Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 79.djvu/703

 79 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 89-173-SEPT. 8, 1965

663

Public Law 89-173 AN ACT September 8, 1965 To authorize the prosecution of a t r a n s i t development program for the National [H. R. 4822] Capital region, and to further the objectives of the Act of July 14, 1960.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives I 'nited States of America in Conqress assembled. '

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of the

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„ National capuai Transportation Act of 1965.

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the "National Capital Transportation Act of 1965". SECTION

^o use 651 note

STATEMENT OF FINDINGS AND PURPOSES

SEC. 2. To further the objectives of the Act of July 14, 1960, the Congress hereby finds and declares that— (a) A coordinated system of rail rapid transit, bus transportation service, and highways is essential in the National Capital region (as defined in section 103 of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1960 (74 Stat. 537)) for the satisfactory movement of people and goods, the alleviation of present and future traffic congestion, the economic welfare and vitality of all parts of the region, the effective performance of the functions of the United States Government located within the region, the orderly growth and development of the region, the comfort and convenience of the residents and visitors to the region, and the preservation of the beauty and dignity of the Nation's Capital. (b) Such a coordinated system should be developed cooperatively by the Federal, State, and local governments of the National Capital region as part of a balanced system of transportation utilizing to their best advantage highways and other transit facilities, and the cost of improved mass transit facilities should be financed, as far as possible, by persons using or benefiting from such facilities and their remaining costs should be shared equitably among the Federal, State, and local governments. (c) Various steps have already been taken to bring such a system into being, including the preparation by the National Capital Transportation Agency (hereinafter referred to as the "Agency") of a Transit Development Program for the National Capital region, and authorization of the negotiation by the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia of an interstate compact to establish a regional transportation organization under the terms of title III of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1960 (74 Stat. 544), and approval by the Congress of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact (74 Stat. 1031 and 7H Stat. 764). Nothing in this Act shall be construed as altering or amending the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact. (d) While the negotiation of an interstate compact to establish a regional transportation organization has not been completed, and plans for the development of improved mass transit facilities throughout the National Capital region are still being developed, the Agency has prepared a satisfactory Transit Development Program for the establishment, principally within the District of Columbia, of a system of rail rapid transit lines and related facilities which are capable of being extended to serve other parts of the region, and the design and construction of such

D,C. Code 11410 note.

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