Pub. L. 103-331, tit. III, sec. 346

SEC. 346. (a) Uniform HOV-2 Demonstration Project on I-66 in Virginia.—Notwithstanding any other law or any prior decision of the Secretary of Transportation, the Governor of Virginia shall have the authority to carry out a 1-year demonstration project on Interstate Highway 66 (I-66) inside the Capital Beltway, to determine the impact of applying a uniform high-occupancy vehicle restriction to the portion of I-66 that is between the District of Columbia and Interstate Highway 495 (I-495) and the portion of I-66 that is west of I-495. (b) Project Requirements.— (1) Uniform hov restriction.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), under the demonstration project established under this section, the uniform high-occupancy vehicle restriction applied to the two portions of I-66 described in subsection (a) shall bevehicles carrying two or more persons. (2) Authority of governor of virginia.—During the 1-year demonstration period under this section, the Governor of Virginia shall retain the flexibility to return the high-occupancy vehicle restriction applicable to the portion of I-66 that is between the District of Columbia and I-495 to vehicles carrying three or more persons, or to make any other revisions in the demonstration project that the Governor determines are necessary. (3) Approval.—The 1-year demonstration shall begin after approval by the Virginia delegation of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, based on a one-member, one-vote process with the allowance for authorized alternates if necessary and inclusion of the general manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, but not before January 1, 1995. (c) Study and Report.—If the Governor of Virginia makes use of the authority granted in subsection (a), the Governor shall— (1) consult with interested parties to develop level of service standards, enforcement standards and assessment criteria; (2) carry out an assessment of the effects of the uniform high-occupancy vehicle restriction under the demonstration project established under this section; (3) carry out a study and assessment of the enforcement of the modified high-occupancy vehicle restriction under the demonstration project established under this section; (4) within 6 months from beginning the demonstration project provide an interim assessment of the effects of the demonstration project to interested parties; and 108 STAT. 2498 (5) upon completion of the assessment, submit to the Congress and to the Secretary of Transportation a report setting forth the results of the assessment and the demonstration project. (d) Uniform HOV-2 Restriction.—Upon completion of the assessment described in subsection (c), the Governor of Virginia shall have the authority to apply a uniform HOV-2 restriction to Interstate 66 on a permanent basis following the formal approval process.