Authority Meeting Highlights

September 10, 2021

Last evening, the Authority reconvened after a month hiatus, and it was great to see everyone gathered together once again. 

It was a packed agenda last night with a lot of regional transportation topics discussed. We realize there was quite a bit of information to soak in, or you may not have been able to tune in, so we're bringing you the highlights to keep you in the know! 

The Authority business meeting kicked off with a presentation from the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) on the Virginia Transit Equity & Modernization Study. Ciara Williams, NOVA Transit Planning Manager, DRPT, provided a study overview, explained the study development process, and addressed various topic areas covered in the study. DRPT will complete a needs assessment focusing on the equitable delivery of transit services and modernization of transit in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with an emphasis on transit services and engagement opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities.

DRPT will explore a wide variety of topics, delivering an interim report December 2021 and a final report August 2022. The study will identify transit, agency, rider and stakeholder needs and will develop an action plan to address those needs. Transit agency and public engagement activities will inform the development of a needs and opportunities assessment.

The Study Action Plan will describe specific actions, next steps, coordination required, timeline for implementation and responsible agencies. DRPT anticipates the Study Action Plan will advise changes to DRPT funding programs and policies and the development of future plans. The Authority will participate in stakeholder meetings and conversations as the study continues to take shape.

Public input is a key part of the TransAction Update and feedback will be used to help NVTA understand current transportation needs, as well as prioritize projects and investments that will ensure a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system for years to come. NVTA has been conducting a variety of public engagement activities over the past several weeks to build awareness about the TransAction Update and gather input on current and future multimodal transportation needs and objectives from a diverse group of people spanning across the region. 

Erica Hawksworth, Communications & Public Affairs Manager, NVTA, provided the Authority a summary of key public input strategies in place during the TransAction Update, including:

• Online Survey - This transportation priorities survey is available in multiple languages for the first time (English, Spanish and Korean) and is being offered to those who live, work or have a business in NoVA, as well as those who travel through the region. We were excited to announce the survey has been extended to remain open until Sunday, September 19th, giving the public even more time to provide feedback. As of September 9th, more than 1,700 people have participated and that number will continue to grow. 

• Pop-Up Events - These in-person community events are being held throughout NoVA and in a variety of locations, whether Metro Stations, nearby bus stations, VRE Stations and commuter lots, and shopping centers. The goal is to reach as many people as possible in populated areas that cover a diverse group of individuals. Translators are available at each pop-up event location. In total, 12 events will take place through September 15th.

• Live-Chat Sessions - Another first for NVTA, staff has been hosting a series of online live-chat sessions on the TransAction website every Thursday from 1 - 3 p.m., with the last one scheduled for September 16th. 
• Virtual Focus Groups - Eight focus group sessions were held during the second half of July and provided an opportunity to explore transportation topics and gather insights in more detail than possible through an online survey. Keeping equity in mind, NVTA focused on different genders, age groups, income levels, access to transit vs. no access to transit, and Title VI classification status, or those who belong to a protected Title VI group. 95 Northern Virginians participated.

• Telecommuting. The region continues to show a high percentage of workers working from home. According to a special United States Census survey, about 44%of workers in Washington D.C. Metro area worked from home in July, compared to 47% in June. This is still the highest among its 14 large peer metro areas in the United States.
• Highway travels. Volumes on freeways and major arterials in Northern Virginia continue to trend upward. In August, traffic volumes are reported to be within 95% of pre-COVID conditions, compared to 92% in June. Travel speeds in August were about 7% faster, compared to 13% in June.
• Transit ridership. Although transit ridership levels are still well below the 2019 benchmark, some providers have had a considerable gain since March 2021. In June 2021, Metrorail and OmniRide ridership showed increases of 13 and 10 percentage points over March ridership.

• NVTA Funding Gap Resolution - Restoration of NVTA Revenues
  • In 2018, the Authority and its member localities lost $102 million in annual revenue to help provide Virginia’s share of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) State of Good Repair capital funding. The current NVTA position requires state funding as part of any solution to filling the funding gap and to require a specific timeline for replacement of any further diversion of Authority funding sources. 
  • Since 2018, the Virginia General Assembly has acted to partially restore the diverted funding from the Authority. The remaining gap = $38.5 million. 
  • Phyllis J. Randall, Chair of the Authority and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, requested Northern Virginia jurisdictions and localities include the restoration of NVTA revenues in their own legislative programs, as the region's transportation needs are growing. 
• NVTA Transportation Technology Strategic Plan (TTSP) - New Addition to the Legislative Program
  • The TTSP was developed as a tool for establishing a proactive approach to innovation, which keeps congestion reduction top of mind. The TTSP is comprised of an Action Plan and eight strategies that address congestion reduction, accessibility, cybersecurity/privacy, autonomous vehicles (especially zero-occupancy passenger vehicles), pricing mechanisms, communications infrastructure, regional interoperability, and electric vehicle infrastructure. TTSP activity will be grounded in the Authority’s vision and core values including equity, sustainability and safety.
• Electric Vehicles
  • Electric Vehicle (EV) technology is getting a lot of attention, whether at the local, state or federal level, and there are ongoing discussions and studies on supporting infrastructure, as well as grants for the purchase of EV school buses and rebates for those who purchase new personal EVs. It was noted during last night's meeting that rebates for used and leased personal EVs should be considered as well.
    Several Authority member jurisdictions have adopted goals to reduce carbon emissions including conversion of transit and agency fleets to EVs. It is critical to ensure equitable access to EVs as early in adoption as possible, to avoid the need for retroactive efforts.
• Studies that May Produce 2022 General Assembly Proposals (Bills or Funding Requests)
  • It is important to make sure Northern Virginia has the capacity to access any new programs or funding programs that get created by the General Assembly, such as the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) Multi-Use Trail Study, which is in a prioritization process to identify new trails and develop a master plan and funding needs assessment.