The Authority shall consist of 17 members as follows:
1. The chief elected officer of the governing body of each county and city embraced by the Authority or, in the discretion of the chief elected officer, his designee, who shall be a current elected officer of such governing body;
2. Two members of the House of Delegates who reside in different counties or cities embraced by the Authority, appointed by the Speaker of the House who may be from the membership of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Transportation;
3. One member of the Senate who resides in a county or city embraced by the Authority, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and, to the extent practicable, from the membership of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Transportation;
4. Two nonlegislative citizen members who reside in different counties or cities embraced by the Authority, appointed by the Governor. One such gubernatorial appointment shall be a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board and one shall be a person who has significant experience in transportation planning, finance, engineering, construction, or management; and
5. The following three persons who shall serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the Authority: the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, or his designee; the Commissioner of Highways, or his designee; and the chief elected officer of one town in a county embraced by the Authority to be chosen by the Authority. All members of the Authority shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office, except that the gubernatorial appointee who is not a member of the Board shall serve for a term of four years. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. The Authority shall appoint a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members.