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Dive brief:
- Virginia is pouring billions of dollars into infrastructure and transportation work as the state’s DOT on Wednesday approved a $28.5 billion infrastructure planallocating the funds for the following six financial years, from July 1.
- The Six-year improvement programadministered by the Virginia DOT and the Department of Railroads and Public Transportation and approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, it will improve more than 4,300 roads, bridges, railroads, transit and bicycle and pedestrian paths, according to the announcement.
- The gargantuan investment stands out, even among states like Ohio, Texas and Utah that, as recently as this spring, have announced the planned mega infrastructure projects for the construction season. While those states outlined hundreds of building improvements—up to 977 collective projects worth $3.4 billion in Ohio, for example—the plans were limited to 2026, unlike Virginia’s six-year schedule.
Diving knowledge:
These initiatives also come as, at the federal level, builders and construction professionals look forward to what has been discussed for a long time surface transport reauthorization invoice. The urgency grows as the authorization of the $1.2 trillion Jobs and Infrastructure Investments Act is set to expire on September 30.
For the next fiscal year, some of the biggest projects planned for Virginia include $3.9 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel project; the $3.1 billion Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project; and the $926 million Interstate 81 Ironto widening program in Roanoke County.
In general, the VDOT funding breakdown leads to:
- $930 million to support public transportation programs.
- $500 million to improve 43 VDOT and town-maintained bridges.
- $239 million in state funds for 143 projects through the Income sharing programwhich matches township funds with state dollars for qualified construction projects.
- $85 million for 57 non-traditional transportation projects.
For fiscal year 2027, VDOT has an annual budget of $9 billion. That breakdown includes $2.8 billion for construction and $2.5 billion for road maintenance and operations.
