- Report Published -
|The Formation of a Multimodal Planning Office to Report Directly to the Secretary and The Commonwealth Transportation Board|
|Department of Transportation|
|SJR 100 (Regular Session, 1994)|
|The Secretary of Transportation, Robert E. Martinez, was asked by the 1994 General Assembly through Senate Joint Resolution 100 (SJR 100) to consider the formation of a multimodal planning office to report directly to the Secretary and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.|
In the past, transportation plans and needs assessments were prepared by the separate modal agencies. Planning and decision-making activities were focused on single-mode highway transportation. Changing conditions have dictated a major new focus and approach. Virginia's transportation agencies have responded. The Transportation Secretariat has shifted its focus toward system choices, understanding that Virginia must have a vision for transportation that provides a coordinated, intermodal, comprehensive transportation system that effectively integrates all modes and establishes efficient connections among them.
The review undertaken to examine the multimodal planning processes of the state's transportation agencies indicates that there is no need to create an additional layer of bureaucracy -- a separate intermodal planning office -- to facilitate Virginia's commitment to a fully integrated intermodal transportation system. At this time, there appears to be little perceived need to establish this office and many concerns about its resulting in duplication of effort.