SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2006 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 59
Requesting the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to conduct a study for improved public transportation services to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County and the Marine Corps Base at Quantico in Prince William and Stafford Counties. Report.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 14, 2006
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 6, 2006
 

WHEREAS, the U.S. Route 1 corridor in Northern Virginia, home to several large and vital military installations and numerous important commercial operations and major employment centers, is highly congested; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation has studied the U.S. Route 1 corridor for the purpose of increasing its vehicular capacity and developing a bus rapid transit service; and

WHEREAS, current serious levels of congestion in the U.S. Route 1 corridor will shortly be further exacerbated if the recommendations of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) are fully implemented; and

WHEREAS, implementation of the BRAC recommendations would add 21,000 personnel to the U.S. Army garrison at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County and add a further 5,000 personnel at the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Quantico in Prince William and Stafford Counties; and

WHEREAS, the funding of transit improvements should be a priority for the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, a long-term vision that includes transit-oriented economic development also is needed; and

WHEREAS, rapid transit can serve as a cost-effective and successful means of increasing travel capacity in this congested corridor; and

WHEREAS, it is important to maintain future options in the U.S. Route 1 corridor; and

WHEREAS, the study and development of a phased approach to highway, bus, bus rapid transit, light rail, and other transit options that encourages compact, transit-oriented development throughout the corridor would assist the Counties of Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford in their efforts to bring about pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use revitalization of U.S. Route 1; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Department of Rail and Public Transportation be requested to conduct a study for improved public transportation services to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County and the Marine Corps Base at Quantico in Prince William and Stafford Counties. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall conduct the study, in consultation with Fort Belvoir, Quantico Marine Corps Base, the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission, the Virginia Railway Express, and the Counties of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford.  This study shall not be conducted unless funding is provided by appropriations available in the Appropriation Act to assist impacted localities in funding needs associated with the implementation of and response to the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC).

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation for this study, upon request.

The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall complete its study by November 30, 2006, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.