Frequently Asked Questions

Virginia’s transportation system must connect people efficiently across the state. However, public funds are limited. It is not possible to fix everything all at once. The Statewide Transportation Plan picks out the most important needs. That way, state funds go where they’ll help the most. It also meets legal requirements. Learn more about those by visiting the About VTrans page.

The Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) is part of Virginia’s Office of the Secretary of Transportation. It was created in 2002 to help all parts of Virginia’s transportation system work together. It helps with roads, rail, transit, biking and more.

OIPI leads a process called Plan, Invest, Evaluate, and Manage. This process makes sure transportation decisions are effective and based on data. This includes:

Bringing people together – OIPI works with local governments, agencies, and the public.

Studying and analyzing – OIPI researches transportation needs and find solutions.

Prioritizing projects – OIPI decides which improvements will have the biggest impact.

Tracking results – OIPI checks if projects are meeting their goals.

OIPI is organized into four sections:

Plan – Runs Virginia’s statewide transportation plan (VTrans), offers technical help through the Growth and Accessibility Planning (GAP) program. It also leads other planning efforts.

Invest – Oversees SMART SCALE, which ranks and funds projects that address the top needs from VTrans.

Evaluate – Manages the Project Pipeline program. This program develops solutions for the most urgent problem areas identified in VTrans.

Manage – Monitors how well projects perform to make the best use of transportation dollars.

VTrans is multimodal. That means it includes the following modes of transportation:

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

Needs identified in VTrans can be considered for funding through:

• SMART SCALE – Projects from VTrans are eligible for funding.
• Revenue Sharing Program – VTrans needs get higher priority consideration.

Projects chosen through these programs are added to Virginia’s SYIP, which the  Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approves each year.

In addition, Priority 1 locations from VTrans are further studied through the Project Pipeline program. This process helps link planning with investment, making sure limited transportation dollars go to the most effective projects.

You can share feedback on current policies or suggest new ones. OIPI conducts public outreach before recommending any changes.

Ways to participate:

• Join the VTrans email list – Get 4–6 updates per year by signing up online.
• Attend a public meeting in your area.

Policies open for input:

1. VTrans Travel Markets – As required by Virginia law (§ 33.2-353), VTrans identifies mid-term needs and priority locations in three travel markets:
   1. Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS)
   2. Regional Networks (RN)
   3. Urban Development Areas (UDAs)
   4. It also reviews all public roads for safety needs.
2. Identification of VTrans Mid-term Needs – Needs for the next 10 years are identified to meet CTB goals. The latest set (2021) can be viewed on InteractVTrans MapExplorer.
3. Prioritization of VTrans Mid-term Needs – Focuses on areas with urgent or overlapping needs. The latest set (2019) is on InteractVTrans MapExplorer.
4. Long-term Risk and Opportunity Register – Tracks big-picture trends that may affect transportation:
   1. Climate
   2. Technological advancements
   3. Consumption patterns
   4. Socio-demographic changes

You can connect with VTrans in several ways:

• Sign up for email updates – Use the form at the bottom of the page.
• Check program news – See recent updates and meeting posts.
• Email – Send comments to VTrans@oipi.virginia.gov.
• Use InteractVTrans – Search and download mid-term needs data for your area.
• Follow us – Facebook and Instagram.
• Mail –  

Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment

1221 E. Broad Street, 2nd Floor, East Wing

Richmond, VA 23219  

The VTrans Biennial Transportation Survey is conducted every two years. It uses a standardized, scientific approach. It gathers public feedback that can be compared over time. This process helps policymakers develop, update, and carry out Virginia’s transportation planning policies.

No, the survey is completely voluntary.

To take the survey, you must:

• Be 18 or older
• Live in Virginia (or plan to live there for at least 6 months in 2022)
• Have received an official, randomly-selected invitation letter

Your responses help the CTB shape Virginia’s transportation policies. They may influence:

• The vision, goals, and objectives for the state’s transportation system
• Updates to planning policies
• Research on emerging trends like e-commerce, electric vehicles, and more

The survey is conducted by WBA Research. If you provide your email address at the end, you’ll receive a $10 gift card from Rybbon.

The survey uses address-based sampling (ABS), which starts with a home address. Randomly selected Virginia residents may be contacted in up to three ways:

• Landline phone
• Cell phone
• Mail to home address

This method helps gather a representative sample of the state’s population. Learn more on the 2022 VTrans Biennial Transportation Survey webpage.

Yes. The survey will be available online in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese.

Yes. The survey is designed so every part of Virginia has an equal chance of being included. Sampling is based on VDOT construction districts. You can see a map of those districts here. It is further divided into urban and non-urban areas. This ensures results reflect the state’s full population. Learn more on the 2022 VTrans Biennial Transportation Survey webpage.

Yes, any information you provide will be kept confidential. It is required by law. All data that is collected will be used for research purposes only.

Yes. You may call 833-397-4141 to schedule an interview.

There is a unique password in the mailer. You will need to provide this.   If we have a phone number to reach you, we may make contact that way.

The VTrans Freight Element is part of VTrans and serves as Virginia’s official state freight plan. It meets federal requirements under the FAST Act (49 U.S.C. 70202).

Beyond compliance, it helps by:

• Guiding decisions – May lead to stronger freight considerations in future updates to VTrans policies.
• Raising awareness – Educates the public and partners about freight movement, its opportunities, and challenges.
• Building capacity – Provides local and regional partners with accessible data, tools, and knowledge.

Better freight movement means less congestion on major roads, lower transportation costs for businesses, and a stronger economy. This all makes Virginia a more attractive place to live and work.

The performance measures developed to assess freight-related issues include:

• Truck-related congestion – measuring delays that impact freight movement.
• Reliability – assessing the consistency and predictability of travel times for freight.
• Safety – tracking crash data and other safety concerns involving freight vehicles.
• Commodity flows – analyzing the movement and volume of goods within and through the Commonwealth.

These measures, along with commodity flow patterns, are available on the VTrans Freight Element webpage and can be downloaded via the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

The freight performance measures in the VTrans Freight Element are based on the performance-based planning principles established under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). This set national performance goals—including freight movement and economic vitality—and requires states and MPOs to report progress toward targets.

However, the VTrans freight performance measures are not the same as the measures, targets, or reporting requirements under MAP-21. Instead, they are developed to support data-driven analysis for identifying freight-related issues and making recommendations.

The FHWA  defines the National Highway Freight Network. This guides funding programs like the National Highway Freight Program (NHFP). States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) can add critical urban and critical rural freight corridors to the national network.

The VTrans Freight Element designates these corridors in Virginia to:

• Expand the state’s eligible network
• Provide more flexibility in using NHFP formula funds and FASTLANE Grant Program funds

No. In Virginia, National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) funds are allocated through SMART SCALE and other established selection processes.

Designating Critical Urban and Critical Rural Freight Corridors does not change how dollars are distributed. The main benefit is giving the state more flexibility to assign NHFP funds to eligible, funded projects.

The GAP Technical Assistance Program opens for new applications once a year. Notices are posted on the VTrans website and emailed to subscribers for VTrans Updates.

Application process:

• Fill out the online form (takes about 15–30 minutes)
• Provide:
  • Type of agency/jurisdiction
  • Contact information
  • Focus of your request
  • Desired outcome(s)
  • Preliminary scope outline
  • Letter of support
  • Map or shapefile of the project location

The GAP Technical Assistance Program has four main components, focusing on:

• Multimodal planning
• Developing and evaluating strategies for emerging planning issues
• Creating accessibility planning processes

Most GAP-supported studies look at network or system-level needs. They do not focus on the design, engineering, or development of specific projects.

Questions? Email GAP-TA@oipi.virginia.gov for more information.

UDAs, or similar growth areas are voluntary designations made by Virginia localities with comprehensive plan and zoning authority (Virginia Code § 15.2-2223.1).

GAP Component 1 focuses on multimodal planning in existing or planned UDAs or Growth Areas. It can help with planning so projected growth is supported, but the decision to designate a UDA is entirely up to the locality.

For more details, see the “How to Designate a UDA” Fact Sheet.

No. GAP Component 3 helps local or regional agencies set up ongoing performance-based planning processes. These processes can then be used for future updates to:

• Long-Range Transportation Plans (LRTPs)
• Comprehensive Plans
• Rural LRTPs
• Bicycle-Pedestrian Plans

It’s for building the planning process, not for producing an updated plan or study document.

Long-term planning comes with uncertainty. The VTrans Long-tTerm Risk and Opportunity Register uses a risk-based approach to improve preparedness for Virginia’s transportation system.

This approach:

• Considers potential positive or negative impacts, how soon they might occur, and their priority level.
• Focuses on the most significant risks, the kind that deserve attention from top decision-makers.
• Is widely used by major public and private organizations.
• Creates an ongoing process to spot and address risks and opportunities before they happen.

The purpose is not to predict the future. The goal is to prepare for gradual or systemic changes that may affect Virginia’s transportation system.

The register focuses on policy issues, not specific projects or locations. It helps the CTB track risks and opportunities. The CTB can then act to reduce risks and build on opportunities. The register is updated each year through VTrans Trend Trackers.

Planning horizon:

• VTrans looks ahead to the year 2045.
• Virginia law requires at least a 20-year horizon (VA Code § 33.2-353).
• Federal law also requires at least a 20-year forecast (23 CFR § 450.216).
• Key CTB directions and actions:
  • 2018 : Study long- and mid-term funding viability, new technology, and resiliency of Virginia’s network.
  • 2020: Develop scenarios to test different future trends and identify long-term needs.
  • 2020 (July): Present framework for long-term needs.
  • 2021 (March): Reaffirm direction to create VTrans Strategic Actions tied to long- and mid-term needs.
  • 2021 (December): Adopt the Policy for Development and Monitoring of the VTrans Risk and Opportunity Register.

OIPI now provides annual updates on identified risks and opportunities.

The register highlights emerging transportation issues that could impact the CTB’s vision, goals, and objectives. It is used to:

• Create Strategic Actions and set up monitoring activities.
• Identify items needing immediate action, near-term preparation, or simply long-term observation.
• Provide tools, methods, and techniques to localities, MPOs, PDCs, and other partners to raise awareness and improve collective preparedness.

The policy creates a business process that helps Virginia be better prepared to reduce risks and take advantage of opportunities.

Benefits include:

• Risks and opportunities that are relevant at the local, regional, and state level.
• Access to data and information that can guide local and regional decisions.
• Tools like InteractVTrans DataExplorer for downloading jurisdiction-specific data.
• Support from the GAP Technical Assistance Program on emerging trends.

Megatrend – A large social, economic, political, environmental, or technological change that forms slowly but can shape government and society for decades. Megatrends are the underlying forces that drive trends.

Macrotrend – An emerging pattern of change likely to affect state government and require a response. Multiple macrotrends can be linked to a single megatrend.

The register identifies four megatrends, each with related macrotrends:

1. Climate
2. Technological advancements
3. Consumption patterns
4. Socio-demographic changes

• Trends – External pressures that directly or indirectly affect Virginia’s transportation system over the long term (20+ years).
• Scenarios – Ways to capture uncertainty over a long planning horizon by exploring different possible futures.

In the VTrans Long-Term Risk and Opportunity Register, scenarios are used to show a range of possibilities, helping planners prepare for multiple potential outcomes.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected every part of the transportation system. This includes demand, safety, mode choice, and funding.

Many of these changes accelerated trends already underway. For example, telework grew quickly during the pandemic and remains popular, but it was already on the rise before COVID-19.

The VTrans Vulnerability Assessment is a screening-level analysis of how vulnerable Virginia’s transportation system is to current and future flood hazards. It focuses on risks from:

• Sea level rise
• Storm surge
• Inland/riverine flooding

VTrans used an indicator-based approach based on the FHWA Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool (VAST). This method uses asset location and other key data to score three components of vulnerability:

• Exposure – How close an asset is to a flood hazard (its location relative to the stressor).
• Sensitivity – How much damage an asset would take if exposed, compared to other assets.
• Adaptive Capacity – How well an asset can adjust, limit damage, take advantage of opportunities, or cope with impacts.

For more on data sources and technical methods, see the Technical Guide: Development and Monitoring of VTrans Long-term Risk and Opportunity Register.

This is a screening-level assessment of how vulnerable Virginia’s transportation system is. It focuses on all public roads and VDOT-maintained bridges and culverts in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI). The assessment looks at projected sea level rise, storm surge, and inland/riverine flooding.

Limitations:

• It is not meant to create location-specific recommendations. More detailed, site-specific data is still needed.
• Transportation is only one part of an area’s infrastructure. Broader assessments should include other physical and social systems because some solutions may require system-wide measures such as perimeter protection.
• Some important datasets are incomplete or unavailable. This conservative approach may include a few false positives, such as elevated areas mistakenly flagged as at risk.

The purpose of the assessment is to narrow down potentially vulnerable facilities. It does not replace planning or engineering judgment.

VTrans conducted extensive outreach to both stakeholders and the public during policy development in 2019 and 2020. The draft policy was presented at more than 30 briefings to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Planning District Commissions (PDCs). It was also shared in four virtual workshops with over 350 participants and in several one-on-one meetings with agencies and jurisdictions.

This outreach resulted in more than 140 written comments. In response, three substantial changes were made to the policy.

The policy was shaped through two phases of stakeholder engagement during VTrans Regional Workshops.

Phase 1 (2019):

 From late July to mid-August 2019, VTrans held 13 regional workshops with local and regional transportation stakeholders. These focused on developing measures and thresholds for identifying VTrans Mid-term Needs. Changes to measures based on workshop comments are summarized in a public table. Location-specific comments on performance measures are available on InteractVTrans.

Phase 2 (2020):

 In 2020, VTrans held four online workshops on the draft policy for prioritizing VTrans Mid-term Needs. Combined with other outreach, this process generated more than 140 written comments. As a result, three major modifications were made to the policy.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) adopted the policy and accepted the prioritized 2019 VTrans Mid-term Needs in March 2020. Comments on the draft policy were accepted until the CTB took action.

The policy continues to evolve to reflect changing conditions. You can still share feedback for future updates to the VTrans Mid-term Needs by contacting the VTrans team.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) created a policy in January 2020 to identify capacity and safety-related transportation needs. In March 2021, the CTB adopted a policy to prioritize these needs. Both policies use performance-based planning to make the process clear and transparent for local and regional partners.

The VTrans Mid-term Needs framework looks at transportation needs in three travel markets and also includes a statewide safety assessment:

• Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) – Interregional travel
• Regional Networks (RNs) – Intraregional travel
• Urban Development Areas (UDAs) and Industrial and Economic Development Sites (IEDAs) – Local travel

For full details, see the Mid-term Needs and Priorities page.

Go to InteractVTrans MapExplorer. You can view the 2021 and 2019 VTrans Mid-term Needs there. You can also see the 2019 Statewide Prioritized Mid-term Needs and the Construction District Prioritized Mid-term Needs. The tool lets you search and download the data.

VTrans Mid-term Needs focuses on locations that may need attention in the next ten years.

The measures come from the CTB-adopted policy for identifying and prioritizing VTrans Mid-term Needs. The policy was created with input from localities, MPOs (Metropolitan Planning Organizations), PDCs  (Planning District Commissions), and CTB (Commonwealth Transportation Board) members.

VTrans uses several performance measures to find Mid-term Needs. These measures cover congestion, reliability, accessibility, safety, capacity preservation, transportation demand management, and industrial and economic development access.

• Congestion: Identifies locations where travel is much slower than the speed limit or takes longer than normal.
• Reliability: Finds locations with unpredictable travel times or where extra time is needed to arrive on time. Includes average on-time arrival for Amtrak and Virginia Rail Express trains.
• Accessibility: Identifies areas needing better access by transit, bike, or walking. This includes regional Activity Centers where transit is not competitive with driving and Equity Emphasis Areas where transit is needed.
• Safety: Identifies roads and intersections with high crash rates, fatalities, or injuries. Includes corridors with pedestrian safety needs.
• Urban Development Areas (UDAs): Lists locally identified needs for improving circulation in designated UDAs to support traditional neighborhood design.
• Capacity Preservation: Identifies roads where small investments now can avoid costly fixes later.
• Transportation Demand Management (TDM): Shows places where proactive travel demand management is needed based on roadway and area type.
• Industrial and Economic Development Areas (IEDAs): Identifies sites that need better access to the nearest Corridor of Statewide Significance (CoSS).

More information is on the VTrans Mid-term Needs and Priorities page.

A performance measure is a number that describes a condition. It is based on data. It can describe the condition of a roadway segment or a transit service.

The CTB sets thresholds for conditions that need attention within the next ten years. If a roadway or transit service meets one of these thresholds, it is flagged as a Mid-term Need.

Rural needs outside of Regional Networks (RNs) are identified through the Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) and Urban Development Area (UDA) travel markets.

Safety Needs can occur on any state road. They are not limited by travel market.

VTrans reviews changes in technology and other outside factors through the Long-term Risk and Opportunity Register. This process tracks major trends and risks. It also looks at opportunities that could affect transportation in Virginia.

These trends include things like new technology, climate change, population shifts, and changes in travel behavior. VTrans uses this information to guide planning and investment decisions.

There are too many transportation needs in Virginia to address all at once. Prioritizing helps identify the locations with the most urgent needs.

Locations identified as priorities under the CTB policy become eligible for funding. They can also be evaluated further through the Virginia Project Pipeline program.

Local and regional planning agencies can use the prioritized needs to guide their own planning work.

The Virginia Project Pipeline Program uses the prioritized VTrans Mid-term Needs to guide investments. This helps ensure transparency, accountability, and efficient project delivery. It also supports performance-based planning and programming, following the CTB’s VTrans Guiding Principles.

The process includes:

1. Prioritize VTrans Mid-term Needs.
2. Identify locations for studies or solutions.
3. Conduct studies and develop solutions.
4. Use results to inform VDOT and DRPT funding programs, including SMART SCALE.

Yes. The Policy for the Prioritization of the VTrans Mid-term Needs does not remove identified needs. It only ranks them to show which are the most urgent.

You can read Chapter 5 of the VTrans Policy Guide on this webpage. It explains the policy and shows which Needs categories are in each Priority Location.

How statewide and district priorities are set:

• Statewide Prioritization: Needs in the Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) and Safety Travel Markets.
• Construction District Prioritization: Needs in the CoSS, Regional Networks (RN), Safety, and UDA (IEDA Access) travel markets.

Notes:

• Needs categories vary by travel market. They include many types of multimodal needs like congestion, transit access, and pedestrian access.
• There are four travel markets, each with unique characteristics. See the VTrans Travel Markets page for details.

Steps to set VTrans priorities:

1. Establish priorities within each VTrans Need category.
2. Use two criteria: severity of the need and magnitude (number of users or vehicles affected).
3. Assign weightings to each category and combine them to set Statewide and District Priority Locations.
4. Adjust for other factors:
   1. Overlap with transportation infrastructure repair, rehabilitation, or replacement needs.
   2. Exposure to projected sea-level rise, storm surge, or historical flooding.
   3. Overlap with Economically Distressed Communities.

The VTrans Mid-term Needs are ranked in two groups: Statewide Priority and District Priority.

Statewide Priority Locations are ranked across the entire state. They are not limited by VDOT Construction District or region. They include Needs in the Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) travel market for:

• Congestion mitigation
• Improved reliability (highway)
• Improved reliability (intercity and commuter rail)
• Capacity preservation
• Travel demand management
• Safety improvement on CoSS

Example: A congestion mitigation need on I-64 in Henrico County would be compared to one on I-95 in Stafford County, even though they are in different corridors.

The VTrans Mid-term Needs are ranked in two groups: Statewide Priority and Construction District Priority.

Construction District Priority Locations are compared only within each of the nine VDOT Construction Districts. They use the following Need categories:

• Congestion mitigation (RN)
• Improved reliability (RN)
• Transit access for Equity Emphasis Areas (RN)
• Transit access to Activity Centers (RN)
• Pedestrian access to Activity Centers (RN)
• Bicycle access to Activity Centers (RN)
• Capacity preservation (RN)
• Transportation demand management (RN)
• Access to Industrial and Economic Development Areas (IEDAs)
• Roadway safety (Statewide)
• Pedestrian safety (Statewide)

Example: A Regional Network (RN) need in the Winchester RN is compared with a need in the Harrisonburg RN because both are in the Staunton Construction District. That same Winchester RN need would not be compared to one in the Richmond RN, since Richmond is in a different district.

Statewide Priority Locations are based on needs along the Corridors of Statewide Significance travel market.

Construction District Priority Locations are based on needs in three travel markets: Regional Networks, Safety, and Industrial and Economic Development Areas (IEDAs).

You can learn more on the VTrans Travel Markets webpage.

Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) are multimodal corridors. They connect major centers of activity and support travel between cities and states.

These corridors are critical for both passenger and freight movement across Virginia. Because of their importance, they are prioritized at the statewide level. They are not compared to local or regional conditions.

If a need along a CoSS also falls within a Regional Network, it is also counted as a Regional Network Need. In that case, it is evaluated again to determine its Construction District Priority.

The draft policy was shared in more than 30 briefings with Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Planning District Commissions (PDCs). It was also presented at four virtual workshops with over 350 participants. Several one-on-one meetings were held with agencies and jurisdictions.

This outreach produced more than 140 written comments. Three major changes were made to the policy in response.

For details, see the January 19, 2021 CTB Meeting presentation, which lists the changes. You can also read all the comments submitted on the draft policy.

VTrans Strategic Actions are steps that move transportation priorities forward. They can be new policies, changes to existing policies, or initiatives that need attention from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. They can also be actions that require significant coordination between multiple agencies.

These actions come from three main parts of VTrans:

• The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) Vision, Guiding Principles, Goals, and Objectives
• The VTrans Mid-term Needs identification and prioritization
• The VTrans Long-term Risk and Opportunity Register

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) submits the Strategic Actions to the Governor and General Assembly. This is required by the Code of Virginia § 33.2-353. The plan is summarized in a public document and shared when it is presented to the Governor and General Assembly.

The actions help advance the CTB’s goals and objectives. They address identified VTrans Mid-term Needs. They also reduce long-term risks and take advantage of long-term opportunities.

These actions are the main takeaways from the entire multi-year planning effort.

The agencies under the Transportation Secretariat are responsible for carrying out the VTrans Strategic Actions.

The Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) will give the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) an annual report on the progress of the VTrans Strategic Actions.

A Corridor of Statewide Significance (CoSS) is a group of roadways, rail lines, and other facilities that support travel between regions in Virginia and beyond. There are twelve CoSS in the state.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) designates and studies these multimodal corridors. This is required under the Code of Virginia § 33.2-353.

You can learn more on the VTrans Travel Markets page. To view or download CoSS components, use the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

Regional Networks (RNs) are Virginia’s major economic regions. They are based on areas covered by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). An MPO is created in any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000.

RNs include the full county boundaries of any county that is partly inside an MPO.

You can learn more on the VTrans Travel Markets page. To view or download RNs, use the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

Activity Centers are areas of regional importance. They have a high density of economic and social activity and are linked to the Regional Networks (RNs).

They were identified through input from stakeholders.

You can learn more and view them on the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

Activity Centers are areas with a high density of economic and social activity. To classify them, VTrans analyzed the number and type of jobs in each center. Jobs were grouped into three clusters:

• Freight-Dependent: Most activity relies on freight transportation.
• Local-Serving: Most activity serves the local population.
• Knowledge-Based: Activity depends on skilled labor and serves a broader market than Virginia.

Each Activity Center was assigned to the cluster with the largest share of jobs. For example, if 20% of jobs are freight-dependent, 60% are local-serving, and 20% are knowledge-based, the center is classified as Local-Serving.

You can view or download Activity Centers on the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

The Urban Development Area (UDA) Travel Market includes two types of growth areas:

1. Growth Areas under Virginia Code § 15.2-2223.1

• Any city, county, or town with zoning authority may designate UDAs.
• Designation is voluntary.
• UDAs must follow traditional neighborhood design (TND) principles, such as:
  • Pedestrian-friendly road design
  • New streets connected to existing streets
  • Strong road and pedestrian networks
  • Preservation of natural areas
  • Mixed-use neighborhoods with a variety of housing types
  • Affordable housing that matches future family income needs
  • Smaller building setbacks
  • Narrower subdivision streets and smaller turning radii at intersections

2. Industrial and Economic Development Areas (IDEAs)

• These are local sites submitted to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership for the Virginia Business Ready Site Program (VBRSP).
• Sites must be tier 3 or higher.
• Tiers show business readiness:
  • Tier 1: Raw land with interested seller
  • Tier 2: Site controlled and marketed for development
  • Tier 3: Zoned for industry or commercial use, due diligence complete
  • Tier 4: Certified as infrastructure ready
  • Tier 5: Shovel ready, permits in place

You can learn more on the VTrans Travel Markets page. To view or download UDAs and IDEA sites, use the InteractVTrans MapExplorer.

Urban Development Areas (UDAs) are designated by localities in Virginia. This includes counties, cities, and towns with their own zoning authority.

A UDA is created through an amendment to the local Comprehensive Plan.

For step-by-step guidance, see the How to Designate a UDA Fact Sheet.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) sets and updates the readiness status for IEDA sites. Updates are made when VEDP receives new information.

If you need to update the readiness status or other site details, contact VEDP directly.