July 20, 2016
The first round of Virginia’s groundbreaking project-selection process, SMART Scale, has just concluded. It was not only a technical success in ranking projects across modes and regions, but was also a political success, satisfying critical stakeholders including legislators. Even before any of the projects were awarded, the process resulted in creative thinking and right-sizing that saved millions of dollars. After a few improvements, including a platform for assessing accessibility that will be available to practitioners across the state, SMART Scale’s second round is scheduled to begin later this year. Join Ronique Day, Policy Analyst in the Office of the Virginia Secretary of Transportation; and Chad Tucker, Assistant Administrator, Division of Transportation and Mobility Planning, to hear about this work. You can read more about this revolution in project selection in this opinion piece from VDOT Secretary Aubrey Layne.