A. The General Assembly declares it to be in the public interest that the economic development needs and economic growth potential of south-central and Southwest Virginia be addressed by the Fund. Moneys contained in the Fund shall be used for the costs of providing an adequate, modern, safe, and efficient highway system, generally along Virginia’s southern boundary (the Program), including environmental and engineering studies, rights-of-way acquisition, construction, improvements, and financing costs.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 33.2-2301

  • Board: means the Commonwealth Transportation Board. 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.
  • Highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way or place open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel in the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
  • Interstate System: means the same as that term is defined in 23 U. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
  • Locality: has the meaning assigned to it in § 1-221. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See Virginia Code 33.2-100
  • 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

  • Urban highway system: consists of those public highways, or portions thereof, not included in the systems of state highways, to which the Commonwealth Transportation Board directs payments pursuant to § 33. See Virginia Code 33.2-100

B. Allocations from the Fund shall be made annually by the Commonwealth Transportation Board for the creation and enhancement of a safe, efficient highway system connecting the communities, businesses, places of employment, and residents of the southwestern-most portion of the Commonwealth to the communities, businesses, places of employment, and residents of the southeastern-most portion of the Commonwealth, thereby enhancing the economic development potential, employment opportunities, mobility, and quality along such highway.

C. Allocations from the Fund shall not diminish or replace allocations made or planned to be made from other sources or diminish allocations to which any highway, project, facility, district, system, or locality would be entitled under other provisions of this title, but shall be supplemental to other allocations to the end that highway resource improvements in the U.S. Route 58 Corridor may be accelerated and augmented. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of this title, allocations from the Fund may be applied to highway projects in the Interstate System, primary or secondary state highway system, or urban highway system. Allocations under this subsection shall not be limited to projects involving only existing U.S. Route 58 but may be made to projects involving other highways, provided that the broader goal of creation of an adequate modern highway system generally along Virginia’s southern boundary is served thereby.

D. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may expend such funds from all sources as may be lawfully available to initiate the Program and to support bonds and other obligations referenced in subsection F. Any moneys expended from the Transportation Trust Fund for the Program, other than moneys contained in the Fund, may be reimbursed from the Fund, to the extent permitted by Article X, Section 9 of the Constitution of Virginia.

E. The Commonwealth Transportation Board is encouraged to utilize the existing four-lane divided highways, available rights-of-way acquired for additional four-laning, bypasses, connectors, and alternate routes.

F. To the extent permitted by Article X, Section 9 of the Constitution of Virginia, moneys contained in the Fund may be used to secure payment of bonds or other obligations, and the interest thereon, issued in furtherance of the purposes of this section. In addition, the Commonwealth Transportation Board is authorized to receive, dedicate, or use legally available Transportation Trust Fund revenues and any other available sources of funds to secure the payment of bonds or other obligations, including interest thereon, in furtherance of the Program. No bond or other obligations payable from revenues of the Fund shall be issued unless specifically approved by the General Assembly. No bond or other obligations, secured in whole or in part by revenues of the Fund, shall pledge the full faith and credit of the Commonwealth.

G. Forty million dollars shall be transferred annually to the Fund with the first such transfer to be made on July 1, 1990, or as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable. Such transfer shall be made by the issuance of a treasury loan at no interest in the amount of $40 million to the Fund to ensure that the Fund is fully funded on the first day of the fiscal year. Such treasury loan shall be repaid from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund pursuant to subsection C of § 33.2-1524. For each fiscal year following July 1, 1990, the Secretary of Finance is authorized to make additional treasury loans in the amount of $40 million on July 1 of such fiscal years, and such treasury loans shall be repaid in a like manner as provided in this subsection.

1989, c. 286, § 33.1-221.1:2; 2003, c. 302; 2014, c. 805; 2020, cc. 1230, 1275.