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

A. The Department of Transportation shall review the formulas used in determining the financial assistance to localities distributions and make recommendations to the Commonwealth Transportation Board as to the appropriate allocations based on that review. The Commonwealth Transportation Board may adjust locality maintenance allocations accordingly.

B. Out of the amounts for Financial Assistance for Planning, Access Road, and Special Projects, $7,000,000 the first year and $7,000,000 the second year from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund shall be allocated for purposes set forth in §§ 33.1-221, 33.1-221.1:1, and 33.1-223, Code of Virginia. Of this amount, the allocation for Recreational Access Roads shall be $1,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 the second year.

C. Out of the amounts for Financial Assistance for Planning, Access Roads, and Special Projects, $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the second year from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund shall be provided to support the transportation planning activities of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. The Authority shall comply with all applicable federal and state regulations to receive the funds.

D.1.  To encourage local governments to assume responsibility for the management and administration of the design, acquisition, and construction of all non-interstate transportation facilities within their boundaries, $40,000,000 shall be transferred to this Item from Item 493.10 of this act.  Of the total amount, up to five percent of the funds may be provided to local governments for the start-up and staffing costs related to this function.

2. The first priority for funding from revenues made available in this item shall be for the development and expansion of a commuter parking lot in Prince William County at State Route 234 and Interstate 95 in Dumfries.

3.   As a second priority for receiving such funding, a locality must identify a project or projects scheduled for advertisement from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, that are funded from federal funds allocated through the secondary and urban allocation formula.  The replaced federal funds shall be used to advance another qualifying transportation project in the same locality.  

4.  For any city or town that assumes responsibility for its construction program as outlined in § 33.1-23.3 D, Code of Virginia, the two percent matching highway fund requirement shall be waived for all new projects as of July 1, 2005.

5. The Department of Transportation shall establish a Local Partnership Team to assist and provide technical assistance and training to localities.

6.  The Department of Transportation, working with representatives of local governments and local, regional, and state economic development agencies, will revise the definition of businesses and industry that qualify for access road funding.  Such work shall be complete so that its findings and recommendations can be considered by the Governor and General Assembly prior to the 2006 General Assembly session.

7. The Department of Transportation, working with representatives of counties, shall develop and prepare legislative recommendations on the process for any county, at their request, to assume responsibility for their secondary construction program. Such work shall be completed by November 1, 2005 and be provided to the Governor and the Senate and House Transportation Committees for their consideration.

E.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 33.1-75.1, Code of Virginia, the revenue sharing program shall be funded at $50,000,000 from the Transportation Trust Fund in the second year. This amount includes $35,000,000 from the Transportation Trust Fund included in this item as well as the $15,000,000 appropriated in Item 488 B. In addition to those localities eligible to participate pursuant to the provisions of § 33.1-75.1, Code of Virginia, any city or town that maintains its roadways may also receive matching funds under this program. Participating localities may identify a project or projects to receive up to $1,000,000 in dollar for dollar matching funds to assist in the maintenance, operation, or construction of the primary, urban or secondary road system infrastructure. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such funds may be used to take certain streets into the secondary system as outlined in § 33.1-72.1, Code of Virginia.

2. The Department of Transportation is directed to develop procedures relating to the selection of grant recipients under the local revenue sharing program by September 1, 2005, which shall include policies designed to guide project selection should grant applications exceed the funding made available for the program. When selecting projects, VDOT shall consider whether a locality proposes to provide a match greater than that which is required, if the maximum size of grants should be prorated to expand participation rates, and geographic breadth of grants provided.