Executive Order 37 (2006)

Creating the Transportation Accountability Commission

Importance of the Issue

Virginians face a transportation crisis.  Too many of our citizens spend too much of their time gridlocked in traffic, at the cost of time with their families and time at work.  Our aging transportation infrastructure is increasingly expensive to maintain.  Current development patterns increase demand for additional highways and roads and are not fiscally sustainable over the long-term.  Public transportation options are not as widely available as needed for Virginia’s seniors, the disabled, and those who seek convenient alternatives to sitting in traffic.  Throughout Virginia, our people are eager for improvements in transportation to increase mobility and safety.  Such improvements require that transportation decisions be better linked with local land use planning.  Collaboration between the state and local government in transportation planning needs to be a high priority.

Significant additional public and private investments are needed in the upgrading of Virginia’s transportation system.  Prudence and accountability demand that these funds be used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.  Great strides have been made during the past four and a half years in increasing the percentage of on-time and on-budget transportation projects.  Tremendous progress has also been made in making transportation projects more transparent, through VDOT’s Dashboard Program and other means.  The establishment of an Intermodal Office is improving multi-modal planning and coordination.   

However, more remains to be done to ensure that Virginia has a transportation system that delivers the maximum value for the money paid by taxpayers, implements rigorous management standards, adheres to appropriate free market principles and promotes wise investments.  We must ensure that all transportation dollars are spent wisely and that our transportation agencies are held accountable for their performance.

Accordingly I am calling together leaders from the Commonwealth to address this critical challenge.

Creation of the Commission

By the power vested in me by Article V of the Constitution of Virginia, and Section 2.2 of the Code of Virginia, and mindful of the critical importance of this issue, I hereby create the Transportation Accountability Commission (the Commission) and direct it to begin work immediately.  The Commission will be composed of 15 members, including local government leaders, legislators, business leaders, and community leaders.  Additional members may be appointed at the Governor’s discretion.  In addition, the Secretaries of Transportation, Finance, and Natural Resources will serve as ex officio members of the Commission.  The Governor shall designate a chair and vice chair of the Commission.

The Commission will have the following responsibilities:

1. Reviewing Virginia’s existing methods of promoting accountability and performance in transportation. 
2. Identifying and recommending national best practices in accountability and performance for transportation. 
3. Recommending quantifiable outcome measures for the major elements of the state’s transportation program, including measures that incorporate effective land-use and transportation coordination.
4. Recommending performance standards for state transportation executives and agencies. 

In recommending outcome measures, the Commission will consider whether there are quantifiable ways to measure a transportation project’s positive or negative community impacts.

I direct the Commission to make an interim report to the Governor and General Assembly by May 30, 2007, and a final report by October 1, 2007.  Staff support for the Commission will be provided by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, the Office of the Governor, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Department of Planning and Budget, and other agencies as may be designated by the Governor.   All executive branch agencies shall cooperate fully with the Commission and provide any assistance necessary, upon request of the Commission or its staff.

This commission shall be considered a gubernatorial advisory commission.  Direct costs for the commission shall not exceed $10,000, exclusive of staff time.

Effective Date of the Order

This Executive Order shall become effective upon its signing and shall remain in full force and effect until October 1, 2007, unless amended or rescinded by further executive order.  It is my intent to renew this commission, as provided for by law, at this time next year.

Given under my hand and under the Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia this 10th day of October, 2006

/s/ Timothy M. Kaine, Governor

Attest:

/s/ Secretary of the Commonwealth