The House of Delegates is expected to approve a bill today that would allow Charlottesville and Albemarle County to form a regional transit authority.

Charlottesville and Albemarle County officials have agreed to fund transit expansion and other transportation projects jointly, but clear areas of interest have emerged in each locality should the ability to levy taxes be granted.

Local officials say they are certain that myriad transit and transportation projects could be funded by way of tax increases — but particulars remain a mystery.

In discussing options for funding a regional transit authority, several Charlottesville and Albemarle officials have indicated that raising the sales tax by 1 cent may be the best way to go.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has a message for critics of his proposed $1.1 billion transportation plan: If you don’t like it, come up with a better idea.

The construction of the Hillsdale Drive connector road, which will provide drivers with an alternative to U.S. 29, has been delayed for several years because of the drop in state funding for local transportation projects.

The No. 1 transportation priority of the business communities in Danville and Lynchburg is a 5.5-mile bypass around Charlottesville’s heavily traveled stretch of U.S. 29.