Lots of NC Toll Road News

I don't even know where to begin.

After the NC House passed their budget - which would allocate money from the former Highway to General fund transfer towards 'gap financing' of toll roads - the Senate worked on their version of the budget with their own influences and what not.

So let's review:

NC House passes their version of the budget.
The budget authorizes $25 million a year towards the completion of the Triangle Expressway.
This transfer will begin in the upcoming budget (FY 2008-09) and would last 39 years.
Next year (FY 2009-10), a $24 million 'gap financing' transfer would begin for the Monroe Bypass.

That passed two weeks ago. Now the Senate has of course their version of the budget, and along with that, the Senate has their own political power structure. This includes David Hoyle (D-Gaston County). Hoyle was very instrumental in getting the US 321 freeway from I-85 in Gastonia to I-40 in Hickory built in the 1990s. Hoyle is hoping to include adding the Garden Parkway, which is proposed to run from I-485 near Charlotte-Douglas Int'l Airport to I-85 west of Gastonia, to the upcoming budget.

Also, NC Senate Pro-Tem Marc Basnight has the Mid-Currituck Bridge on his list. The Mid-Currituck Bridge is seen as to provide access relief and hurricane evacuation support to and from the Outer Banks.

Well, Sen. Hoyle came close. In the recently released Senate version of the budget, the Garden Parkway would begin to see financing in 2010-2011. That gap funding transfer would be an annual $35 million.

The Senate did include beginning on 2009-2010 $15 million per year for the Mid-Currituck Bridge Project.

The Senate's budget includes the previously mentioned Triangle Expressway and Monroe Bypass funding that the House passed. In fact, there is no disagreement between the two legislative bodies.

So that's where we are now.

Here's a roundup of news stories and opinion on all the toll budgeting.

Rob Schofield of NC Policy Watch argues that with $4/gallon gas not many people are going to be using the Triangle Expressway toll road.
The Monroe Bypass may cost as much as $757 million.
No Tolls on 540 lists the State Senators that voted 'In Favor' of the recent budget.

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