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How Do I Get My Road Paved?
Click Here For Information on the VDOT Six Year Improvement Plan
Public vs Private Roads:
The Unpaved Roads Program is made up of two eligibility categories, roads that are existing public unpaved roads and roads that are private unpaved roads.
The Rural Rustic Roads program is a pave-in-place program for existing public roadways that are already in the State’s Secondary Road System.
The Rural Additions program moves eligible private, residential streets into the State’s public Secondary Road System.
1. Private Funds
On a case-by-case basis, and upon request and Board approval, the County Transportation Division will provide project administration of projects in which residents provide 100% of project funding.
2. Non-Match Funds
State, federal, or private funds which do not include a match requirement, and which are specifically designated for the sole use of unpaved or sub-standard road improvements shall be applied as follows:
3. Matching Funds
In the case that residents are willing to provide project funding of 50% of the Engineer’s Estimate, the County Transportation Division will prepare a Revenue Sharing grant application for the project, and administer projects which receive requested grant funds necessary to fund 100% of the Engineer’s Estimate.
Below are links to Rural Rustic Road/ Rural Addition Reports from 2015 and 2020. These reports show the assessments and prioritization of each unpaved road.
Public vs Private Roads:
The Unpaved Roads Program is made up of two eligibility categories, roads that are existing public unpaved roads and roads that are private unpaved roads.
The Rural Rustic Roads program is a pave-in-place program for existing public roadways that are already in the State’s Secondary Road System.
The Rural Additions program moves eligible private, residential streets into the State’s public Secondary Road System.
The following is a brief overview of the two programs:
Rural Rustic Roads – Public Roads
1. Program Eligibility
The Rural Rustic Roads program is a pave-in-place program for existing public roadways. The program does not allow for any improvements outside of the existing right-of-way, or any site or drainage improvements beyond the front slope of the ditch—except for replacement of substandard driveway culverts within State-permitted driveways.
The following minimum criteria must be met to apply for inclusion on the Rural Rustic Roads paving list:
The Rural Rustic Roads program is a pave-in-place program for existing public roadways. The program does not allow for any improvements outside of the existing right-of-way, or any site or drainage improvements beyond the front slope of the ditch—except for replacement of substandard driveway culverts within State-permitted driveways.
The following minimum criteria must be met to apply for inclusion on the Rural Rustic Roads paving list:
a. Must be an unpaved roadway already within the State Secondary System. These state-maintained roads have route numbers of 600 and above. Check for your road's number on the signs at intersections or contact your Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) district administrator.
b. Must carry no less than 50 vehicles per day (VPD) and no more than 1,500 VPD. Traffic count information can be found at the following website: https://www.virginiadot.org/info/ct-TrafficCounts.asp
c. Must have a minimum of 18 feet of travel width. Travel width is the width available for the new road surface. Unpaved roads should provide at least 20 feet width from top of roadside ditch bank to top of roadside ditch bank to allow for one-foot gravel shoulder on each side and 18 feet of paved travel width.
d. Must have a minimum of 30 feet prescriptive right-of-way (50’ preferred).
e. Must have a minimum of 3 occupied residential units accessing the roadway.
f. Must be outside of the County’s Development Service Districts (DSDs) and have agricultural or low-density residential zoning. The Zoning of your property can be identified using the County’s Online GIS Property Map.
g. Must have a signed petition of support from all property owners accessing the roadway.
b. Must carry no less than 50 vehicles per day (VPD) and no more than 1,500 VPD. Traffic count information can be found at the following website: https://www.virginiadot.org/info/ct-TrafficCounts.asp
c. Must have a minimum of 18 feet of travel width. Travel width is the width available for the new road surface. Unpaved roads should provide at least 20 feet width from top of roadside ditch bank to top of roadside ditch bank to allow for one-foot gravel shoulder on each side and 18 feet of paved travel width.
d. Must have a minimum of 30 feet prescriptive right-of-way (50’ preferred).
e. Must have a minimum of 3 occupied residential units accessing the roadway.
f. Must be outside of the County’s Development Service Districts (DSDs) and have agricultural or low-density residential zoning. The Zoning of your property can be identified using the County’s Online GIS Property Map.
g. Must have a signed petition of support from all property owners accessing the roadway.
Rural Addition Roads – Private Roads
1. Program Eligibility
The Rural Additions program is a program to move eligible private, residential streets into the State’s public Secondary Road System. To be accepted into the Secondary Road System, the road must meet minimum requirements for the use of State maintenance funds. Sub-standard roadways can be considered for inclusion in the system if they meet minimum qualifications, a funding source for improvements is identified, and they are programmed for construction in the Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) to be brought into conformance with current standards within 24 months.
2. Maintenance-Eligible Private Roads
Roadways which already meet Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) Secondary Street Acceptance Standards (SSAS) can apply directly to VDOT for acceptance into the Secondary Road system.
3. Sub-standard Private Roads
Roadways which do not already meet VDOT’s SSAS can apply for inclusion in the County’s Unpaved Roads Program for funding of the improvements necessary to meet SSAS and apply for acceptance.
The following minimum criteria must be met for sub-standard private roads to apply for inclusion on the paving list to fund improvements and acceptance:
The Rural Additions program is a program to move eligible private, residential streets into the State’s public Secondary Road System. To be accepted into the Secondary Road System, the road must meet minimum requirements for the use of State maintenance funds. Sub-standard roadways can be considered for inclusion in the system if they meet minimum qualifications, a funding source for improvements is identified, and they are programmed for construction in the Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) to be brought into conformance with current standards within 24 months.
2. Maintenance-Eligible Private Roads
Roadways which already meet Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) Secondary Street Acceptance Standards (SSAS) can apply directly to VDOT for acceptance into the Secondary Road system.
3. Sub-standard Private Roads
Roadways which do not already meet VDOT’s SSAS can apply for inclusion in the County’s Unpaved Roads Program for funding of the improvements necessary to meet SSAS and apply for acceptance.
The following minimum criteria must be met for sub-standard private roads to apply for inclusion on the paving list to fund improvements and acceptance:
a. Must have been in public use for at least 20 years.
b. Must be available for public use 24 hours a day.
c. Must have a minimum 40 feet of right-of-way (50’ preferred) which is of platted or dedicated for the roadway and unencumbered by other utility easements.
d. Must have a minimum of 3 occupied residential units accessing the roadway.
e. Must be connected to other roads already maintained by VDOT.
f. Must have a signed petition of support from all property owner accessing the roadway.
g. In the case of dead-ends and cul-de-sacs, must provide adequate turn around area for maintenance vehicles and school buses within the platted right-of-way. Minimum 45’ radius for pavement (distance from center of cul-de-sac to edge of pavement along any point around the circle).
h. Must not include any speculative interest, as defined by the Code of Virginia: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title33.2/chapter3/section33.2-335/
b. Must be available for public use 24 hours a day.
c. Must have a minimum 40 feet of right-of-way (50’ preferred) which is of platted or dedicated for the roadway and unencumbered by other utility easements.
d. Must have a minimum of 3 occupied residential units accessing the roadway.
e. Must be connected to other roads already maintained by VDOT.
f. Must have a signed petition of support from all property owner accessing the roadway.
g. In the case of dead-ends and cul-de-sacs, must provide adequate turn around area for maintenance vehicles and school buses within the platted right-of-way. Minimum 45’ radius for pavement (distance from center of cul-de-sac to edge of pavement along any point around the circle).
h. Must not include any speculative interest, as defined by the Code of Virginia: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title33.2/chapter3/section33.2-335/
Detailed information on meeting the criteria listed above can be found on the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website at:
http://www.virginiadot.org/info/faq-road-paved.asp
The Application Process
Applications and all requested supporting documentation are due by December 1st of the application year, to be evaluated and considered for the next SYIP.
Applications and supporting documentation shall be submitted to the Transportation Division for review and evaluation.
• Applications are available on the County’s website through the link below, or from the Transportation Division.
• Only a property owner(s) accessing their property from the roadway in question may apply for the program.
• Only a property owner(s) accessing their property from the roadway in question may apply for the program.
Applications and supporting documentation shall be submitted to the Transportation Division for review and evaluation.
The Evaluation Process
1. The Transportation Division will verify all information in the application and supporting documentation is accurate and complete.
2. Verified packages will be forwarded to VDOT for concurrence of eligibility.
3. Applications determined eligible by the County and VDOT shall be evaluated by the County using the criteria and scoring tool published in the Rural Rustic Roads/ Rural Addition Assessment and Prioritization Project report, dated June 2015 (to be updated June 2020).
4. Evaluations and scores shall be presented with a staff recommendation to the Board of Supervisors during the SYIP public review and public hearing process.
5. Projects shall move forward in general conformance with funding prioritizations, as determined by the Board of Supervisors upon adoption of the SYIP.
2. Verified packages will be forwarded to VDOT for concurrence of eligibility.
3. Applications determined eligible by the County and VDOT shall be evaluated by the County using the criteria and scoring tool published in the Rural Rustic Roads/ Rural Addition Assessment and Prioritization Project report, dated June 2015 (to be updated June 2020).
4. Evaluations and scores shall be presented with a staff recommendation to the Board of Supervisors during the SYIP public review and public hearing process.
5. Projects shall move forward in general conformance with funding prioritizations, as determined by the Board of Supervisors upon adoption of the SYIP.
Funding Prioritization
In recognition that both State and local funds are severely limited, the Board of Supervisors will consider the following hierarchy in applying public funds to road projects which have been adopted into the County’s prioritized SYIP list:1. Private Funds
On a case-by-case basis, and upon request and Board approval, the County Transportation Division will provide project administration of projects in which residents provide 100% of project funding.
2. Non-Match Funds
State, federal, or private funds which do not include a match requirement, and which are specifically designated for the sole use of unpaved or sub-standard road improvements shall be applied as follows:
a. Projects currently in the SYIP which lack funding for completion shall be completed first.
b. Projects not currently in the SYIP shall be completed in order of priority, as adopted in the most recent SYIP, with funds being accumulated on one project at a time until allocations reach the value of the most recent Engineer’s Estimate.
c. The County will accept private contributions for roadways in order of priority, as adopted in the most recent SYIP, with funds being accumulated on one project at a time until allocations reach the value of the most recent Engineer’s Estimate.
b. Projects not currently in the SYIP shall be completed in order of priority, as adopted in the most recent SYIP, with funds being accumulated on one project at a time until allocations reach the value of the most recent Engineer’s Estimate.
c. The County will accept private contributions for roadways in order of priority, as adopted in the most recent SYIP, with funds being accumulated on one project at a time until allocations reach the value of the most recent Engineer’s Estimate.
3. Matching Funds
In the case that residents are willing to provide project funding of 50% of the Engineer’s Estimate, the County Transportation Division will prepare a Revenue Sharing grant application for the project, and administer projects which receive requested grant funds necessary to fund 100% of the Engineer’s Estimate.
Below are links to Rural Rustic Road/ Rural Addition Reports from 2015 and 2020. These reports show the assessments and prioritization of each unpaved road.
COUNTY POLICY: Unpaved Roads Program
Looking for Maintenance Help for Your Private Road?
As an option for our citizens/homeowners, please click here for a list of local contractors/businesses that provide services such as ditching, paving, and adding stone that are available for you to contact and receive a quote, estimate regarding any repairs, and or maintenance that you may need done on your private road. Any work requested would be between the homeowner and the contractor/business.
