HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 95
(By Delegates Boggs, Argento, Barker, Beane, Brown, Browning,
Butcher, Campbell, Cann, DeLong, Eldridge, Ferrell, Hatfield,
Hrutkay, Hunt, Iaquinta, Leach, Louisos, Miley, Morgan, Palumbo,
Perry, Pethtel, Pino, Poling, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton,
Stemple, Stephens, Swartzmiller, Tucker, Varner, Webster, Wells,
Wysong and Yost)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study
the West Virginia Department of Transportation and the ways
the Department of Transportation can improve and maintain the
state's roads and bridges and the ways the Department of
Transportation can modernize West Virginia's key highways to
support economic development, tourism, traffic safety and
promote the public welfare.
Whereas, It is critical that the State of West Virginia
develops and maintains a modern transportation system that can
accommodate future growth in population, vehicle travel, tourism
and economic development; and
Whereas, West Virginia's extensive system of roads and bridges
provides the State's 1.8 million residents and visitors with a high
level of mobility; and
Whereas, West Virginia is one of only four states in the nation in which there is no county or city ownership of highways; and
Whereas, West Virginia is responsible for maintaining more than
ninety-four percent of all public highway mileage (35,800 miles) in
the State - the highest of such percentages in the nation; and
Whereas, A November 2004 report by The Road Information Program
(TRIP) shows that: (1) More than one-in-three lane miles of road
in West Virginia is in substandard condition; (2) thirty-seven
percent of West Virginia's bridges are in substandard condition and
fifteen percent are structurally deficient or functionally
obsolete; (3) the average commuter in West Virginia now spends an
additional forty-three hours a year in traffic - more than a full
working week - than in 1990 due to increased congestion on the
State's highways; and (4) West Virginia's traffic fatality rate of
2.19 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel is nearly
fifty percent higher than the national average fatality rate of
1.50; and
Whereas, A November 2004 report by West Virginia University's
Bureau of Business and Economic Research entitled "Future of West
Virginia's Highway System: A Comprehensive Analysis of the West
Virginia State Road Fund and Policy Options," reports that since
peaking in FY 1994, the real value of the State Road Fund has
decreased over the last decade due to inflation and increased West
Virginia Division of Highway expenses; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to appoint an interim committee comprised of
representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates
and Senate President, and co-chaired by the Chair of the House
Committee on Roads and Transportation and the Chair of the Senate
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to study the West
Virginia Department of Transportation and the ways the Department
of Transportation can improve and maintain the State's roads and
bridges and the ways the Department of Transportation can modernize
West Virginia's key highways to support economic development,
tourism, traffic safety and promote the public welfare; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2006, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.
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