A. The funds appropriated in this section represent one-time federal funds, one-time general funds and uncommitted state funds in special programs for economic development and access purposes from previous fiscal years, and as such their appropriation is not subject to the intent in subsection Q of Item 430.
B. Included in this item are $233,400,000 in the first year in public funds made available for Highway Infrastructure Programs by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260), $20,000,000 in the first year out of uncommitted balances in the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund established pursuant to § 33.2-1528.1,, Code of Virginia, $15,000,000 in the first year in uncommitted balances previously allocated for Financial Assistance for Planning, Access Road, and Special Projects (60704), and $55,000,000 $170,796,000 in the second year from the general fund, including the FY 2021 General Fund Surplus directed to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund pursuant to § 2.2-1514 of the Code of Virginia. These funds shall be used by the Commonwealth Transportation Board support the following initiatives:
1. Up to $83,500,000 shall be transferred to Item 443 to extend intercity passenger rail service from Roanoke, Virginia to the Blacksburg-Christiansburg, Virginia area and increase the frequency of intercity passenger rail service along the I-81/Route 29 Corridor from Washington, DC;
2. Up to $83,500,000 shall be transferred to Item 442 to improve commuter rail service on the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line;
3. Up to $93,100,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 for improvements to the Interstate 64 Corridor as follows: (i) to provide any amounts necessary to complete the funding plan for the Hampton Roads Express Lanes as identified in the Master Agreement for Development and Tolling of the Hampton Roads Express Lanes Network executed pursuant to Chapter 703 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly, and (ii) any remaining amounts to improve Interstate 64 between exit 205 and exit 234 as determined by the Commonwealth Transportation Board;
4. Up to $32,400,000 shall be transferred to Item 442 with an amount necessary to ensure the Commonwealth can provide its share of the dedicated regional funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for fiscal year 2022 to be deposited into the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Capital Fund (60905) established pursuant to § 33.2-3401, Code of Virginia, and any amounts remaining after that shall be provided to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to reduce the fiscal year 2022 operational obligations of its member jurisdictions, based on the current formula, to Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess services;
5. Up to $10,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 for regional trails to support the planning, development and construction of multi-use trails with priority given by the Board to developing new regionals trails, to projects to improve connectivity of existing trail networks, and to geographic diversity in the use of such funds;
6. Up to $10,900,000 shall be transferred to Item 442 and used for purposes set forth in subsection F of § 33.2-1526.1:2, Code of Virginia, to establish pilot programs for fare-free transit with urban and rural transit providers, and an amount not to exceed $900,000 may be used to study transit equity and modernization in the Commonwealth; and,
7. Up to $10,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 for a connected infrastructure redevelopment demonstration program within and adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus in the City of Falls Church.
8. Up to $30,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 431 for improvements to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport that will enhance the capabilities of the Spaceport to support existing programs and provide access to space for new customers and programs;
9. Up to $25,796,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 for regional trails to support the planning, development and construction of multi-use trails in the Commonwealth to include the Fall Line Trail in central Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley Rail-Trail, and the Eastern Shore Rail Trail, and to address the findings of the workgroup established pursuant to subsection G of this Item;
10. Up to $20,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 for the Air Terminal Interchange at-grade intersection project located on the I-564 Intermodal Connector to support the Department's land lease with the U. S. Navy;
11. Up to $20,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 to improve Interstate 64 between exit 205 and exit 234 with priority given to enhancements that provide long-term traffic flow improvements for the full 29-mile corridor;
12. Up to $10,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 447 to return one-half of the amount taken in Item 447.10 from uncommitted balances in the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund established pursuant to § 33.2-1528.1, Code of Virginia;
13. Up to $10,000,000 shall be transferred to Item 381 to support efforts to address the loss of wildlife habitat impacted by transportation projects in Hampton Roads.
C. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall provide an interim report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the use of the funds provided by this item no later than November 1, 2021 and a final report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than June 30, 2022.
D. Any funds not allocated by June 1, 2022 for the purposes set forth in this section shall be transferred to Item 448 and used to support additional pavement and bridge maintenance pursuant with the Department of Transportation's asset management practices developed pursuant to § 33.2-352, Code of Virginia.
E. As a part of the initiative described in subsection B.1. of this item, the Secretary of Transportation shall provide an assessment of both the total project costs and incremental costs resulting from (i) the extension of intercity passenger rail to Bristol, Virginia; and (ii) modelling conducted to assess any infrastructure or network costs needed to service a rail station in Bedford, Virginia to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 15, 2021.
F. For amounts available pursuant to subsection B.3. of this item, the Board shall not distribute any funds for the Hampton Roads Express Lanes Network until updated traffic and revenue modeling considering summer weekend traffic volumes is completed and the amount necessary to complete the funding plan, if any, is determined by the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission in coordination with the Board. In the event that funds are available to improve the Interstate 64 corridor between exit 205 and exit 234, the Board shall coordinate with the Central Virginia Transportation Authority to determine whether there is an opportunity to partner with the Authority on such improvements.
G. As a part of the initiative described in subsection B.5., the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment shall coordinate a policy working group comprised of representatives from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Statewide Trails Advisory Committee, staff of the House Appropriations Committee, and staff of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The working group shall evaluate and recommend a prioritization process for the identification of new multi-use trail opportunities, a master planning process, and a funding needs assessment. The Office of Intermodal Planning shall report on the recommendations of the working group to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than October 15, 2021.
H. For the amounts available pursuant to subsection B.7., the Board shall not distribute any funds for the connected infrastructure redevelopment demonstration program unless the entity implementing and managing the demonstration program has entered into an agreement with the Department of Transportation to facilitate information sharing and knowledge exchange.
I. In carrying out the intent of this item, the federal funds provided in this item may be exchanged for existing state funds, as needed and at the discretion of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, to meet federal eligibility requirements provided the amount of the funding exchanged does not reduce or increase total funding available for the 2021 Transportation Funding Initiative.
J. If additional one-time, supplemental federal funds in excess of $55,000,000, with eligibilities similar to the public funds made available for Highway Infrastructure Programs by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260), is provided by the Federal Highway Administration to the Commonwealth prior to June 30, 2021, then the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget shall unallot the $55,000,000 in general funds in this item. Further it is the intent of the General Assembly that the provisions of subsection A. of this item apply to any such additional, supplemental federal funds described in this subsection.