In addition to managing and programming HB 2313 (2013) revenues, the Authority handles Northern Virginia’s annual programming of CMAQ and RSTP funds, which are part of the overall mix of transportation funding available to Northern Virginia. These funds are available to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with populations greater than 200,000. While NVTA is not a federally designated MPO, it fulfills this function for Northern Virginia. With regional collaboration in mind, the Authority’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) works with NVTA’s Regional Jurisdiction and Agency Coordinating Committee (RJACC) to recommend the programming of approximately $90 million annually for CMAQ and RSTP-funded projects.

NVTA staff assume the same funding level for the outer sixth year of the state SYIP and solicit applications along with governing body resolution of support and air quality benefit calculations using VDOT and/or Federal forms for CMAQ projects. Working with RJACC, NVTA staff develop a draft strawman, which is then presented to the Authority for recommendation to the CTB.

The projects funded under CMAQ include regional projects such as Commuter Connections, Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC), and Clean Air Partners; jurisdiction projects such as bus rapid transit (BRT), bike-pedestrian projects, roundabouts, and signal optimization; and agency projects such as WMATA and PRTC bus replacements, VRE platform improvements, and VDOT Safety Service Patrols. NVTA recommended $24 million in FY2030 funding for projects for CTB approval.

The projects funded under RSTP include jurisdiction and agency projects such as bus rapid transit (BRT), purchase of electric/zero emission buses, bike-pedestrian projects, roundabouts, road improvements and interchanges. NVTA recommended $66 million in FY2030 funding for projects for CTB approval.

Based on federal government allocations every year, occasionally the region gets additional funds or less funds than anticipated when the strawman was developed. Based on VDOT-provided numbers, NVTA staff work with RJACC to make appropriate revisions.

Transfer of approved funds from one project to another is allowed in circumstances such as completion of donor project with funds remaining, immediate need on another project, etc. On September 11, 2008, the Authority delegated the authority to approve requests to reallocate CMAQ and RSTP funding between projects that were previously approved by NVTA to RJACC. However, the Authority will need to approve the transfer requests for new projects that were previously not approved by NVTA before any funds can be reallocated.