Project and Applicant Eligibility

SMART SCALE projects may be submitted by regional entities including Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), Planning District Commissions (PDC) and public transit agencies, and by counties, cities and towns that maintain their own infrastructure and qualify to receive maintenance payments, pursuant to §33.2-319.

Applications must be related to projects located within boundaries of the qualifying entity. However, localities and regional planning bodies may submit applications for projects that cross boundaries with a resolution of support from the affected neighboring locality(ies), or a town that is not eligible to submit may request the county to submit a project. By majority vote, the CTB may also choose to submit up to two projects for evaluation each application cycle.

Though all of these entities may submit projects, there are limitations on the grant program for which these entities can apply, the types of projects they can submit, and the number of projects they can apply for, detailed in the tables below.

Who Can Apply?

* Projects within established MPO study areas that are identified in or consistent with the regionally adopted Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP) do not require a resolution of support from the respective MPO Policy Board. For projects outside MPO areas a resolution of support is required only from the submitting locality.

Project Types Included within SMART SCALE (Capacity and operational improvements only)

• Highway Improvements (Widening, operational improvements, access management, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Technology operational improvements)
• Transit- and rail-capacity expansion
• Bicycle and pedestrian improvements
• Transportation Demand Management (Park and Ride facilities)

Project Types Excluded from SMART SCALE

• Stand-alone studies
• Asset management (Bridge repair / replacement, pavement repair / replacement, guardrail replacement)*
• Systemwide improvements
• Transit maintenance facilities without capacity expansion

*Asset management projects excluded from SMART SCALE may be eligible for funding under the State of Good Repair program as required by the Code of Virginia §33.2-369.

Applicants are limited in the number of pre-applications and applications they may submit for evaluation and scoring, based on population thresholds as defined below.

Counties are responsible for transportation in towns that do not receive maintenance payments, and are encouraged to coordinate with towns and prioritize candidate projects for submission, similar to the Secondary Six-Year Plan process.

Application Limits*

For the listing of eligible entities, population data and maximum number of applications per tier, click to download the Final Application Limits FY2026.

The source of population data for cities, counties, and PDCs is the latest University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center, Demographics Research Group estimates. The data for MPOs and towns is not available from the Weldon Cooper Center and is from the latest decennial United States Census. Application limits for transit agencies is determined based on the latest service area population in the National Transit Database (NTD) Transit Agency Profiles. If service area population is not available in NTD, the latest Census data was used to determine population in jurisdictions served by the transit agency.

Eligible applicants are invited to submit project applications according to the SMART SCALE Biennial Schedule.

For each SMART SCALE cycle, basic project information (pre-application) must be submitted by April 1 of the calendar year, and final applications must be submitted by August 1.

Once created, applicants can edit the application up to the deadline.

Once it has been determined that a project meets an identified need, is eligible, and is ready, the project is evaluated and scored.

Here is the process:

SMART SCALE utilizes evaluation measures that quantify the benefits of each project for six factor areas, detailed below.

*100 Percent for transit and Transportation Demand Management projects

Four area weighting typologies were established based on an analysis of transportation, land use, demographic indicators, and public input to facilitate evaluation of each project’s benefit on a scale relative to the needs of that region as compared across the commonwealth. The weighting typologies are below.

A scoring evaluation team begins collecting additional data required for evaluating each of the six factor areas used for project evaluation:

1. Safety
2. Congestion
3. Accessibility
4. Land-Use
5. Economic Development
6. Environment

After data has been collected to evaluate each factor, values are calculated and weighted according to the area type where the project is located.  

Factor totals are then weighted and summed, and the final score is determined by dividing the benefit score by the SMART SCALE cost. 

Projects are then ranked and provided to the CTB for funding consideration.

To learn more about the VTrans needs in your area, click here.

*Up to 100% added to the benefit score based on normalized measure performance

Once the scoring is complete, OIPI develops a staff-recommended funding scenario determined as follows:

Step 1: Fund top scoring projects within each district based on SMART SCALE Score eligible for Highway Construction District Grant Program funds using Highway Construction District Grant Program funds until the remaining funds are insufficient to fund the next highest scoring project.

Step 2: Fund remaining top scoring projects statewide based on SMART SCALE Score for High Priority Projects Program funds using High Priority Projects Program funds until the remaining funds are insufficient to fund the next highest scoring project.

Remaining balances will be reserved to address budget adjustments on selected projects according to the thresholds established in the SMART SCALE Prioritization Process or reserved for allocation in a subsequent round.

The CTB may modify the staff-recommended funding scenario. Additional considerations that may be used by the CTB include:

• Public feedback from Fall Transportation Meetings and Spring public meetings;
• SMART SCALE scores;
• Project segmentation – starting the next phase of a multi-segment roadway improvement, e.g., to complete a major multi-segment project; and
• Applicant delivery performance as reported by Local Assistance Division.

The prioritization process does not require that the CTB fund projects in order of their scores. Further, the CTB is not required to select the highest scoring project. The process is a means to assist the CTB in evaluating and comparing proposed improvements. The CTB continues to retain final decision-making authority on improvements to be included in the SYIP.

Next, the public has the opportunity to comment on the draft SYIP, including the scoring results for individual projects.

Finally, the CTB takes public comments into account regarding the draft SYIP, and approves the final SYIP for implementation in June.

In general, once a project has been screened, scored, and selected for funding by the CTB, it will remain in the SYIP as a funding priority. In addition, only the CTB can cancel a selected project.

Re-evaluation of a project score and funding decision may be needed if:

• There are significant changes in the scope or cost that alter the original intent / benefit of the scored projects and the CTB’s allocation decision – if the project scope is increased, the applicant is responsible for the additional cost attributable to the increase in scope, regardless of budget impact
• There is a significant reduction in the locally / regionally leveraged funds available for the project – in cases where a selected project identified other sources of funding that do not materialize, the qualifying entity is committed to pay the difference

Once a project is selected for funding, it cannot be resubmitted to address cost increases or loss of other sources of funding. If revenue reductions decrease the amount of actual funding available for a particular SMART SCALE cohort, projects may be delayed and / or revenues from future rounds of SMART SCALE may be used.

If a submitted project is not selected for funding during a cycle, the CTB will allow eligible entities to re-submit the project the next cycle.