When it comes to transportation in Northern Virginia, there’s always room for improvement.
As they look to future projects, officials consider many factors.
Some were discussed at an Economic Development Series Luncheon on Thursday.
The Prince William Chamber of Commerce hosted the event at George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center in Woodbridge.
The speakers were Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Chief Deputy Commissioner Robert Cary, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Chairman and County Supervisor Marty Nohe, and Anthony Bedell from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).
Luncheon attendees received an update about what’s occurring at the federal, state and local level.
Federal government officials have four transportation priorities – safety, infrastructure, regulatory relief and innovation, according to Bedell.
Bedell also highlighted technological progress that’s being made.
Experts are testing autonomous vehicles and drones are being used for a variety of tasks, such as transporting blood and organ donations from one hospital to another.
“This is where all of these things are going,” Bedell said. “We’re trying to stay ahead of it. We don’t want to get in the way, but we realize there still has to be some guidance and framework.”
Innovation is also impacting the economy.
Embracing it is one method officials are considering as they look to build up Virginia’s financial system.
“Some of the areas that we’re focusing on with innovation are connected corridors – we have some up here for the coming of connected vehicles – data analytics, integrated applications, unmanned systems,” Cary said.
Cary also touched on VDOT’s execution of projects throughout the Commonwealth.
About 3,100 projects are included in the agency’s $21.2 billion six-year plan.
“We want to maintain and grow the public trust that we’re delivering those projects ahead of schedule and under budget, and we’re doing a very good job with that, as a whole, across the state,” Cary said.
Nohe also focused on funding for transportation projects.
The Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) is considering using tax revenue for mobility projects that will lead to economic development.
Even though it could lead to “great opportunities,” Nohe explained, it would require a different mindset.
“Rather than thinking about how we move people around the county or how we move people in and out of the county, we’ll be thinking … [of] transportation – for the first time – with the concept of creating jobs in the county, so people don’t have to leave the county as the top priority,” Nohe said. “And that’s not what we’ve done in the past.”
