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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>56152</law_id><section_number>56-546</section_number><catch_line>Local approvals</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="56">Public Service Companies</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="20">Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Prior to the issuance of a <span class="dictionary">certificate</span> of authority by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> and contemporaneously with the filing of any application <span class="dictionary">materials</span> with the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>, the applicant shall provide the local governing body of each <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> through which any part of the <span class="dictionary">roadway</span> passes with the application information and <span class="dictionary">materials</span> required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Application" href="/56-540/">56-540</a> and an overall description of the project and its benefits. The governing body may participate in procedures conducted by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> concerning the application. <a id="paragraph-205785" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-546/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> wishes to occupy lands owned by any county, city, town, or any agency or instrumentality of the federal government, including the streets or alleys of a city or town, or the roads of any county, it shall first obtain a franchise allowing such occupancy or it may obtain the necessary interests through grant or other appropriate conveyance to the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> for a period of time, in the case of a franchise, not to exceed the term of the <span class="dictionary">certificate</span>. <a id="paragraph-205786" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-546/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Where the applicant wishes to interconnect with the streets of any city or town, or the road system of any county, and the locality is willing to allow the interconnection, it shall submit appropriate plans for the connection to the governing body, which shall approve the connection if it determines that the connection meets all appropriate engineering requirements. <a id="paragraph-205787" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-546/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The <span class="dictionary">operator</span> and the county, city, or town may also agree on any supplemental or related matters in addition to the matters specified in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Limited access streets" href="/15.2-2026/">15.2-2026</a>, according to such terms and conditions as are reasonable, appropriate, and in the public interest, and any such county, city, or town is hereby enabled to enter into such an agreement. <a id="paragraph-205788" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-546/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Prior to commencement of construction, the <span class="dictionary">operator</span> shall survey and plat the right-of-way in accordance with local requirements. <a id="paragraph-205789" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-546/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1988, c. 649; 1990, c. 180.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
