The Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization (RVTPO) is a federally mandated transportation policy board comprised of representatives from local, state, and federal governments, transit agencies, and other stakeholders and is responsible for transportation planning and programming for the Roanoke Valley Urbanized Area. This area is comprised of the Cities of Roanoke and Salem; the Town of Vinton and portions of the Counties of Bedford, Botetourt, Montgomery and Roanoke.
The Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: Roanoke Valley Urbanized Area Suballocation Funding (STBG), formerly referred to as the Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) provides federal funding that may be used by for a wide range of highway, transit, and other surface transportation projects. STBG funds are apportioned to large urban regions within a state. Among its functions, the RVTPO Policy Board is responsible for project selection and allocation of approximately $6M/year under the federally funded STBG program for the Roanoke Valley Urbanized Area.
Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Funding Program
STBG Project Development and Selection Procedures
Eligible Recipients
Eligible recipients of STBG funds in the Roanoke Valley Area include the member local governments who have all or a portion of their territory in the RVTPO Study Area Boundary, Greater Roanoke Transit Company (GRTC – “Valley Metro”), Unified Human Services Transportation Systems, Inc. (RADAR), the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).
Funded Projects
Since 2013, the RVTPO has been investing in regional transportation priorities. New project applications have been accepted in the Spring 2013 (Round 1), September 2014 (Round 2), September 2017 (Round 3), September 2019 (Round 4), September 2021 (Round 5) and September 2023 (Round 6). It is anticipated that new project applications will be accepted every other year, with the next round of applications due in September 2025. The RVTPO’s STBG six-year financial plan is approved by the Policy Board in the Spring and is incorporated into the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s Six-Year Improvement Program.
Project updates start on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, and close on Thursday, October 31st, at 5pm.
