VTrans: Virginia's Transportation Plan
VTrans is Virginia's statewide transportation plan. It is prepared for the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) by the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI). VTrans produces nearly 100 data points that are used for various planning and decision-making purposes. A summary of VTrans is included below.
- VTrans lays out the overarching vision and goals for transportation in the Commonwealth and plans to achieve those goals.
- VTrans identifies and prioritizes locations with transportation needs using data-informed transparent processes. The identified transportation needs may be addressed by projects, policies, or programs.
- VTrans identifies long-term risks and opportunities using four megatrends and 10 macrotrends.
- VTrans identifies strategic actions; several are related to the ongoing and planned data collections efforts.
Key data assets are described below and more can be viewed and downloaded on VTran's web application InteractVTrans which has two modules: InteractVTrans MapExplorer for mapping and InteractVTrans DataExplorer for infographics.
Featured Assets
VTrans Mid-Term Transportation Needs
The Policy for the Identification of VTrans Mid-term Transportation Needs establishes multimodal need categories that correspond to the Board-adopted VTrans Vision, Goals, and Objectives. Each need category has one or more performance measures and thresholds to identify one or more needs. This feature layer displays road segments on which mid-term needs have been identified and which categories the needs fall under. A detailed description and methodology for each need category can be found in the 2021 Technical Guide for the Identification and Prioritization of the Mid-term Needs.
- 2021 VTrans Mid-term Transportation Needs - This feature layer represents the 2021 update of the 2019 VTrans Mid-term Needs. While all need categories have remained unchanged, the 2021 VTrans Mid-term Needs layer includes updated Roadway Safety Need categories (segments and intersections) as well as consolidation of two layers (segments and nodes) into one (segments only) for ease of use.
- 2019 VTrans Mid-term Transportation Needs (Nodes) - This feature layer represents the 2019 identified mid-term needs that are stored as points.
- 2019 VTrans Mid-term Transportation Needs (Segments) - This feature layer represents the 2019 identified mid-term needs that are stored as lines.
- 2019 VTrans Prioritized Transportation Mid-term Needs - This feature layer represents the prioritization of the identified mid-term needs. Please refer to the VTrans Mid-Term Needs and Priorities page for more details.
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.
Datasets defining each travel market or items related to the VTrans travel markets are included below.
- CoSS Roadway Components - This feature layer represents the primary roadway facilities and major roadway components included in each corridor in accordance with CTB policy.
- CoSS Roadway Buffer - This feature layer represents 5 mile polygon buffer surrounding the CTB designated Corridors of Statewide Significance.
- CoSS Rail Components - This feature layer represents facilities and services that provide for freight and passenger rail in each CoSS.
- CoSS Intermodal Components - This feature layer represents the intermodal components such as ports, airports, and rivers.
- Regional Networks (RN) - This feature layer represents Regional Networks, which support intra-regional travel and bridge the gap between existing conditions and the desired future for the state's economy.
- Urban Development Areas (UDAs) - This feature layer represents Urban Development Areas, which are designated growth areas based on local initiatives pursuant to § 15.2-2223.1. The purpose of UDAs are, to the extent possible, to direct federal, state and local transportation, housing, water and sewer facility, economic development, and other public infrastructure funding or efficient transportation infrastructure.
- Industrial and Economic Development Areas (IEDAs) - This feature layer represents locally-identified industrial and economic development sites pursuant to § 2.2-2238 and consistent with Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)’s Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP).
- VTrans Activity Centers - This feature layer represents areas of regional importance that have a high density of economic and social activity.
- Equity Emphasis Areas - This feature layer represents communities with higher concentrations of the elderly (age 75 or older), persons with low income, disabilities, minorities, and limited English proficiency, where transit access needs to be provided based on population density.
Freight Element
The VTrans Freight Element is a component of VTrans and serves as the Commonwealth’s state freight plan in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 70202 FAST Act State Freight Plans.
- VTrans Freight Performance Measures - This feature layer represents several performance measures, ranging from truck-related congestion, reliability, safety and commodity flows, have been developed and used to identify locations with issues that may directly or indirectly impact the flow of freight within and through the Commonwealth.
- Critical Urban and Rural Freight Corridors - This feature layer represents critical urban and critical rural freight corridors to increase the state's eligible network and provides programming flexibility in allocation of National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) formula funds and FASTLANE Grant Program funds.
VTrans Flooding Risk Assessment
The VTrans Flooding Risk Assessment is a screening-level assessment of the vulnerability of Virginia’s transportation system, more specifically all public roadways and VDOT-maintained structures (bridges and culverts) covered in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI), to projected sea level rise, storm surge, and inland/riverine flooding scenarios. The VTrans Flooding Risk Assessment is not intended to be used to develop location-specific recommendations.