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2000 SESSION

005555420
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 55
Offered January 13, 2000
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study shifting Virginia's highway freight traffic to railroads.
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Patrons-- Edwards, Couric, Hanger, Marye, Potts, Puckett, Trumbo and Wampler; Delegate: Woodrum
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, safety is a primary goal of he Commonwealth's transportation program ; and

WHEREAS, many of the Commonwealth's interstate highways are experiencing an erosion of safety as the result of staggering increases in truck traffic; and

WHEREAS, one acute example of this situation is Interstate Route 81, whose design intended the facility to carry no more than 15 percent of its total traffic volume as truck traffic, but whose current traffic is made up of as much as 40 percent trucks; and

WHEREAS, widening Interstate Route 81 alone is estimated to cost approximately $3 billion and take at least 10 years to complete, with similar improvements to other interstate highways with high truck traffic volumes costing comparable amounts and requiring no less time; and

WHEREAS, it may be both desirable and feasible in the short term to alleviate excessive volumes of truck traffic on Interstate Route 81 and other interstate highways in Virginia to seek to shift freight traffic from trucks on our highways to trains on our railroads; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study shifting Virginia's highway freight traffic to railroads. The joint subcommittee shall be composed of 10 members as follows: four members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and six members of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $7,500.

The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staff support for the study. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee, upon request.

The joint subcommittee 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.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.