VDOT's Efficiency Edge

I, like many others in Virginia, often criticize VDOT. Indeed, it's fairly easy to do.

I now need to give VDOT a cheer. I've discovered an area where VDOT seems to have an edge -- maintenance costs for local streets.

I was given some materials on transportation by a friend, who, in turn, received them from the State. I copied some of the data into a spreadsheet to see what I could find. One finding was that, in terms of the cost of maintaining secondary roads, VDOT seems to be much more efficient than those local governments that maintain their their own streets, when measured in cost per lane mile. Otherwise, the state funding to local governments for road maintenance is too generous.

As I understand the rules, Arlington and Henrico Counties, along with Virginia's incorporated towns and cities, maintain their own streets. VDOT, in turn, sends each such locality road maintenance funds on a quarterly basis. (Prior to 2003, this aid was adjusted by formula. Since 2003, state aid has increased at the same rate as VDOT's maintenance budget is increased.) For all other secondary roads in Virginia, VDOT is in charge of maintenance.

In 1996, there were 93,191 lane miles of secondary roads maintained by VDOT, and 25,112 miles of roads maintained by local governments. VDOT's maintenance cost per lane mile (secondary roads only) was around $3,171, while the state aid per lane mile for the affected localities was almost $7,449 -- a difference of more than $4275 per lane mile. The comparable figures for 2005 are: 97,579 lane miles (VDOT secondary), 27,675 lane miles (local streets), $5,149 (VDOT maintenance per lane mile), and $12,257 (state aid per lane mile).

Either VDOT is much more efficient than localities doing their own maintenance or the state aid formula is overly generous. In any event, this subject needs more scrutiny.