Page 573

_ 573 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 420. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION § 1-120. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION (186) 420. Administrative and Support Services (79900) $1,068,986 $1,068,986 General Management and Direction (79901) $1,068,986 $1,068,986 Fund Sources: Commonwealth Transportation $1,068,986 $1,068,986 Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 2, Article 10, § 2.2-201, and Titles 33, 46, and 58, Code of Virginia. A. The transportation policy goals enumerated in this act shall be implemented by the Secretary of Transportation, including the secretary acting as Chairman of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. 1. The maintenance of existing transportation assets to ensure the safety of the public shall be the first priority in budgeting, allocation, and spending. The highway share of the Transportation Trust Fund shall be used for highway maintenance and operation purposes prior to its availability for new development, acquisition, and construction. 2. It is in the interest of the Commonwealth to have an efficient and cost-effective transportation system that promotes economic development and all modes of transportation, intermodal connectivity, environmental quality, accessibility for people and freight, and transportation safety. The planning, development, construction, and operations of Virginia's transportation facilities will reflect this goal. 3. To the greatest extent possible, the appropriation of transportation revenues shall reflect planned spending of such revenues by agency and by program. B. The maximization of all federal transportation funds available to the Commonwealth shall be paramount in the budgetary, spending, and allocation processes. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the secretary and all agencies within the transportation secretariat are hereby authorized to take all actions necessary to ensure that federal transportation funds are allocated and utilized for the maximum benefit of the Commonwealth, whether such actions or funds or both are authorized under P.L. 117-58 of the 117th Congress, or any successor or related federal transportation legislation, or regulation, rule, or guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation or any federal agency. The secretary and agencies within the transportation secretariat shall utilize, to the maximum extent practicable, the flexibility provided in federal law, regulation, rule, or guidance to use federal funds in a manner consistent with the Code of Virginia. However, neither the secretary nor an agency in the transportation secretariat may materially delay a project selected pursuant to § 33.2-214.1, Code of Virginia, under the authority in this paragraph. 2. The secretary shall ensure that the allocation of transportation funds apportioned and for which obligation authority is expected to be available under federal law shall be in accordance with such laws and in support of the transportation policy goals enumerated in section A. of this Item. Furthermore, the secretary is authorized to take all actions necessary to allocate the required match for federal highway funds to ensure their appropriate and timely obligation and expenditure within the fiscal constraints of state transportation revenues and in support of the efforts addressed in B.1. By June 1 of each year, the secretary, as Chairman of the Board, shall report to the Governor and General Assembly on the allocation of such federal transportation funds and the actions taken to provide the required match. 3. The board shall only make allocations providing the required match for federal Regional Surface Transportation Block Grant Program funds to those Metropolitan Planning Organizations in urbanized areas greater than 200,000 that, in consultation with the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment, have developed regional transportation and land use performance measures pursuant to Chapters 670 and 690 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly and have been approved by the board.