Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Finds
The Authority
The Projects
The Taxes and Fees
Tolls and Tolling
Below are some commonly asked questions about the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority (HRTA) and answers to these questions.
The Authority
1. What is the HRTA?
The HRTA is a regional authority that was created by the Virginia General Assembly during its 2007 session. When signed by Governor Kaine, House Bill 3202 (HB 3202) created the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority along with other statewide transportation initiatives. HB 3202 also specifically identified the projects the HRTA is responsible for building as well as the taxes and fees the HRTA is able to impose. For more information about HB 3202, go to this website: http://www.hb3202.virginia.gov/ .
2. Who created the HRTA?
The Virginia General Assembly created the HRTA by passing HB 3202. Governor Kaine signed the bill in April of 2007. For more information about HB 3202, go to this website: http://www.hb3202.virginia.gov/ .
3. Who are the members?
HB 3202 names twelve Hampton Roads localities as voting members of the HRTA. They are: the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, and the counties of Isle of Wight, James City and York. There are five additional non-voting members. They are three members of the Virginia General Assembly appointed by General Assembly leadership, and representatives from state transportation departments, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (VDRPT).
4. How are the jurisdictions represented on the HRTA?
HB 3202 provides for each of the twelve jurisdictions to be represented on the HRTA by their highest elected official or their elected designee. The General Assembly leadership appointed three non-voting members from the General Assembly, and one additional non-voting representative from both VDOT and VDRPT. For a list of the members and the HRTA officers, click here.
5. How are HRTA decisions determined? How are votes tallied?
According to the HRTA bylaws, each voting member of the Authority shall be entitled to one vote on matters before the Authority. A quorum, consisting of seven (7) voting members, must be present to transact HRTA business. The quorum must represent at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the entire population encompassed by the Authority at the time of the vote. The population shall be determined by the most recently preceding decennial census, except that after July 1 of the fifth year following such census, the population of each county and city shall be adjusted, based on final population estimates made by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. No vote by any member of the Authority shall constitute or be construed as an official or unofficial commitment of the participating locality represented by such member.
6. Is the HRTA consistent with the constitution of Virginia?
While the General Assembly and Governor Kaine believe the legislation that created the HRTA is constitutional, there are a few court cases challenging its legality. Ultimately, the Virginia Supreme Court may decide constitutionality. Until determined otherwise, the HB 3202 legislation requires the HRTA to move forward.
7. What authority does the HRTA actually have?
The HRTA has only the authority granted to it by the Virginia General Assembly in HB 3202. It can only build the six projects outlined in the legislation. The HRTA can only impose the taxes and fees dictated by HB 3202.
8. When and where will the HRTA hold its meetings?
The HRTA meetings will follow the HRPDC/MPO meetings on the third Wednesday of the month as necessary. As the HRTA progresses, the meetings may rotate on a 2:1 basis – Southside to Peninsula – at fixed locations to be determined at a later date.
9. Will the HRTA allow a public comment period at its meetings?
The HRTA will have a public comment period for agenda items at the beginning of the meeting just prior to the start of the agenda discussions. There will also be a general comment period prior to adjournment. In both comment periods, individual public comments will be limited to three (3) minutes and speakers will be asked to sign-up prior to each meeting.
10. Will the HRTA tape or broadcast its meetings?
The HRTA meetings are recorded for re-broadcast on the internet and local governments’ cable access channels.
11. Does the HRTA have a public involvement/outreach program?
The HRTA has a Public Outreach Committee that has made recommendations to the Authority on a public outreach/involvement program. As the HRTA progresses and if appropriate, the HRTA will consider developing an RFP for professional services for public outreach initiatives. For more information on the recommendations of the Public Outreach Committee click here.
The Projects
12. What projects are to be built by the HRTA?
The projects outlined in HB 3202, in no particular order, are:
- The Third Crossing–
- Phase 1 - widening I-664 from Bowers Hill to Hampton
- Phase 2 - a bridge-tunnel running between the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel and I-564 in Norfolk; a connector traversing Craney Island, running between the above bridge-tunnel and the Western Freeway
- The Southeastern Parkway/Dominion Boulevard
- Midtown Tunnel/Martin Luther King Freeway Extension
- U.S. Route 460
- Widening I-64 (Peninsula) to Route 199
- Widening I-64 (Southside, including the High-Rise Bridge) from Battlefield Boulevard to Bowers Hill
For a location map for these projects,click here.
13. Why were these particular projects included?
These projects were included as a result of the federally mandated regional transportation planning process. Following a series of analyses beginning in 1999, the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) identified this package of six projects as needing additional state funding and tolls. The General Assembly met that need via HB 3202.
14. Why are improvements to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel not included?
Improvements to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) have not been included in the MPO’s transportation plans since the 1990s. Eleven alternatives were studied, including widening the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT). On July 16, 1997, the MPO selected the Third Crossing as the preferred alternative for improving transportation between the Southside and Peninsula. The following reasons for favoring the Third Crossing over the HRBT were stated by representatives of local governments:
- The Third Crossing “accommodates more total daily crossing traffic…than ANY option.”
- The Third Crossing more fully meets the purpose and need of crossing improvements.
- According to the study analyzing the eleven alternatives and presented to the MPO:
- The Third Crossing requires the removal of fewer residential units than the HRBT improvement.
- According to author of that study:
- The Third Crossing can be constructed in stages.
15. Can projects be added to the HRTA mission?
Only the Virginia General Assembly, through new legislation, can change the list of HRTA projects. However, it is important to note that the HRMPO can endorse and the Virginia General Assembly can approve funding from state sources of additional projects.
The Taxes and Fees
16. How does the HRTA get its funding?
The operation of the HRTA is funded through the taxes and fees it is authorized to impose and collect as legislated by the Virginia General Assembly in HB 3202. For more information about HB 3202, go to this website: http://www.hb3202.virginia.gov/ . HRTA projects can be funded through a variety of means (HRTA taxes and fees; tolls; federal, state, and local transportation funds; etc.)
17. What are the fees and taxes the HRTA has authority to impose?
At its August 10, 2007, meeting, the HRTA approved the imposition of the following fees and taxes as outlined in HB 3202:
- A $10 Vehicle Registration Fee
- A 1% Initial Vehicle Registration Fee
- A $10 Vehicle Safety Inspection Fee
- A 5% Sales and Use Tax on Automotive Repairs
- A $0.40/$100 of Value Grantor’s Tax on Real Estate Sales
- A 2% Motor Vehicle Fuels Tax
- A 2% Local Rental Car Tax
For more information, click here.
18. When will the fees and taxes be imposed?
The legislation permitted the HRTA to begin collecting the fees and taxes on January 1, 2008. However, as a result of public comments, the HRTA voted to defer the impositions of these fees and taxes until May 1, 2008.
19. Why were the fees and taxes deferred?
By deferring collection until May 2008, the General Assembly is afforded the opportunity to respond to public sentiment expressed at two public hearings held by the HRTA in August 2007 by re-examining the schedule of fees and taxes during its next session. The HRTA created its own Legislative Committee. It is currently developing a proposal for HRTA consideration that could be forwarded to the General Assembly recommending d adjustments to the schedule of fees or taxes.
20. How much money will the taxes and fees generate, as dictated by the legislation?
The money generated by the new fees and taxes, according to the latest state estimates for Fiscal Year 2009, are:
| Legislated Revenue Source | HB3202 Estimate FY09 | |
| $10 Automobile Inspection Fee | $ | 12,300,000 |
| 5% Tax on Automobile Repairs | $ | 18,900,000 |
| Grantor's Tax of 40¢ per $100 of Assessed Value* | $ | 42,800,000 |
| Motor Vehicle Rental Tax of 2% | $ | 3,500,000 |
| One-Time Vehicle Registration Fee of 1% | $ | 41,200,000 |
| Annual Vehicle Registration Fee of $10 | $ | 13,300,000 |
| 2% Retail Tax on Motor Fuel Sales | $ | 30,200,000 |
| Total Revenue | $ | 162,200,000 |
* Grantors Tax revised by Department of Taxation August 2007
21. Has the HRTA recommended an alternative to the revenue sources in HB 3202?
Yes. On October 17, 2007, the Legislative Committee recommended eliminating 4 of the revenue sources and modifying 3 as shown below.
HRTA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE |
||
Revenue Scenario |
HRPDC Estimate |
|
| $10 Automobile Inspection Fee | $ | - |
| 5% Tax on Automobile Repairs | $ | - |
| Grantor's Tax of 40¢ per $100 of Assessed Value | $ | - |
| Motor Vehicle Rental Tax of 5% | $ | 8,800,000 |
| One-Time Vehicle Registration Fee of 2% | $ | 82,400,000 |
| Annual Vehicle Registration Fee of $10 | $ | - |
| 5% Retail Tax on Motor Fuel Sales | $ | 75,600,000 |
| Total Revenue | $ | 166,800,000 |
Updated 10-12-07
For more information on the Legislative Committee’s recommendations, click here.
Tolls and Tolling
22. Are tolls to be included on the HRTA projects?
HB 3202 enables HRTA to collect tolls. According to the HRPDC/VDOT/FHWA toll feasibility study, tolls are a necessary funding source to supplement tax and fee revenue to build the six HRTA projects. For more information go to: http://www.hrpdcva.gov/Documents/SpecReports.asp
23. Why can’t tolls alone be used to pay for the HRTA projects?
According to the HRPDC/VDOT/FHWA toll feasibility study, tolls alone cannot fund this package of projects. There is a toll rate for each facility (called the “revenue maximizing” rate) above which toll revenue actually decreases due to decreasing usage of the roadway. Even if tolls were set at these high revenue-maximizing rates on all HRTA projects, the package of projects could not be funded without taxes and fees.
24. What toll rates can be expected?
The HRTA will conduct a traffic and revenue (T&R) study which will include expected toll rates for these projects.
25. Will just the HRTA projects be tolled or will other existing roads be tolled as well?
According to HB 3202, the HRTA can toll only those projects which it builds or improves, i.e. the six HRTA projects. Therefore, according to HB 3202, the HRBT cannot be tolled. Because the Downtown Tunnel and the Midtown Tunnel are considered by HB 3202 to be a single transportation facility, the Downtown Tunnel may also be tolled for improvements made to the Midtown Tunnel.
26. How are tolls to be collected?
HB 3202 requires HRTA toll facilities to be “capable of fully automated electronic operation” in order not to impede traffic flow.
27. Can all of the projects be funded with the tolls and fees?
The General Assembly designed HB 3202 to fully fund all six of the HRTA projects. A traffic and revenue (T&R) study will be conducted by HRTA to determine how long it will take for HRTA to build these projects based on financial constraints.
28. When will construction on these projects start?
Construction starts have not been established. Based on the results of the T&R study, construction timetables will be developed.
29. How long will it take to build these projects?
In its 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan, the MPO anticipates that Phase I of the Third Crossing plus the other five HRTA projects will all be constructed by the year 2030. Pending successful issuance of permits, some projects will be completed much sooner.
30. Isn’t the HRTA just an extension of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC)?
The HRTA is not an extension of the HRPDC. The legislation that created the HRTA, HB 3202, requires that the HRPDC staff provide initial administrative support for the HRTA. Once the HRTA hires its own staff, the HRPDC staff will turn support duties and responsibilities over to the HRTA staff. This method of start-up is not new. The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) and the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Authority were started in a similar manner.
