Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Secretary of Transportation, William H. Leighty. Records, 1984-1990. Accession 50129. State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia.

Acquisition Information

William H. Leighty, 2004 Millington Dr., Henrico, VA 23238, date of gift 3 June 2011; accessioned 12 September 2011.

Processing Information

This collection has been processed using minimal processing standards: the original arrangement has been maintained, the container list is brief and simple, and the records have not been refoldered and fasteners have not been removed.

Historical Information

In 1986 Governor Gerald L. Baliles (1986-1990) named William H. Leighty Deputy Secretary of Transportation. Leighty served as served as policy adviser to the Governor on transportation-related issues and oversaw operation of seven state agencies--Departments of Transportation, Aviation, Motor Vehicles, Emergency Services, Military Affairs, Fire Programs and Virginia Port Authority. Leighty also served as Chief of Staff to Governors Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine.

The Commission on Virginia's Transportation in the Twenty-First Century was created by Senate Joint Resolution 10 of 1986 to study future needs and financing of transportation for the Commonwealth. The Commission was composed of six (6) house of Delegate member's appointed by the Speaker, four (4) Senate members appointed by the Committee on Privileges and Elections, fourteen (14) members at large appointed by the Governor and former Gorvernors of the Commonwealth.

The Commission was authorized to carry out its work in two phases. The first phase required that the Commission determine the most critical transportation needs and determine what legal changes would be necessary to establish separate funds for highway maintenance and construction. The second phase required the Commission to study in detail alternatives for planning and financing the entire transportation system including rail, air and water transportation. The second phase was also charged with addressing the role of local government in financing various transportation projects and the discovery of alternative methods of raising funds such as tolls, dedicated revenues and transportation districts.

Senate Joint Resolution Number 148 of 1987 further outlined phase two of the Commissions responsibilities. The Commission had four areas of specific concerns: (1) builder contributions to off-site road improvements; (2) development impact fees; (3) granting to local governments increased statutory authority to consider the capacity of local roads and other public facilities when rendering land use decisions such as rezoning; and (4) proposals to grant to local units of government expanded power to construct and control local roads.

The Commission was charged with completing its first phase of work and submitting a report with recommendations to Governor and General Assembly no later than August 1, 1986. The first phase of the report served as the basis for action on transportation needs taken by the Special Session of the General Assembly on September of 1986. The second phase and report with recommendations had a scheduled completion date of December 1, 1987.

Scope and Content

This collection contains Deputy Secretary William H. Leighty's briefing binders, memorandums, minutes and reports concerning transportation legislation and Governor Gerald Baliles' (1986-1990) Commission on Transportation in the Twenty-First Century. In September 1986 Governor Baliles convened a special session of the General Assembly that passed a 12-year, $12 billion transportation package to modernize the state's roads, seaports, airports, and mass transit, partially funded by a half cent increase in the sales tax. Additional records document the implementation of this legislation including a list of transporation week events in September 1987. Also included are miscellaneous state government reform reports.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series: