Through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the Federal Highway Administration provides State Planning and Research (SPR) funds to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to support transportation planning activities. VDOT, through its Rural Transportation Planning Assistance Program, provides a portion of its SPR funds to Planning District Commissions (PDCs) to carry out transportation planning activities in rural areas. In the program guidelines, rural areas are defined as those “outside the metropolitan study area boundaries approved by metropolitan planning organizations under Section 134 of Title 23, United States Code.” Through the Rural Transportation Planning Assistance Program, PDCs assist VDOT in meeting State Planning Process requirements for rural, non-metropolitan areas. In 2006, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU PL 109-59) continues the requirements that were laid out in the Transportation Equity Act.