Transportation
The Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (MRPDC) assists the localities within it’s district to meet their transportation needs by providing transportation planning services to move projects from conceptual phases to commenced plans. The MRPDC has the experience to develop projects that balance the competing demands of busy transportation corridors, economic vitality, and quality of life. The MRPDC transportation program receives funding from federal, state, and local sources to assist in regional transportation planning needs, and can often use these funds to offset the cost to localities for many requests.
Rural Technical Committee (RTC)
The MRPDC provides rural transportation planning services through funding under the Rural Transportation Program, offered by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Our services include the development of the rural Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan (RLRTP), provision of transportation elements for local Comprehensive Plans, technical assistance to our localities, participation in special VDOT planning initiatives, and other assistance as requested.
Planning issues include road capacity and safety monitoring and expansion of multimodal options (transit, rail, bicycle and pedestrian) as they relate to land use, economic development and environmental conservation.
Metropolitan Planning Organization – Bristol District
Metropolitan Planning Organization – Bristol District (MPO) provides administration of transportation grants, long-range transportation planning, traffic engineering, and coordination with the Executive Board to program federal transportation funds.
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Unified Planning Work Program
The Fiscal Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) identifies and describes all transportation planning activities that will be carried out by the Bristol Tennessee‐Virginia Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and its member governmental agencies for the referenced program period.
The UPWP has been developed in cooperation with the State of Tennessee, Commonwealth of Virginia, local jurisdictions, and public transportation operators.
Public Input Plan
Please click the link above to find the Public Input Plan (PIP) from VDOT. To read the Mount Rogers PDC Public Input Plan (PIP), click here.
The Rural Regional Long Range Transportation Plan (RLRTP)
RLRTP is a formalized effort on behalf of the state to improve communication with local officials in small urbanized and rural areas (areas with less than 50,000 people), giving them a stronger voice in transportation decision making and programming, including the VDOT Six Year Improvement Program (SYIP). The format resembles that of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which coordinates transportation planning and programming in Virginia’s urbanized areas as mandated by federal law.
In the Mount Rogers region, part of Washington County and the entire City of Bristol are included in the Bristol Urban Area MPO. The benefits of involving local stakeholders in rural transportation planning include increased trust in government, better plans and programs, stronger support for actual implementation and improved performance of transportation systems.
Click here to find the: 2045 Rural Long Range Transportation Plan
Transportation-Related Plans and Studies from the Region
Transit Opportunities
Mountain Lynx Transit provides bus transit services in Abingdon, Galax, Marion, and Wytheville and the counties of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe. Mountain Lynx connects people with life while providing the benefits of public transportation, reducing air pollution, and easing traffic congestion, making Southwestern Virginia a better place to live.
Park and Ride lots allow commuters, particularly long-distance commuters, to park their vehicles or bikes at a convenient location and then finish their commute using alternative transportation modes. Park and Ride lots are available for use when commuting for work, running errands, or even sightseeing.
Interactive Map for Park and Ride Locations
Funding Sources SMART Scale
Funding Sources SMART Scale is about picking the right transportation projects for funding and ensuring the best use of limited tax dollars. This is Virginia’s method of scoring planned projects, included in VTrans, that are funded by House Bill 1887. Transportation projects are scored based on an objective, outcome-based process that is transparent to the public and allows decision-makers to be held accountable to taxpayers.
Once projects are scored and prioritized, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has the best information possible to select the right projects for funding.
Additional Resources
- VTrans
- SMART Scale Dashboard
- VDOT Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS)
- VDOT Bristol District
- Virginia Roads – VDOT’s Open Data Portal
- Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)
- Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI)
- American Planning Association (APA) – Virginia Chapter
- VDOT 511 – Statewide Traffic & Road Conditions
- VDOT Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) Database
- Commissioner of Highways 2020 Biennial Report
- Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions
- Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board
- I-81 Corridor Coalition
- Virginia Department of Aviation
- Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA)