The Transportation Subcommittee has completed discussions regarding unification of the Frederick County and Winchester City transportation responsibilities. The committee examined the areas outlined in the directive from the Steering Committee and has developed a recommendation for consolidating transportation related services to Frederick County and Winchester City.

Enclosed with this report are the following:
Note: The supporting documents and data can be obtained by contacting Dan Troup or Mike Foreman.

• Inventory of existing transportation resources, including the transportation system (traffic signals, streetlights, equipment and vehicles, sidewalks, ancillary drainage facilities associated with the roadways, buildings, etc.)
• Summary of the centerline miles currently maintained by each jurisdiction
• Road maintenance funding and road construction funding
• Inventory of the Winchester City public transit system
• Financial statement of costs for the needed capital improvements and operations and maintenance
• An organizational chart of the consolidated transportation function
• A copy of the presentation made by VDOT to the committee
• Minutes of committee meetings

It should be noted that there is already a great deal of interaction and cooperation between the transportation functions of Frederick County and Winchester City, as both localities are part of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Both jurisdictions also have six year transportation plans.

The key difference between the transportation functions of Frederick County and Winchester City is that the City has direct responsibility for maintenance of roadways, while VDOT maintains the roads in the County. This is standard throughout the state, as all cities maintain their roads, while VDOT does road maintenance for all counties with the exception of Henrico County and Arlington County. This system has been in place for many years (since 1932). There is a procedure, called “Devolution” which allows counties to assume all or a portion of the maintenance, construction and operational responsibilities over their secondary road system, however no counties have yet done so. One county (James City County) has provided a letter of intent to assume responsibility in 2009. For this consolidation plan, it is assumed that Frederick County will continue with VDOT maintaining the secondary road system, at least for the forseeable future. There is no option available for the City to turn road maintenance over to VDOT, thus a consolidated transportation function would operate as the separate County and City functions do currently. The committee also assumed that the level of service would continue at current levels. The level of service is greater in the City, as the City has responsibility for sidewalks, street trees, street lights, and street sweeping, while the County does not.

It is unlikely there would be savings immediately in the combined transportation function. Total staffing of this function would be approximately 95 people, consistent with current of 25 city transportation, 15 Winchester transit, and 55 VDOT personnel. There would, however, be benefits from a combined transportation function in better coordination and quality of services, some operational efficiencies, and better uniformity of services.

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