There are four guiding principles for WVDOTs development of the 2050 LRTP:
- Deliver a transparent and accessible planning process for the public
The planning process will include every opportunity for West Virginia residents to review materials and provide input, even within the new virtual environment within which we all are living in 2020 and 2021.
- Engage stakeholders for policy and technical direction regional and local partners, economic development agencies, other State and Federal agencies
WVDOT works with a diverse group of partners to plan for, deliver, and maintain West Virginia’s multimodal transportation system. This group will provide guidance to WVDOT and help ensure that the plan reflects statewide, regional, and local priorities beyond just transportation – important topics like public health, economic development, tourism, and education.
- Meet MAP-21 and FAST Act requirements and establish best-practices for long-range planning
The last two Federal surface transportation authorization bills, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st century (MAP-21) and the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST Act), were both passed into law since WVDOT’s previous LRTP was developed. Each bill includes new requirements for WVDOT to consider as part of this LRTP. WVDOT also will use the outcomes of the LRTP to institute new planning transportation planning practices, like revenue forecasts.
- Coordinate across WVDOT Divisions to ensure a multimodal plan
WVDOT is a multimodal agency - owning and maintaining nearly 35,000 miles of roadway, including the West Virginia Turnpike, in addition to supporting public transit service, developing bicycle trails and sidewalks, facilitating passenger and freight rail, conducting airport planning, and supporting freight movement by all modes. This plan is for all of WVDOT.
The 2050 LRTP is more than just a plan, it also will help create new transportation planning practices that WVDOT and its partners will implement in the coming years.
2050 LRTP Goals and Objectives
The 2050 LRTP will be shaped by WVDOT’s mission and include unique goals and objectives that speak to West Virginia’s long-range transportation needs. Goals and objectives will build from prior WVDOT plans, Federal goals, and input from our stakeholders and the public.
Mission Statement: It is the mission of the West Virginia Department of Transportation to create and maintain for the people of West Virginia, the United States and the world a multi-modal and inter-modal transportation system that supports the safe, effective and efficient movement of people, information and goods that enhances the opportunity for people and communities to enjoy environmentally sensitive and economically sound development.
The Family of Plans
Planning is a continuous process for WVDOT. The 2050 LRTP will help WVDOT better link together planning, programming, and performance to support more efficient and transparent investments in the future. To do this, the 2050 LRTP will build from the great planning, programming, and performance efforts underway and recently completed by WVDOT and its partners. The 2050 LRTP will foster a “Family of Plans” approach.