Virginia’s premier transportation funding program, SMART SCALE, will be accepting full applications starting on June 1, 2024. SMART SCALE is the method of scoring and funding transportation projects that meet one or more transportation needs identified in Virginia’s Transportation Plan, VTrans. This will be the 6th Round of the SMART SCALE process.
VACo previously reported, in December 2023 the changes made to SMART SCALE that would be in effect for Round 6. Since this article was published, The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has adjusted the scoring metrics in the following way:
On December 4th, 2023, the CTB voted to remove “land use” as a factor to considered when scoring SMART SCALE applications. At the January 16th, 2024 meeting of the CTB, the board passed a resolution stating, “… upon further consideration, the Board has determined that it is necessary for a Transportation Efficient Land Use factor to be utilized in the SMART SCALE Prioritization Process.” The resolution would continue, “… the Commonwealth Transportation Board hereby updates the SMART SCALE Prioritization Policy adopted on December 4, 2023, by adding the Transportation Efficient Land Use factor and adopting the OIPI staff recommendation of including the Transportation Efficient Land Use factor as a multiplier to be utilized in the SMART SCALE Prioritization Process, as set out below,” with an attached graphic to show the new SMART SCALE factor weighting that determines the projects score (found below) :
The land use scoring factor is unlike the other five factors in that it serves as a multiplier to enhance the project’s overall score.
Staff in charge of the SMART SCALE process will be hosting a Round 6 Full Application Training Webinar on June 4. If you would like, please register here.
Round 6 full application are due August 1, 2024. For more information, including reviewing the full technical guide for SMART SCALE Round 6, please visit this website.
Vaco Contact: James Hutzler