How to Become a Secondary Road

As Campbell County does not maintain roads, private roads are the responsibility of the owners of the land that are serviced by the roads. State maintained roads are managed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). 
 
To become state maintained, a road is first required to meet VDOT design standards that may require costly improvements. There is a process citizens must follow, which is outlined below.

Important Things to Note:

• VDOT only accepts applications in odd-numbered years.
• Smartscale applications are done in even years.
• Spring of each year is the pre-application process.
• Fall is when final applications are submitted.
• The next application deadline is late spring of 2025.

How Do I Request My Private Road to Become a State Maintained Road?

Who do I contact to initiate this process? 

• Contact County Administration AND your VDOT District Administrator

What do I ask for?

• Request an estimate to determine whether the road meets the qualifications to be state maintained by the state.
• Getting an estimate typically takes between 4-6 weeks, and once it is calculated, County Administration will contact the citizen with the information.

Are there any specifications needed prior to reaching out for an estimate? 

• Yes.  There must be at least a 50-foot wide, unobstructed right-of-way before the project can even be considered.

How much does this process usually cost? 

• The price varies depending upon several factors such as the condition of the road, and the number and size of any culverts needed.

Who is responsible for funding the project?

• The Revenue Sharing project states that the state will provide up to 50% of the funding to bring roads up to standards for them to be brought into the system; Citizens are responsible for the remaining percentage.
• There are no guidelines in place for how the money is raised. However, ONE check must be written for the remainder of the funds prior to construction on the road begins.

What should the citizen do once the estimate is received? 

• Discuss the estimate with other property owners along the road to help determine where the funding will come from for maintenance and upkeep. 

If all qualifications are met what happens next?

• County Administration will submit the request to the Board of Supervisors for approval.  

What happens after the final approval?

• County Administration will contact the VDOT District Representative to notify them of approval and inform them when funds are needed for their share of the cost.
• When the county receives the funds they are forwarded to VDOT and the project is put on the schedule.

How long will it take for my road to be fixed?

• Completing a private to secondary road transition may take between 3-5 years depending on the work to be done by VDOT.

State Funding Notice: 

• At the present time, state funding is not available for approximately 2-3 years after approval by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB).

Who do I contact if there is any additional questions about this process?

• Citizens are asked to contact County Administration with their questions regarding this process.