Let’s say the Virginia Senate tries again to push a new level of government, unelected regional transportation authorities, on Virginia. Virginians rejected this at the polls twice – 3 times if you count Jerry Kilgore’s loss.
Need a little help from the lawyers amongst us or those in the know of the Code of Virginia.
What prevents the Governor and VDOT from starting any major transportation projects – if the GA provides the funds?
For example, what stops the Governor from saying, “Here is the answer for the Third Crossing. It will cost $x million in Year One. It will connect truck and rail traffic from the Port of Virginia to the southside connection to Rte 460. It will include the expansion of the existing Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel with four new lanes and two new tubes carrying two lanes each. Tolls will be collected on every crossing of the James River from the Jamestown Ferry, James River Bridge, Monitor-Merrimac to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to help pay for the Third Crossing. VDOT will set the fee for the tolls and I will review it. I need the GA to provide the funds for the next 20 years in these amounts – please include the first two years in this budget.”
