AROUND THE REGION
Mayorathon is now complete! You can see recordings of all the forums, held for each city council district race plus the mayoral race. Check them out to learn about candidates' respective views on public transit and related key issues (transportation got specific shout outs, for instance, in the mayoral forum at minutes 12:10-16:05; 39:00-42:25; 46:30-54:00; and 1:27:50-1:34:20).
For city folks looking to vote early in socially distant person, remember that GRTC is offering a shuttle from City Hall to the Office of the General Registrar's new location on Laburnum. For Henrico folks, no local elections afoot this year of course, but you can still access the Eastern Government Center via Route 7A/7B Nine Mile and the Western Government Center via Route 18 Henrico Government Center to vote early in person.
On a different note, the recording of the Route 77 Grove Ave Community Meeting has been posted for any who want to circle back around on last week's Transit Spotlight and check it out.
TRANSIT SPOTLIGHT - CVTA ACTIVITY & FUNDING
Transit Spotlight is a new-ish feature that lets us look a little more closely at an aspect of public transit in general or an element of our network in particular. This week's Transit Spotlight focuses on CVTA activity and funding.
The CVTA was back in action this past week, with the CVTA Technical Advisory Committee meeting this past Tuesday and the CVTA Finance Committee meeting this past Wednesday. See links above for recordings and accompanying documents from the meetings.
Two important topics that were discussed are the draft/proposed studies for the Regional Public Transportation Plan (i.e., where the 15% of CVTA funds dedicated to GRTC could most effectively be spent) as well as the Report on Transit Governance for our region (i.e., what are ways transit service could most effectively be governed). Clearly, these are key studies and issues, and we'll be delving into these topics more deeply in the weeks and months ahead.
For now, here is a highlight on the CVTA's revenue streams and how they are allocated. The CVTA's funds flow from increases in the regional sales tax as well as gas taxes. The pre-pandemic revenue estimate was $179.5 million for Fiscal Year 2021. The adjusted mid-pandemic forecast is that these taxes will generate $136.9 million for FY 2021. Post-pandemic, revenues are estimated to get back on par with (if not exceed) original projections by FY 2023. But you can see all projections for FY 2021 through FY 2026 in the Finance Committee's agenda packet from Sept 18 (see pg. 7). You can also check out the current draft budget from the most recent Finance Committee meeting (pg. 18-19).
Those funds will be allocated as follows (with quotations from the CVTA legislation in the Code of Virginia: § 33.2-3701. Central Virginia Transportation Fund, and allocation estimates from the current draft budget above).
35% for Regional Transportation Projects: 35% of revenue goes to "transportation-related purposes" that benefit the CVTA localities. Use of this funding is planned and decided by CVTA, with staff support likely from PlanRVA. For current projections, that'd be about $47.7 million.
15% for Regional Public Transportation: 15% of revenue goes to GRTC "to provide transit and mobility services" (a.k.a. "regional public transportation") for CVTA localities. Use of this funding is planned and ultimately decided by GRTC, but CVTA annually approves GRTC's regional transportation plan/priorities for these funds (this appears to be the process as I can discern it, but CVTA is just getting up and operational). For current projections, that'd be about $20.5 million.
50% for Localities' Respective Transportation Projects: 50% of revenue is "returned, proportionally, to each locality...to be used to improve local mobility, which may include construction, maintenance, or expansion of roads, sidewalks, trails, mobility services, or transit located in the locality." These funds used as each locality respectively sees fit. For current projections, that'd be about $68.2 million proportionally distributed.
The next full CVTA meeting is coming up 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Friday, Oct 30. Agenda and accompanying documents will be posted as we get closer!
Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit