When the nineteen hundred seventy-seven General Assembly enacted House Bill 1041 reallocating highway construction and maintenance funds, several issues pertaining to the allocation of these funds were not addressed in that legislation. One issue of primary concern to the Committees of House Roads and Internal Navigation and Senate Transportation has been the method of allocating maintenance payments to municipalities.

Delegate William T. Parker of Chesapeake sought the creation of a joint subcommittee of the two Committees to conduct a study of this issue. The General Assembly agreed to the need for such a study by enacting House Joint Resolution No. 172, introduced by Delegate Parker.

The Joint Subcommittee of the House Roads and Internal Navigation and Senate Transportation Committees Studying Highway Maintenance Allocations makes the following recommendations to the General Assembly:

1. The statutory method of city and town street payments is no longer adequate and should be revised.

2. The method of allocating State funds for city bridge maintenance is insufficient and should be changed to provide additional assistance to cities.

3. The rate of progress in secondary road construction has declined over the past several years and should be accelerated.

4. The interest earned by the Department of Highways and Transportation's cash balance should be returned to the Department to be spent in the highway system.

5. The Department of Highways and Transportation should be required to provide the Subcommittee and the General Assembly with recommendations and programs to address the urgent needs of the entire system in an adequate and timely manner.

6. The present study should be continued in order to consider all aspects of funding and expenditures for highways.