Regional Chamber members individually urged the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to activate the regional funding mechanisms. They described the adverse impact gridlock has on businesses, making deliveries and service calls more costly. They talked about the impact on employees who arrive late or stressed to work because of growing commutes. Regional Chamber Chairman-Elect Jo Ann Bell of Virginia Commerce Bank said, “I take pride in being on time, but anymore there are no guarantees. The loss of productivity is unbelievable to Virginia Commerce Bank as employees try to get from point A to point B.”
When the General Assembly passed HB 3202 this February, it provided the first major new transportation funding in 20 years! HB 3202 will raise as much as $525 million annually throughout the state (with as much as $150 million directed toward Northern Virginia) and allows Northern Virginia to raise and keep approximately $400 million annually.
The regional option portion of HB 3202 authorizes the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority – through regional funding mechanisms – to raise approximately $300 million per year. It also allows another $100 million to be raised by and spent in local Northern Virginia local jurisdictions, including Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Transportation solutions have been slow to come from Richmond. The Region’s Chamber urged Prince William representatives to the General Assembly -- before they went to Richmond in January 2007 -- to work with their colleagues in the rest of Northern Virginia and the state to address transportation. HB 3202 was the result. While HB 3202 is imperfect, it offers the only hope of funding in the near future.
