Transportation and Land Use
The planning and construction of new highways and transportation improvements affects existing land uses and plans for future development. Types and pattern of development influence and impact travel patterns and demand for transportation facilities.
In Virginia, land use is the prerogative of local governments, while large-scale transportation planning and funding decisions are generally made at the state level.
Improving the coordination between transportation and land-use planning is essential for ensuring mobility throughout the commonwealth. Governor Kaine has introduced legislation approved by the General Assembly to help reduce this disconnect. These initiatives include:
- Traffic Impact Analysis. These regulations which became effective on July 1, 2007 establish uniform statewide procedures to analyze the traffic impacts of development proposals. It will ensure that citizens and local government officials have relatively accurate information as they consider land use decisions.
- Access Management Standards. These regulations seek to preserve the efficiency and safety of existing roadways by managing the number, location and spacing of entrances on major roadways. This regulation is being implemented in phases; the first phase will become effective July 1, 2008 and the second phase on October 1, 2009.
- Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements. These regulations, which are under development, are intended to ensure that streets accepted for perpetual public maintenance provide public benefit. Public benefit is defined as providing connectivity of the road network through redundant and alternative routes, public service, and pedestrian accommodations.
House Bill 3202 (2007) included several land-use reform provisions intended to improve the coordination between transportation and land use. The legislation requires high growth localities to establish urban development areas that allow for compact growth and provides these same localities with the authority to enact road impact fees. Also included in House Bill 3202 were regional performance measures and urban transportation service districts. To learn more about these measures please click here.