Arlington commission frames 10‑year transportation CIP around bonding and outside grants amid $100M revenue shortfall

Arlington transportation staff told the Transportation Commission on May 28 that the county’s FY27–36 capital improvement plan will keep existing corridor and transit projects moving but relies increasingly on outside grants and a new plan to bond dedicated transportation revenues.

Sarah Crawford, assistant director of transportation, said county transportation revenues have eroded since the last CIP and staff used bonding as a way to avoid canceling projects: "Our dedicated transportation funding sources have lost over $100 million since the last CIP," she said, and added that "provisions in the state code allow us to bond those funds." The CIP therefore anticipates bonding the commercial‑industrial tax and similar local sources to preserve project momentum.

Why it matters: the plan funds roughly $1.2 billion of implementable spending over 10 years while listing $1.5 billion of submitted projects, staff said. To bridge the gap, the county will lean on federal, state and regional competitive sources and has 13 applications pending with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA). That increased dependence raises schedule risk: projects may slow or be delayed if external grants are not awarded.

The CIP keeps capital funding for complete streets, transitway projects, Vision Zero street safety work and bicycle connections. Crawford said the CIP preserves a core of transit investments — including the Crystal City–Pentagon City program and a Boston West metro entrance procurement — while trimming some local maintenance priorities and assuming external match dollars for implementation. "We're still committed to the projects," she told commissioners, "we're just relying on success on external grants in order to continue them."

Commissioners pressed staff on how the plan accounts for unexpected construction costs and utility conflicts, citing Columbia Pike experience where unanticipated utilities required design rework. Crawford said staff now uses closer test‑pit surveying in design and has expanded engagement capacity to improve communications with neighborhoods.

What’s next: staff urged commissioners and the public to review a fuller CIP briefing at the County Board work session on June 9. The department emphasized that the CIP will be revisited as grant outcomes and updated cost estimates become available.