Virginia Code Title 33.2. Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems § 33.2-214.4. Statewide prioritization for the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund

A. 1. The Board shall develop a prioritization process for the use of funds allocated pursuant to subdivision D 2 of § 33.2-1526.1. Such prioritization process shall be used for the development of the Six-Year Improvement Program adopted annually by the Board pursuant to § 33.2-214. There shall be a separate prioritization process for state of good repair projects and major expansion projects. The prioritization process shall, for state of good repair projects, be based upon transit asset management principles, including federal requirements for Transit Asset Management pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 5326. The prioritization process shall, for major expansion projects, be based on an objective and quantifiable analysis that considers the following factors relative to the cost of a major expansion project: congestion mitigation, economic development, accessibility, safety, environmental quality, and land use.

2. The Board shall solicit input from localities, metropolitan planning organizations, transit authorities, transportation authorities, and other stakeholders in its development of the prioritization process pursuant to this subsection. Further, the Board shall explicitly consider input provided by an applicable metropolitan planning organization or the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority when developing the prioritization process set forth in subdivision 1 for a metropolitan planning area with a population of over 200,000 individuals.

B. 1. The Board shall create for the Department of Rail and Public Transportation a Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, consisting of two members appointed by the Virginia Transit Association, one member appointed by the Community Transportation Association of Virginia, one member appointed by the Virginia Municipal League, one member appointed by the Virginia Association of Counties, and three members appointed by the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, to advise the Department of Rail and Public Transportation in the development of the process set forth in subdivision 2. The Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall elect a chairman from among its membership. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall provide administrative support to the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee. The Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall meet at least annually and consult with interested stakeholders and hold at least one public hearing and report its findings to the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

2. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation, in conjunction with the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, shall develop a process for the distribution of the funds allocated pursuant to subdivision D 1 of § 33.2-1526.1 and the incorporation by transit systems of the service delivery factors set forth therein into their transit development plans. Prior to the Board approving service delivery factors, the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Chairman of the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee shall brief the House Committees on Appropriations and Transportation and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and on Transportation regarding the findings and recommendations of the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Before redefining any component of the service delivery factors, the Board shall consult with the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Transit Service Delivery Advisory Committee, and interested stakeholders, and shall provide for a 45-day public comment period. The process required to be delivered by this subsection shall be adopted no later than July 1, 2019, and shall apply beginning with the fiscal year 2020-2025 Six-Year Improvement Program.