“(3) The Department of Transportation is urged to use creative and innovative methods to deal with gridlock and traffic congestion in Georgia and especially in the metropolitan areas;
“(4) Upon passage of this enabling legislation, the department is urged to implement FlexAuto lanes where applicable and to commence the implementation of such lanes in as timely a manner as is practicable;
“(5) The Department of Transportation is requested specifically to identify 20 major areas with a history of traffic congestion in and around our state that will derive the most benefit from the use of FlexAuto lanes and, after identifying these areas, to create and rapidly implement a plan for use of such lanes in such areas;
“(6) Studies and construction models used successfully in other areas within this country and others should be used as models where traffic flow was improved and emissions reduced by using creative and innovative methods to deal with gridlock and traffic congestion; and
“(7) The model used in Virginia is being studied by Israel, France, Japan, Germany, and England.”
Subject to general appropriations for such purposes, the department,
pursuant to its rules and regulations, is authorized, alone or in cooperation with counties, municipalities, authorities, state agencies, or private or public entities, to participate in the establishment and operation of ride-sharing programs. A ride-sharing program is an undertaking designed to encourage safe and adequate transportation by increasing the number of person-trips per vehicle, regardless of the type of vehicle.