The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is a regional governmental entity established to plan, prioritize and fund regional transportation programs. The NVTA covers Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.
The Authority is responsible for long range transportation project planning, prioritization and funding for regional transportation projects in Northern Virginia. The NVTA's policies and priorities are guided by two overarching goals: reduce congestion and move the greatest number of people in the most cost-effective manner. These two goals are combined with performance-based criteria such as the ability to improve travel times, reduce delays, connect regional activity centers, and improve safety and air quality. The Authority works toward regional consensus when setting regional transportation policies and priorities for transportation projects. The Authority is also charged with developing and updating the long range regional transportation plan for Northern Virginia, TransAction.