Authority: Title 33.1, Chapter 1, Code of Virginia.

A. 1. The Interstate, Primary, and Secondary Highway System Infrastructure Maintenance service areas preserve the public§s investment through efforts to maintain and enhance highway infrastructure to include pavements, bridges and structures, signals, technology and signs and stripes promoting a safe highway infrastructure.

2. The Highway System Services, Operations, and Programs service area improves mobility, safety, travel time reliability, and security by providing emergency response, safety, security, mobility and related services on the ground transportation system of the state.

B. Out of the funds provided in this program, an amount estimated at $177,790,007 the first year and $194,533,826 the second year from federal funds shall be used to address the maintenance of pavements and bridges and the operations of the transportation system.  These funds shall be matched by other funds appropriated to this Item.

C. The department is authorized to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement officials to facilitate the enforcement of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) restrictions throughout the Commonwealth and metropolitan planning regions.

D.  Should federal law be changed to permit privatization of rest area operations, the Department is hereby authorized to accept or solicit proposals for their development and/or operation under the Public Private Transportation Act.

E.  The Director, Department of Planning and Budget, is authorized to increase the appropriation in this Item as needed to utilize amounts available from prior year balances in the dedicated funds.

F. Prior to undertaking any network capacity improvements or other enhancements to roads intersecting with State Route 193 ("Georgetown Pike"), including the intersection with State Route 7, the Commissioner, in coordination with the Director of the Department of Historic Resources, shall ensure that any proposed improvements respect the historic nature of Georgetown Pike.