Planning Specialist

Overview

The Transportation Planning Specialist position involves coordination with diverse entities to carry out transportation planning programs and activities. This role supports urban and rural planning operations by contributing to long-range planning processes such as TIPs, STIPs, and project development. Utilizing technical tools including capacity analysis and geospatial software, the specialist identifies deficiencies and recommends improvements to meet future transportation demands across district localities. Ongoing communication with local governments and integration of the Statewide Planning System (SPS) with corridor studies, traffic requests, and prioritization are key duties.

Key Responsibilities

• Communicate effectively by addressing public inquiries, attending hearings for major studies and projects, and making presentations to civic and government groups on transportation planning and land development.
• Support the District PIM section and project development efforts through coordinated planning related to land development, programming, and project advancement; provide recommendations guided by highway needs assessments and regional studies for inclusion in programming. Prepare supportive documentation including traffic forecasts, transportation impacts, socioeconomic data, and land use analysis.
• Perform technical reviews of local land development plans including rezoning, subdivisions, site plans, and plats; thoroughly assess traffic impact studies; deliver traffic projections and capacity analyses for design projects.
• Generate local and regional travel demand forecasts for milestone years using data, reports, and modeling. Represent transportation measures with geospatial displays and provide roundabout analyses and strategic recommendations for design and environmental review.
• Act as a technical resource and leader within Transportation Mobility and Planning Division by coordinating district planning activities across urban, rural, and statewide programs. Guide district staff, local planning commissions, and government organizations to meet various federal and state transportation objectives. Represent the district’s MPO and PDC urban and rural planning programs as a liaison on Boards and Committees.
• Conduct and manage transportation planning studies, such as corridor, access management, crossover, and interchange analyses. Collect and analyze data to support transportation initiatives. Administer Requests for Proposals (RFPs), scopes of work, contracts, and invoices related to state grants, consulting engagements, and multi-modal grants.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Strong leadership and coaching capabilities for diverse staff.
• Proven ability to create and maintain innovative solutions addressing transportation planning and mobility challenges.
• Capability to guide individuals and teams toward focused objectives with sensitivity to organizational dynamics.
• Financial resource management expertise.
• Competency in organizing and interpreting transportation data.
• Skill in prioritizing, coordinating, and completing multiple tasks within defined deadlines.
• Extensive knowledge of transportation planning, traffic engineering principles, and regulations applicable at federal, state, and local levels.
• Demonstrated experience in applying transportation planning principles to complex project scenarios.
• Expertise in traffic analysis methodologies.
• Ability to engage positively with government officials, citizens, and colleagues.
• Proficiency in computer systems and relevant software applications.

Educational and Experience Preferences

• Combination of education, training, and practical experience in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, or a related field is preferred.
• Certification as a Planner via the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is an asset.
• Experience serving as a liaison for multiple stakeholders including government bodies, special interests, and the public.
• Background in long-range transportation planning including forecasting, traffic studies, and transportation analyses.
• Familiarity with transportation and traffic engineering software, such as Highway Capacity Software.

Additional Information

• Salary range for this role is $64,738 to $105,200 annually.
• Position based in Culpeper, Virginia at 1601 Orange Road, operating full-time onsite.
• Applicants must adhere to VDOT's Code of Ethics and Commonwealth's Standards of Conduct.