Amendments were flying today in Senate Transportation as HB1402, Delegate Loupassi of Richmond’s bill to provide that cities and towns would not lose their highway maintenance payments from VDOT if they converted travel lanes to transit or bicycle lanes was being heard.
I’m not absolutely positive what the final bill will look like until I see it in writing, but my take on what ended up being Reported unanimously contained amendments — to make it apply only to Richmond; then to put a one year “Sunset” date of 7/1/16 on it; then (after a number of witnesses from other jurisdictions strongly testified that it was needed statewide to eliminate the current disincentive to convert travel lanes to bike lanes) an amendment from Sen. Barbara Favola of Fairfax was passed to expand the scope of the bill to the entire state; then, finally to refer the entire matter to further Study by the Secretary of Transportation’s staff to be taken up again next year.
If I’m incorrect, I’ll clarify the situation, but I think the bottom line is — Richmond only, for transit and bike lanes, for one year, then the entire statewide situation to be revisited in the next legislative session.
Meanwhile, on the House floor, SB781, the “Crossing the Double Yellow Line” bill, had second reading today and should be up for third reading and a vote tomorrow, so this is your last chance to get on board a ship that is “sailing through” by sending a request for support to your Delegate tonight or tomorrow morning prior to tomorrow’s vote, if you haven’t done so already.
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