Virginia Law

The Commission may charge a reasonable application fee to cover the costs of processing, reviewing, and approving or denying the application. The application for a certificate of authority shall contain the following material and information:

1. The geographic area to be served by the roadway and a topographic map indicating the route of the roadway;

2. A list of the property owners through whose property the roadway or highway will pass or whose property will abut the roadway or highway;

3. The method by which the operator will secure all right-of-way required for the roadway, including a description of the nature of the interest in the lands to be acquired, which shall provide, at a minimum, for permanent dedication for transportation purposes, except that in cases in which the Department would not have authority to condemn land because of the identity of the owner, the interest to be acquired shall be of the same type and duration as that which the Department would obtain under the circumstances;

4. The comprehensive plan or plans for all counties, cities, and towns through which the roadway will pass and an analysis which shows that the roadway conforms to these comprehensive plans. To the extent that the roadway conforms to such plans, the fact that the operator is not the Commonwealth shall not affect the construction and operation of the roadway;

5. The operator's plan for financing the proposed construction or enlargement of the roadway, including proposed tolls to be charged for use of the roadway, projected amounts to be collected from such tolls and anticipated traffic volume and detailed plans for distribution of funds, including the priority in which necessary expenditures will be made. The plan for financing may be structured to include, without limitation, provisions for the issuance of debt, equity, or other securities, lease financing, the pledge of revenues or other assets or rights of the operator, or any combination thereof;

6. The operator's plan for operation of the proposed roadway or enlargement thereof;

7. A list of all permits and approvals required for construction of the roadway from local, state, or federal agencies and a schedule for securing such approvals;

8. An overall description of the project, the project design, and all proposed interconnections with the state highway system, including any interstate highway, or secondary system of highways or the streets or roads of any county, city, or town not within the state highway system, accompanied by a copy of the approval of the project, the roadway design and interconnections from the Board, as well as the county, city, or town for connection with a street or road not under state control;

9. A list of public utility facilities to be crossed and plans for such crossings or relocations of such facilities;

10. A certificate of the operator that the roadway will be designed and constructed to meet Department standards, and substantially in accordance with a proposed timetable which is agreeable to the Department, and that the operator will provide a design, review, and inspection agreement with the Department which shall provide that the Department shall authorize construction upon review and approval of the plans and specifications for the roadway and its interconnection with other roads, and that it shall inspect periodically the progress of the construction work to ensure its compliance with the Department standards; and

11. Completion and performance bonds in form and amount satisfactory to the Commission, which amounts shall be set after consultation with the Department.

1988, c. 649; 1990, c. 180; 1991, c. 272.