Virginia Code 33.2-214.4: Statewide prioritization for the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund
A. 1. The Board shall develop a prioritization process for the use of funds allocated pursuant to subdivision D 2 of § 33.2-1526.1. Such prioritization process shall be used for the development of the Six-Year Improvement Program adopted annually by the Board pursuant to § 33.2-214. There shall be a separate prioritization process for state of good repair projects and major expansion projects. The prioritization process shall, for state of good repair projects, be based upon transit asset management principles, including federal requirements for Transit Asset Management pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 5326. The prioritization process shall, for major expansion projects, be based on an objective and quantifiable analysis that considers the following factors relative to the cost of a major expansion project: congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, safety, environmental quality, and land use.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 33.2-214.4
- Asset management: means a systematic process of operating and maintaining the systems of state highways by combining engineering practices and analysis with sound business practices and economic theory to achieve cost-effective outcomes. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
- Board: means the Commonwealth Transportation Board. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
- Department: means the Department of Transportation. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
- State: includes District of Columbia;
(f) "Transit facilities" means all real and personal property located in the Zone, necessary or useful in rendering transit service between points within the Zone, by means of rail, bus, water or air and any other mode of travel, including, without limitation, tracks, rights-of-way, bridges, tunnels, subways, rolling stock for rail, motor vehicle, marine and air transportation, stations, terminals and ports, areas for parking and all equipment, fixtures, buildings and structures and services incidental to or required in connection with the performance of transit service;
(g) "Transit services" means the transportation of persons and their packages and baggage by means of transit facilities between points within the Zone including the transportation of newspapers, express and mail between such points, and charter service which originates within the Zone but does not include taxicab service or individual-ticket-sales sightseeing operations;
(h) "Transit Zone" or "Zone" means the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Zone created and described in Section 3 as well as any additional area that may be added pursuant to Section 83(a) of this Compact; and
(i) "WMATC" means Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission. See Virginia Code 33.2-3100
2. The Board shall solicit input from localities, metropolitan planning organizations, transit authorities, transportation authorities, and other stakeholders in its development of the prioritization process pursuant to this subsection. Further, the Board shall explicitly consider input provided by an applicable metropolitan planning organization or the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority when developing the prioritization process set forth in subdivision 1 for a metropolitan planning area with a population of over 200,000 individuals.
B. 1. The Board shall create for the Department of Rail and Public Transportation a Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, consisting of two members appointed by the Virginia Transit Association, one member appointed by the Community Transportation Association of Virginia, one member appointed by the Virginia Municipal League, one member appointed by the Virginia Association of Counties, and three members appointed by the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, to advise the Department of Rail and Public Transportation in the development of the process set forth in subdivision 2. The Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall elect a chairman from among its membership. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall provide administrative support to the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee. The Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall meet at least annually and consult with interested stakeholders and hold at least one public hearing and report its findings to the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
2. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation, in conjunction with the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, shall develop a process for the distribution of the funds allocated pursuant to subdivision D 1 of § 33.2-1526.1 and the incorporation by transit systems of the service delivery factors set forth therein into their transit development plans. Prior to the Board approving service delivery factors, the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Chairman of the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall brief the House Committees on Appropriations and Transportation and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and on Transportation regarding the findings and recommendations of the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Before redefining any component of the service delivery factors, the Board shall consult with the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, and interested stakeholders, and shall provide for a 45-day public comment period. The process required to be delivered by this subsection shall be adopted no later than July 1, 2019, and shall apply beginning with the fiscal year 2020-2025 Six-Year Improvement Program.