The MAP team was excited to participate in the 2021 VDOT Local Programs Workshop which took place last week in downtown Norfolk. It’s hard to believe that it had been over 18 months since our staff had attended a conference or workshop, in person, since the beginning of 2020.

The conference was a success and provided opportunities to learn about some of the latest advances and innovations that VDOT has made in their approach to locally-administered projects throughout the state of Virginia. With the implementation of their new NEPA certification, VDOT is paving the way for consultants and localities to navigate the NEPA process more efficiently and consistently – something that excites our team here at MAP. During the course of the 3-day conference, VDOT held several important workshops relating to all stages of projects, from feasibility and scoping, NEPA and permitting, to construction and completion of projects. Panel discussions were open and honest, providing a space for discussing lessons learned from the past, as well as identifying solutions for the future.

Perhaps just as important as the information learned during the conference, was the opportunity to network with so many contacts that MAP has made over the past twenty-three years. As the world gets back to some sense of normalcy, it’s refreshing to finally catch up with people in person as well as to put faces with names. There truly is no replacement for in-person human interaction, which is the cornerstone for many small, local businesses like MAP Environmental Inc. !