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2006 SESSION

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SB 192 Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel Authority; created.

Introduced by: Martin E. Williams | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel. Establishes the Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel Authority and transfers from VDOT to the Authority control of and responsibility for seven facilities in Hampton Roads.  The bill allows the Authority to impose and collect tolls for the use of these facilities and provides for the eventual transfer to the Authority control of and responsibility for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel as well.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission.  Changes the composition of the Commission from 11 members appointed by the Governor to 11 members chosen by certain local governments and gives the Commission responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge, the James River Bridge, the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the Midtown Tunnel, and the Downtown Tunnel. The bill also allows the Commission to charge tolls for use of these facilities and use toll proceeds for operation, maintenance, and improvements, and further provides for annual payments to the Commission by the Commonwealth Transportation Board based on the moneys that would otherwise flow from the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and the Highway Maintenance and Operating Fund (HMOF). The amount of these latter payments would increase annually to reflect increases in the moneys flowing into the TTF and HMOF.

The Commission is also authorized to construct new facilities if necessary to carry out its other responsibilities under the bill.  If new facilities are to be constructed, the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner would exercise his power of eminent domain in connection with the construction upon request of the Commission.  Any such construction project would be funded by the Commonwealth Transportation Board from funds available for allocation to construction projects in the highway system of which the new facility would be a part.  The Commission is also authorized to construct additional facilities by acting as a responsible public entity under the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995.

The bill also provides, in final clauses, that, in carrying out the provisions of this bill, the Commission cannot divert the proceeds derived from tolls on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the support of any other facility or improvements to any other facility until all bonds and other financial obligations of the authority issued or entered into prior to July 1, 2006, have been paid in full and that no provision of this bill shall be so construed as to infringe any indenture or contract associated with any bonds or other financial obligations entered into by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 2006.