Without limiting or restricting the general powers created by this chapter, the commission may:

1. Adopt and have a common seal and alter the seal at pleasure;

2. Sue and be sued;

3. Make regulations for the conduct of its business;

4. Make and enter into all contracts or agreements, as the commission may determine, that are necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and to the execution of the powers granted under this chapter;

5. Apply for and accept loans and grants of money or materials or property at any time from the United States of America or the Commonwealth or any agency or instrumentality thereof, for itself or as an agent on behalf of the component governments or any one or more of them, and in connection therewith purchase or lease as lessor or lessee any transit facilities required under the terms of any such grant made to enable the commission to exercise its powers under subdivision B 5 of § 33.2-1915;

6. In the name of the commission, and on its behalf, acquire, hold, and dispose of its contract or other revenues;

7. Exercise any power usually possessed by private corporations, including the right to expend, solely from funds provided under this chapter, such funds as may be considered by the commission to be advisable or necessary in the performance of its duties and functions;

8. Employ engineers, attorneys, other professional experts and consultants, and general and clerical employees deemed necessary and prescribe their powers and duties and fix their compensation;

9. Do anything authorized by this chapter under, through, or by its own officers, agents, and employees, or by contracts with any persons;

10. Execute instruments and do anything necessary, convenient, or desirable for the purposes of the commission or to carry out the powers expressly given in this chapter;

11. Institute and prosecute any eminent domain proceedings to acquire any property authorized to be acquired under this title in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 2 (§ 25.1-200 et seq.) of Title 25.1 and subject to the approval of the State Corporation Commission pursuant to § 25.1-102;

12. Invest in if required as a condition to obtaining insurance, participate in, or purchase insurance provided by foreign insurance companies that insure railroad operations, provided this power is available only to those commissions that provide rail services;

13. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 8.01-195.3, contract to indemnify, and to obtain liability insurance to cover such indemnity, any person who is liable, or who may be subjected to liability, regardless of the character of the liability, as a result of the exercise by a commission of any of the powers conferred by this chapter. No obligation of a commission to indemnify any such person shall exceed the combined maximum limits of all liability policies, as defined in subsection C of § 33.2-1927, maintained by the commission; and

14. Notwithstanding any other contrary provision of law, regulate traffic signals and other traffic control devices within the district, through the use of computers and other electronic communication and control devices, so as to effect the orderly flow of traffic and to improve transportation services within the district; however, an agreement concerning the operation of traffic control devices acceptable to all parties shall be entered into between the commission and the Department and all the counties and cities within the transportation district prior to the commencement of such regulation.

1964, c. 631, § 15.1-1358; 1966, c. 419; 1970, c. 449; 1974, c. 529, § 15.1-1357.3; 1988, c. 834; 1997, c. 587, § 15.1-4518; 2003, c. 940; 2014, c. 805.