordinated transportation plan.

The report states, "Overall, we found the Commonwealth lacks a statement of clear objectives regarding transportation planning. Most of the plans designed and implemented were in response to a specific problem rather than part of an intricate statewide plan with specific and measurable objectives. Specific objectives for improving the Commonwealth's transportation system include providing a seamless transportation network throughout the state by improving interconnections betweeen all transportation modes. Coordination between all Transportation agencies is an integral part to the future success of the Commonwealth's Transportation system."

The report goes on to note that key recommendations of VTRANS 2025 such as "coordinating land use decision between state, local, and regional planners" lacked "specific deliverables as to how the participating transportation agencies would meet the recommendations." The audit also recommends that "the objectives outlined in the VTRANS 2025 report should clearly and directly tie to the program of projects developed each year in the Six Year Improvement Program. The report can be found at: http://www.apa.state.va.us/data/download/reports/audit_local/ctf05.pdf. The Audit Summary on page 2 and the discussion on pages 11 through 15 address planning issues.

"We are pleased that the Auditor of Public Accounts has identified some of the significant planning problems that continue to plague our state's transportation program," said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

For several months now the Coalition for Smarter Growth, Piedmont Environmental Council and partners in the Virginia Conservation Network have argued that the VTRANS 2025 project lists do not relate to the policies and objectives of the VTRANS report. Schwartz noted: "We have called for a reevaluation of the VTRANS projects which add up to an unaffordable $203 billion program and $108 billion shortfall. Moreover, we have argued that the state needs to change land use patterns and adopt better community designs and link these changes to supportive transportation investments, including significantly more transit, passenger rail and freight rail investment to interconnect Virginia. We have argued as well for measures of effectiveness to achieve demand reduction goals such as reduction in per capita vehicle miles traveled and vehicle trips."

The public responded positively to proposals by candidate Tim Kaine to better link transportation and land use and to reate better and more balanced transportation plans, with many crediting Kaine's stance as an important contributor to his victory. "The public is demanding real planning reform, reforms that are essential before a major new tax increase for transportation," concluded Miller.

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