Identifying the Region’s Transportation Needs
TransAction is Northern Virginia’s long-range multimodal transportation plan. Overseen by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), TransAction plans, programs and funds safe, equitable and sustainable transportation projects over a 20-year timeframe.
TransAction is updated every five years with input from public officials, jurisdictional and agency staff, regional stakeholders and the public. After extensive public review and comments, an updated version of the TransAction Plan is currently being prepared. The plan identifies more than 400 multimodal projects, totaling more than an estimated $75 billion in potential investments through 2045 to meet the growing needs for travel throughout the region, expanding beyond Northern Virginia. The results of TransAction are used to inform the NVTA’s Six Year Program for regional revenue funding, guiding decisions about which transportation improvements the NVTA should prioritize for investment.
The updated TransAction Plan is anticipated for adoption in December 2022. Once adopted, this TransAction Update will replace the version which was adopted in 2017.
The TransAction Process
The TransAction planning process takes about two years to complete, with opportunities for public input along the way. The timeline below provides a high-level overview of the process, including public engagement activities.
- January 2020: TransAction Open House and Listening Session (COMPLETE)
- Summer/Fall 2021: Public engagement to identify transportation needs and trends (COMPLETE)
- August-September 2022: Public comment period on draft TransAction Plan and draft Project List (COMPLETE)
- September 8, 2022: Authority hosts Public Hearing (COMPLETE)
- October 2022: Finalize TransAction Update and Technical Report
- December 2022: Authority’s anticipated adoption of the TransAction Update
TransAction in Action: From Plan to Projects
The current TransAction Plan identifies more than 350 regionally significant projects that can deliver improvements in the lives of Northern Virginians. These projects can reduce congestion, increase accessibility, improve safety and reduce transportation-related emissions. The TransAction Update underway includes 429 candidate projects for public comment.
Take a look at the projects included in the current TransAction Plan, adopted in 2017:
Once TransAction is adopted, NVTA uses the TransAction project list to guide its Six Year Program. During this phase, jurisdictions can apply for NVTA regional funds, after which NVTA conducts a comprehensive evaluation process before selecting projects for funding. To be considered for regional funding, projects must be a part of the TransAction plan.
View the full list of NVTA-Funded projects to date.
Explore the NoVa Gateway for real-time updates on all NVTA-funded multimodal transportation projects.
Learn more about evaluating regionally significant transportation projects.