Officials warn transportation projects risk exclusion from VDOT grant cycles unless listed in comp plan

Commissioners and staff at the Accomack County joint work session raised long-standing concerns that the countys transportation priorities have not aligned with VDOT and that recurring grant applications have failed to advance.

A committee member noted repeated unsuccessful Smart Scale applications on roads county officials consider priorities and asked how to bridge the gap between local priorities and state grant practices. Stephanie of the Berkeley Group responded that, as a practical matter, "if it's not in that plan at all, it's an immediate nonstarter" for programs like Smart Scale because VDOT and grant reviewers look to the comprehensive plan to confirm community-agreed priorities.

The consultant advised two approaches: include aspirational, high-cost projects so they remain part of statewide conversations, or prioritize more realistic, achievable projects that can make near-term progress. She also recommended updating the transportation element more frequently than the full planfor example, every one to three yearsso the county can better pursue grant cycles.

Why it matters: VDOT funding and Smart Scale grant success can depend on whether a project appears in the applicants comprehensive plan; missing or out-of-date plan language can prevent a local priority from being considered in grant evaluations. Stephanie said keeping projects in the plan preserves the countys opportunity to make its case to state officials and legislators.

What was not decided: No county action was taken to add specific transportation projects or to set a formal schedule for more frequent transportation-element updates; those follow-ups were left to staff and the consultant team.