Torian's Bill Could Spark Rail Movement

Del. Luke Torian's pursuit to bring metrorail to Prince William County continued this week when he filed a bill to create a Metrorail improvement district.

This past October, that he believes the road system will continue to deplete and that Metrorail presents the best option for commuters.

House Bill 407's aim is to create the Prince William County Metrorail Improvement District. The General Assembly went into its eight-week session Tuesday, a day after Torian filed the bill.

The district could be created in several ways. The owners of at least 51 percent of either the land area or the assessed value of real property that is within the boundaries of the proposed district need to petition the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, who would then have to approve the petition and district by resolution. Or, the board could create the district if the land is zoned for commercial or industrial uses.

If such a district were created, then there would be a six-member commission that would have broad powers to find ways to pay for extending metrorail to the county. One of those powers would be to "expend district revenues to construct, reconstruct, alter, improve, expand, or make loans or otherwise provide for the cost of transportation improvements and for financial assistance to operate transportation improvements in the district for the use and benefit of the public."

You can read the full bill here. The Transportation Committee plans to vote on the first reading of the bill soon. The bill's progress can be tracked at Richmond Sunlight.

Metrorail is being extended into Reston and Loudoun County, but it hasn't been an easy trek. Controversy has surrounded the project from its initial stages and it took legislators about a decade to actually start construction. This past summer .

Torian submitted four other bills:

• HB403 : Governor's Development Opportunity Fund; criteria.
• HB404: Handheld communication devices; prohibits use where driving.
• HB405: Planning commissions; appointments.
• HB406: Local incentives for defense contractors.