Virginia Department of Transportation Assistant State Utilities Engineer Matthew Reynolds has been managing the statewide utility program for more than a decade. In the years he’s been involved in the review of utility relocation designs and specifications for VDOT projects, he’s seen the Department move more and more toward partnering with regional and private organizations.

"Partnerships are the way of the future," he says. "Virginia’s transportation system is in financial crisis, as far as funding needs. Now the costs of all facets of transportation construction have risen, partially because of the impact of natural disasters and an increased global demand for materials. VDOT’s Local Assistance Initiatives and the PPTA (Public-Private Transportation Act) allow local governments and private entities greater ownership in selecting, administering, and finding funding for new transportation projects."

Reynolds’ relationship with A&A dates back to the 1990s when the firm was contracted for utility infrastructure relocation design for VDOT’s Bristol, Salem, and Staunton Districts in western Virginia. Now the significant projects on VDOT’s plate in these regions are the I-81 corridor improvements, Coalfields Expressway, Route 58 corridor projects and the relocation of U.S. 460 through Grundy, as well as several projects in the Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads Districts.

Some of these are PPTA projects, such as the improvement of congested Route 28 in Fairfax and Loudoun counties. The first Virginia PPTA was Pocahontas Parkway near Richmond, a joint venture between two larger contractors privately financed 94 percent through a bond issue.

"PPTA projects allow private developers to share the risks of developing and constructing a transportation project, and also provide innovative financing to advance the venture. VDOT still oversees the project and makes sure it complies with our guidelines," Reynolds says.

Other changes Reynolds sees are the frequent practice of advance relocation of utilities, normally handled concurrently with roadway construction, and of assigning a project manager to each VDOT project.

In regard to the VDOT utility relocation program, Reynolds says: "Our nine district engineers are extremely competent, committed, and great at keeping the lines of communication open. I thoroughly enjoy working with each of them. They make my job easier."