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2000 SESSION

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004547824
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8 Offered January 12, 2000 Prefiled January 6, 2000 Requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to study setting aside rights-of-way for future rail service in the Tri-County Connector Corridor. ---------- Patrons-- Marshall and McQuigg ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, especially in rapidly growing, heavily populated areas such as Northern Virginia, a number of factors, particularly massive transportation demands and high costs of real estate, make it impossible to address transportation needs through highway construction alone; and

WHEREAS, although bus-based mass transit service can be very useful in addressing transportation problems that cannot be solved through highway construction alone, the value of bus-based systems is limited by their need, except where dedicated bus lanes or high-occupancy vehicle facilities are available, to use the same inadequate, congested highways used by other motor vehicles; and

WHEREAS, rail-based transportation is not highway-dependent, is generally less affected by severe weather than rubber-tire transportation, and can move large numbers of passengers quickly, conveniently, safely, and dependably; and

WHEREAS, experience both in Virginia and elsewhere that rail-based mass transit systems are much more readily accepted by the public, attract and retain very considerable riderships, and, thus make a relatively greater positive contribution to meeting transportation needs than bus-based systems; and

WHEREAS, as the example of Northern Virginia's Dulles Access Road Corridor attests, it is highly desirable, from the viewpoints both of transportation planning and financial efficiency, to make provision for rail access within newly created or expanded major highway corridors; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia Department of Transportation be requested to study setting aside rights-of-way for future rail service in the Tri-County Connector Corridor, between Virginia Route 234 in Manassas and Virginia Route 7 in Leesburg. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and affected local governments shall provide assistance to the Virginia Department of Transportation for this study, upon request.

The Virginia Department of Transportation shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2001 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.