Authority: Title 33.1, Code of Virginia.

A. Out of the amounts for Rail Development Programs $3,000,000 the first year and $3,000,000 the second year may be allocated for use by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in order to acquire, lease, improve, or assist other appropriate entities to acquire, lease, or improve railways for passenger and freight rail transportation purposes which the Board determines are for the common good of the Commonwealth or a region of the Commonwealth.

B. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall perform a feasibility study of establishing a tourist train between Pocahontas, Virginia and Bramwell, West Virginia. The Department shall report its findings to the 1999 Session of the General Assembly.

C. No later than December 1, 1999, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall present to the Governor and Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees a study on the feasibility of constructing a commuter rail from the existing mass transit rail facilities at Springfield connecting to the mass transit rail facilities at or near Tysons Corner and Vienna. The study shall examine the continuation of rail from Tysons Corner to a connection with rail in Maryland and the Department shall cooperate with the State of Maryland in such study. The study shall include the feasibility of construction and the advantages of building on existing public rights-of-way (including, but not limited to, power line easements).

D. Industrial parks or areas designated as Enterprise Zones under the provisions of Senate Bill 1187 shall receive first priority for funding under the Rail Access Program. Three such zones shall qualify for priority consideration. Funding amounts for these sites shall conform to the guidelines established by the Department.

E. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall allocate to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation $25,000 from transportation revenues to assess the technology available to address travel problems on Interstate 66 and to report on the suitability of that technology for implementation in the next two years.

F. Out of this appropriation, $50,000 the second year from all available transportation revenues shall be provided to plan the implementation of tourist train service between Pocahontas, Virginia, and Bramwell, West Virginia.

G. Out of this appropriation, $173,319 from the general fund in the second year shall be provided for the Eastern Shore Railroad principal payment due in April 2000 on bonds of the Virginia Resources Authority.