Use of 2008 Appropriation Balances (language only)

Item 444 #2s

Language
Page 381, after line 3, insert:
"G.1. In order to maximize the Department's cash management flexibility, balances from the Commonwealth of Virginia Transportation Capital Projects Revenue Bonds authorized pursuant to Item 459 H., Chapter 879 of the 2008 Acts of Assembly, in an amount totaling $31,070,647 shall be transferred from the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund to the Transportation Trust Fund and, notwithstanding the provisions of Item 449.10, Chapter 847 of the 2007 Acts of Assembly, shall be made available to advance projects eligible for federal grant programs.
2. An offsetting transfer of $31,070,647 of the amounts in the Transportation Trust Fund pursuant to § 33.1-23.03:1 shall be made to the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund, and notwithstanding the limitations contained in § 33.1-221.1:8 E, Code of Virginia, the Governor shall provide sufficient grants from this amount to advance the planning, acquisition and construction of the following projects: (i) capital construction needs for a unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test range on Wallops Island in support of activities designated in Virginia by the Federal Aviation Administration; (ii) the completion of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to review a reasonable range of corridor and transit technology alternatives to provide for the extension of Hampton Roads Transit fixed guideway transit service to Naval Station Norfolk as well as future fixed guideway connectivity to other cities in Hampton Roads including, a transit study in the cities of Hampton and Newport News for (a) corridor planning to identify potential areas for high capacity, fixed guideway transit connectivity, (b) defining areas of high commercial and residential growth and density as well as areas limited by increasing roadway congestion, and (c) evaluation of options that will define transit needs and possible alignment and technology solutions on the Peninsula with consideration given to future transit connectivity options to other cities in the Hampton Roads region; (iii) funding appropriate to finalize the transit study along the U.S. Route 1 corridor in Fairfax County that (a) addresses current and projected future traffic deficiencies with a viable long-term transit solution for the corridor, (b) transforms the area into transit-oriented and transit-supportive mixed use development near stations and stops, (c) initiates the environmental study to develop the documentation that will be required to comply with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), (d) conduct conceptual design and engineering for the locally preferred alternative (LPA), (e) refines the capital and operating costs for the LPA based on the conceptual design and engineering, (f) refines the cash flow model and funding analysis based on updated capital and operating costs, and (g) submit an application into the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts project development process; (iv) the identification of current and future core capacity gaps in Virginia Railway Express services; and (v) additional costs incurred in the completion of intersection improvements at Route 617 and Route 522. Notwithstanding the limitation contained in § 33.1-221.1:8 E. Code of Virginia, the Governor shall provide sufficient grants and loans from this amount to advance planning, acquisition, and construction of the projects listed above. Any funding remaining after the completion of the projects outlined above shall be returned to the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund in accordance with § 33.1-221.1:8 Code of Virginia."

Explanation
(This amendment dedicates funding of less than $31.0 million to five strategic transportation investment priorities.)