HB599: Northern Virginia Transportation District; responsibilities of Department of Transportation.


HOUSE BILL NO. 599
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee
on March 8, 2012)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate LeMunyon)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1, relating to evaluation of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District; reports.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1 as follows:

§ 33.1-13.03:1. Responsibilities of the Department of Transportation for analysis of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

A. The Department of Transportation, in ongoing coordination with the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, shall evaluate all significant transportation projects, including highway, mass transit, and technology projects, in and near the Northern Virginia Transportation District, to the extent that funds are available for such purpose. The evaluation shall provide an objective, quantitative rating for each project according to the degree to which the project is expected to reduce congestion and the degree to which the project is expected to improve regional mobility in the event of a homeland security emergency. Such evaluation shall rely on analytical techniques and transportation modeling, including those that employ computer simulations currently and customarily employed in transportation planning. The Department of Transportation may rely on the results of transportation modeling performed by other entities, including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and private entities contracted for this purpose, provided that such modeling is in accordance with this section. The Department of Transportation shall publicize the quantitative ratings determined for each project on its website and complete the evaluation at least once every four years, with interim progress reports provided on the website at least once every six months starting January 1, 2013.

B. In determining the allocation of highway construction funding in the Northern Virginia Transportation District, the Commonwealth Transportation Board shall, in ongoing coordination with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, give priority to projects that most effectively reduce congestion in the most congested corridors and intersections. However, nothing in this section shall limit the ability of the Commonwealth Transportation Board to consider other criteria, including the performance-based criteria set forth in § 15.2-4838.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed or implied to direct funding to the Northern Virginia Transportation District from another transportation district.

D. For purposes of this section, the significant transportation projects to be evaluated shall comprise at least 25 such projects selected according to priorities determined by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, in ongoing coordination with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, without regard to the funding source of the project, and may include but not be limited to:

1. Projects included in the version of the Financially Constrained Long-Range Transportation Plan of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board in effect when the evaluation is made, plus additional projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's TransAction 2030 Regional Transportation Plan and subsequent updates; and

2. Other highway, rail, bus, and technology projects that could make a significant impact on mobility in the region, to include additional Potomac River crossings west and south of Washington, D.C.; extension of the Metro Orange Line, Metro Yellow Line, and Metro Blue Line; bus rapid transit on Interstate Route 66; vehicle capacity and mass transit improvements on the U.S. Route 1 corridor; and implementation of relevant portions of the Statewide Transportation Plan established pursuant to § 33.1-23.03.


HOUSE BILL NO. 599
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Transportation
on February 22, 2012)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate LeMunyon)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1, relating to evaluation of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District; reports.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1 as follows:

§ 33.1-13.03:1. Responsibilities of Commonwealth Transportation Board for long-range transportation planning in the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board, in coordination with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, shall evaluate all significant transportation projects in and near the Northern Virginia Transportation District, including both highway and mass transit projects.  Policies and priorities for funding projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District shall be guided by performance-based criteria as set forth in § 15.2-4838.  In determining the allocation of highway construction funding in the Northern Virginia Transportation District, the Commonwealth Transportation Board shall give priority to projects that most effectively reduce congestion in the most congested corridors and intersections.

For purposes of this section, the significant transportation projects to be evaluated shall comprise at least 25 such projects, without regard to funding source, and include but not be limited to:

1.Projects included in the version of the Financially Constrained Long-Range Plan of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Board in effect when the evaluation is made, plus additional projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority?s TransAction 2030 Plan and subsequent updates; and

2. Other highway, rail, and bus projects that could make a significant impact on mobility in the region. 


HOUSE BILL NO. 599
FLOOR AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by Delegate LeMunyon
on February 13, 2012)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate LeMunyon)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1, relating to evaluation of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District; reports.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1 as follows:

§ 33.1-13.03:1. Responsibilities of the Department of Transportation for long-range transportation planning in the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

A. In establishing the policies and priorities for the Northern Virginia Transportation District, the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, shall evaluate all significant transportation projects, including highway, mass transit, and technology projects, in and near the Northern Virginia Transportation District, to the extent that funds are available for such purpose, and provide an objective, quantitative rating for each project according to the degree that congestion is expected to be reduced by the project and the degree to which regional mobility is expected to be improved by the project in the event of a homeland security emergency. Such evaluation shall rely on analytical techniques and transportation modeling, including those that employ computer simulations currently and customarily employed in transportation planning. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall consider the quantitative ratings in the allocation of transportation infrastructure funds. The Department of Transportation may rely on the results of transportation modeling performed by other entities, including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and private entities contracted for this purpose, provided that such modeling is in accordance with this section. The Department of Transportation shall publicize the quantitative ratings determined for each project on its website and complete the evaluation at least once every four years, with interim updates provided on the website at least once every six months starting January 1, 2013.

B. For purposes of this section, the significant transportation projects to be evaluated shall comprise at least 25 such projects selected according to priorities determined by the Department of Transportation, without regard to the funding source of the project, and shall include but not be limited to:

1. Projects included in the version of the Financially Constrained Long-Range Transportation Plan of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board in effect when the evaluation is made, plus additional projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's TransAction 2030 Regional Transportation Plan and subsequent updates; and

2. Other highway, rail, bus, and technology projects that could make a significant impact on mobility in the region, to include additional Potomac River crossings west and south of Washington, D.C.; extension of the Metro Orange Line, Metro Yellow Line, and Metro Blue Line; bus rapid transit on Interstate Route 66; vehicle capacity and mass transit improvements on the U.S. Route 1 corridor; and implementation of relevant portions of the Statewide Transportation Plan established pursuant to § 33.1-23.03.


HOUSE BILL NO. 599
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Transportation
on February 7, 2012)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate LeMunyon)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1, relating to evaluation of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District; reports.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1 as follows:

§ 33.1-13.03:1. Responsibilities of Commonwealth Transportation Board for long-range transportation planning in the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

A. In establishing the policies and priorities for the Northern Virginia Transportation District, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, shall evaluate all significant transportation projects in and near the Northern Virginia Transportation District, including highway, mass transit, and technology projects, and provide an objective, quantitative rating for each project according to (i) the total amount of reduction in traffic congestion regionally and separately and (ii) the amount of reduction in traffic congestion expected to be achieved per dollar cost of the project. Such evaluation shall rely on transportation modeling that employs computer simulations using methods currently and customarily employed in transportation modeling. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may rely on the results of transportation modeling performed by other entities, including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Department of Transportation, or private entities contracted for this purpose by the Board or other entities, provided that the modeling is in accordance with this section. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall publicize the quantitative ratings determined for each project on its website and update such findings at least every four years, with the first report to be made no later than January 1, 2013. Each such report shall also contain two lists with at least five of the best-rated projects on each list that should be completed to:

1. Reduce congestion as quickly as possible during typically congested periods, which shall be known as the Northern Virginia Congestion Reduction List; and

2. Maximize regional mobility and minimize the loss of life in the event of a homeland security emergency in the national capital area in plausible scenarios determined in consultation with the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, which shall be known as the Homeland Security Risk Reduction List.

Such lists need not be mutually exclusive and shall be considered by the Board in making decisions regarding the allocation of transportation infrastructure funds.

B. For purposes of this section, the significant transportation projects to be evaluated shall comprise at least 25 such projects, without regard to funding source, and include but not be limited to:

1. Projects included in the version of the Financially Constrained Long-Range Plan of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Board in effect when the evaluation is made, plus additional projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's TransAction 2030 Plan and subsequent updates; and

2. Other highway, rail, bus, and technology projects that could make a significant impact on mobility in the region, to include additional Potomac River crossings west and south of Washington, D.C., extension of the Metro Orange Line, bus rapid transit on Interstate Route 66, and relevant portions of the Statewide Transportation Plan established pursuant to § 33.1-23.03.

HOUSE BILL NO. 599
Offered January 11, 2012
Prefiled January 10, 2012
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1, relating to evaluation of transportation projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation District; reports.
Patron-- LeMunyon

Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 33.1-13.03:1 as follows:

§ 33.1-13.03:1. Responsibilities of Commonwealth Transportation Board for long-range transportation planning in the Northern Virginia Transportation District.

A. In establishing the policies and priorities for the Northern Virginia Transportation District, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, shall evaluate all significant transportation projects in and near the Northern Virginia Transportation District, including both highway and mass transit projects, and provide an objective, quantitative rating for each project according to (i) the total amount of reduction in traffic congestion regionally and separately and (ii) the amount of reduction in traffic congestion expected to be achieved per dollar cost of the project. Such evaluation shall rely on transportation modeling that employs computer simulations using methods currently and customarily employed in transportation modeling. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may rely on the results of transportation modeling performed by other entities, including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Department of Transportation, or private entities contracted for this purpose by the Board or other entities, provided that the modeling is in accordance with this section. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall publicize the quantitative ratings determined for each project on its website and update such findings at least every three years, with the first report to be made no later than January 1, 2013. Each such report shall also contain two lists with at least five of the best-rated projects on each list that should be completed to:

1. Reduce congestion as quickly as possible during typically congested periods, which shall be known as the Northern Virginia Congestion Reduction List; and

2. Maximize regional mobility and minimize the loss of life in the event of a homeland security emergency in the national capital area in plausible scenarios determined in consultation with the Office of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, which shall be known as the Homeland Security Risk Reduction List.

Such lists need not be mutually exclusive and shall be used as guidance by the Board in making decisions regarding the allocation of funds.

B. For purposes of this section, the significant transportation projects to be evaluated shall comprise at least 25 such projects, without regard to funding source, and include but not be limited to:

1. Projects included in the version of the Financially Constrained Long-Range Plan of the Capital Region Transportation Planning Board in effect when the evaluation is made, plus additional projects in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's TransAction 2030 Plan and subsequent updates; and

2. Other highway, rail, and bus projects that could make a significant impact on mobility in the region, to include additional Potomac River crossings west and south of Washington, D.C., extension of the Metro Orange Line, bus rapid transit on Interstate Route 66, and relevant portions of the Statewide Transportation Plan established pursuant to § 33.1-23.03.