The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority voted Oct. 9 to add a regional transportation planner position and approve related FY2026 budget adjustments, citing heavy project delivery workload and a backlog of reimbursements and deappropriations.

Mike Longhi, NVTA staff, told the authority that planning staff touch reimbursements on roughly 60% of requests and that the authority currently manages more than 100 active or soon‑to‑be‑active SPAs (standard project agreements) that generate varying reimbursement packages. Longhi said stronger project delivery staffing reduces the risk that funds remain unused and that staff work has recovered and reprogrammed substantial balances into the six‑year program.

Finance and delivery context provided to the authority:
- Project closeouts and staff work returned roughly $104 million to the authority’s balance sheet for reuse in the six‑year program.
- The authority also processed voluntary project withdrawals totaling about $65.1 million and deappropriations near $32.6 million; separate cancellations (Route 28 in Prince William County) are additional and outside those totals.

Chair Randall (presiding) moved the approval and Senator Boyseco seconded the motion. Members discussed the justification for the position and asked for clarity on role scope and title; several members said the position’s work is primarily to execute and accelerate projects rather than conduct only long‑range planning. The motion passed unanimously.

The authority also discussed, and later voted to table, a separate proposed communications and outreach manager position until April to allow members time to consult with local staff before acting on that role.