Skip to main content

NC Governor's Transportation Committee Suggests ending transfers to the General Fund

Image
By
As Bob Malme noted in the comments section of the recent toll post on the Triangle Expressway, there may be a solution to the funding gap problems for various NC Turnpike Authority projects.

The 21st Century Transportation Committee released their official plans on ways to improve funding and building highways.

The key part of the proposal is the elimination of the controversial annual $172 million transfer of money from the Highway Trust Fund to the General Fund. This transfer of funds, written into the legislature over 10 years ago, has come under scrutiny as numerous construction projects have become delayed throughout the state.

In particular, the Committee suggests that $75 million of the money go to the NCTA to help with gap funding. This would pretty much give the green light to the Triangle Expressway, Mid-Currituck Bridge and other proposed toll projects.

The remainder of the money, $97 million, would go to issue a proposed $1.8 billion bond for highway and mass transportation projects.

The proposal will be finalized on May 13 and it'll then be up to the legislature to approve or deny the suggested changes.

Story: Committee Unveils Statewide Road Plans --WRAL-TV

Commentary:

This is a good step. The elimination of the $172 million transfer will keep money in the highway trust fund where it belongs...for highways. Imagine where the state would be if this transfer had not existed. While NCDOT most likely would not be ahead of a rapidly expanding infrastructure needs of the state, it certainly would not be as far behind or perhaps the toll roads would not be a necessity.

Regardless, this is a great realization by the committee and I personally hope to see it pass. It will be interesting to see what happens with this suggestion and what others come from the committee.

Lets not forget the bond issue, there has been some discussion of a bond referendum for highways in a future election. If the legislature goes forward with this recommendation, this will be another interesting development and story to follow.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more