(1) The general assembly finds and declares that:(1) Surface transportation corridors throughout this state are increasingly limited by existing development, right-of-way limitations, topographical and environmental constraints, and urban density, making conventional surface expansion difficult, costly, and disruptive;(2) Sustained population growth and economic development in this state continue to generate increasing demand for expanded transportation capacity and more safe and efficient transportation options for both residents and visitors;(3) The development of subterranean transportation infrastructure offers a highly effective and efficient means of significantly expanding transportation capacity while minimizing surface disruption, preserving existing land uses, reducing environmental impacts, and avoiding widespread acquisition of additional surface rights-of-way;(4) Uniform, clear, and predictable state-level safety standards, and regulatory oversight for the design, construction, safety, inspection, and operation of subterranean tunnel transportation systems are essential to ensure the highest levels of public safety, structural integrity, and engineering and design consistency across all such projects in this state;(5) The establishment of predictable, efficient, and transparent approval pathways, permitting processes, and regulatory frameworks at the state level are critical to reduce uncertainty, shorten project timelines, and mitigate unnecessary duplication between state and local jurisdictions;(6) Such predictable and streamlined regulatory pathways are necessary to attract substantial private capital investment, innovation, and expertise into the development of advanced subterranean transportation infrastructure, thereby leveraging private resources to help meet this state's critical long-term transportation needs at a reduced cost to taxpayers;(7) The development of large-scale subterranean transportation infrastructure requires substantial private capital investment that is uniquely dependent upon regulatory certainty, predictable approval timelines, and uniform standards across jurisdictions within this state;(8) In the absence of a coordinated, statewide framework establishing consistent standards and an integrated regulatory process among relevant state departments, agencies, and local governmental entities, the uncertainty and fragmentation associated with multi-jurisdictional permitting and oversight would materially impede or prevent the deployment of private capital for subterranean transportation projects within this state;(9) The establishment of clear, consistent, and predictable statewide procedures and regulatory coordination is therefore a necessary predicate to the attraction and deployment of private investment in subterranean transportation infrastructure, and without such a framework, the capital investment, construction activity, and related economic development contemplated by this chapter would not occur in this state;(10) Subterranean transportation infrastructure projects are anticipated to generate significant new economic activity within this state, including private capital expenditures, engineering and construction employment, procurement of materials and services, long-term operational employment, and associated commercial development;(11) The economic activity generated by such projects is reasonably expected to result in increased state and local tax revenues, including franchise and excise taxes, sales and use taxes, business taxes, and real and tangible personal property taxes, thereby producing a positive fiscal impact to this state and its political subdivisions;(12) Because the subterranean corridors and state-owned property interests contemplated by this act are not currently generating comparable private economic activity, the investment enabled by this chapter represents new economic development rather than the reallocation of existing activity, and the resulting fiscal benefits would not be realized absent the statewide standards and coordinated governance structure established in this chapter;(13) The construction of subterranean transportation infrastructure necessarily requires coordination with existing utility infrastructure, and a clear statutory framework governing such coordination is necessary to prevent unnecessary delays and ensure continuity of utility services; and(14) Subterranean transportation infrastructure projects may require the use of subsurface property interests owned by this state or local governmental entities, including public rights-of-way and other public infrastructure corridors; and the use of such property interests for transportation infrastructure serves important public purposes, including increasing transportation capacity, improving mobility, and promoting economic development.
(1) Surface transportation corridors throughout this state are increasingly limited by existing development, right-of-way limitations, topographical and environmental constraints, and urban density, making conventional surface expansion difficult, costly, and disruptive;
(2) Sustained population growth and economic development in this state continue to generate increasing demand for expanded transportation capacity and more safe and efficient transportation options for both residents and visitors;
(3) The development of subterranean transportation infrastructure offers a highly effective and efficient means of significantly expanding transportation capacity while minimizing surface disruption, preserving existing land uses, reducing environmental impacts, and avoiding widespread acquisition of additional surface rights-of-way;
(4) Uniform, clear, and predictable state-level safety standards, and regulatory oversight for the design, construction, safety, inspection, and operation of subterranean tunnel transportation systems are essential to ensure the highest levels of public safety, structural integrity, and engineering and design consistency across all such projects in this state;
(5) The establishment of predictable, efficient, and transparent approval pathways, permitting processes, and regulatory frameworks at the state level are critical to reduce uncertainty, shorten project timelines, and mitigate unnecessary duplication between state and local jurisdictions;
(6) Such predictable and streamlined regulatory pathways are necessary to attract substantial private capital investment, innovation, and expertise into the development of advanced subterranean transportation infrastructure, thereby leveraging private resources to help meet this state's critical long-term transportation needs at a reduced cost to taxpayers;
(7) The development of large-scale subterranean transportation infrastructure requires substantial private capital investment that is uniquely dependent upon regulatory certainty, predictable approval timelines, and uniform standards across jurisdictions within this state;
(8) In the absence of a coordinated, statewide framework establishing consistent standards and an integrated regulatory process among relevant state departments, agencies, and local governmental entities, the uncertainty and fragmentation associated with multi-jurisdictional permitting and oversight would materially impede or prevent the deployment of private capital for subterranean transportation projects within this state;
(9) The establishment of clear, consistent, and predictable statewide procedures and regulatory coordination is therefore a necessary predicate to the attraction and deployment of private investment in subterranean transportation infrastructure, and without such a framework, the capital investment, construction activity, and related economic development contemplated by this chapter would not occur in this state;
(10) Subterranean transportation infrastructure projects are anticipated to generate significant new economic activity within this state, including private capital expenditures, engineering and construction employment, procurement of materials and services, long-term operational employment, and associated commercial development;
(11) The economic activity generated by such projects is reasonably expected to result in increased state and local tax revenues, including franchise and excise taxes, sales and use taxes, business taxes, and real and tangible personal property taxes, thereby producing a positive fiscal impact to this state and its political subdivisions;
(12) Because the subterranean corridors and state-owned property interests contemplated by this act are not currently generating comparable private economic activity, the investment enabled by this chapter represents new economic development rather than the reallocation of existing activity, and the resulting fiscal benefits would not be realized absent the statewide standards and coordinated governance structure established in this chapter;
(13) The construction of subterranean transportation infrastructure necessarily requires coordination with existing utility infrastructure, and a clear statutory framework governing such coordination is necessary to prevent unnecessary delays and ensure continuity of utility services; and
(14) Subterranean transportation infrastructure projects may require the use of subsurface property interests owned by this state or local governmental entities, including public rights-of-way and other public infrastructure corridors; and the use of such property interests for transportation infrastructure serves important public purposes, including increasing transportation capacity, improving mobility, and promoting economic development.