SENATE BILL NO. 412 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 11, 2006 A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-229 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Intermodal Office of the Secretary of Transportation. ---------- Patron-- Houck ---------- Referred to Committee on General Laws ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 2.2-229 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.2-229. Intermodal Office of the Secretary of Transportation.

There is hereby established the Intermodal Office of the Secretary of Transportation, consisting of a director, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, and such additional transportation professionals as the Secretary of Transportation shall determine. It shall be the duty of the director of the office to advise the Secretary and the Commonwealth Transportation Board on intermodal issues, generally.

The purpose of the Office shall be:

1.  To advocate multimodal planning solutions as part of the six-year improvement program;

2.  To work with and coordinate action of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Virginia Port Authority, and the Virginia Department of Aviation to promote intermodal and multimodal solutions in each agency's strategic and long-range plans;

3.  To work with and review plans of regional transportation agencies and authorities;

4.  To assess implementation of intermodal planning, including periodic comparisons between and among statewide and regional multimodal plans;

5.  To develop transportation performance measures and prepare an annual performance report on state and regional efforts; and

6. To inventory intermodal facilities of statewide importance, prioritize new facilities, and recommend facilities for consideration in the six-year improvement plan.

The goals of the Office are to provide solutions that link existing systems, reduce congestion, improve mobility, and provide for greater travel options.