Dedicating Transportation Dollars for Transportation Purposes: Including Much Needed Road Repair
- April 22, 2023
- Posted by: Jacob Rigg
- Category: Blog
A recent report by The Road Information Program (TRIP) found that one-third of major roads throughout North Carolina are in poor or mediocre condition. NCDOT spent $656 million on road and highway preservation during the past year — well short of the $997 million that NCDOT recommends for system preservation and maintenance. However, North Carolina legislative bill H 103 can help change that. Approved last year, this bill dedicates transportation dollars for transportation purposes by dedicating a portion of sales tax generated from transportation activities to road and highway projects. In addition, current legislation can further improve the funding situation.
Gary Salamido, president and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber, said “North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure is essential to moving goods and people safely and efficiently. TRIP’s latest report underscores the critical need for investment in our state’s transportation network, such as those called for in Senate Bill 354, which would provide a needed, bipartisan approach to jumpstarting funding that will benefit all modes of transportation. While we have made great strides, our state’s leaders must continue to modernize transportation revenue streams to secure a prosperous, competitive future for North Carolina and its people.”
I echoed Gary’s comments, noting that “With multimodal freeway improvements being delayed in the metropolitan Triangle and across North Carolina due to cost increases and lack of funding, we need to focus on maximizing revenue for mobility.”
You can view the entire report here.
Let’s get moving,
Joe
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
RTA is the voice of the regional business community on transportation
