More projects on tap with North Carolina road-building plan
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- North Carolina's first transportation funding plan using new standards has been unveiled.
Gov. Pat McCrory and North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Tony Tata said Thursday 303 additional projects will be fully or partially funded and about 126,000 more jobs will be created under the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law, which created the Strategic Mobility Formula.
The new funding formula was a major initiative pushed by McCrory during the last legislative session.
"I'm pleased that the transportation law and vision, which is based on economic development, safety, and congestion instead of politics, is working as intended and exceeding our expectations," said McCrory.
The plan promises spending many projects which would have otherwise been delayed. It proposes $15 billion on road construction, aviation and public transit projects through 2025.
Over half of nearly 1,100 projects on the program list were scored under a new method the legislature approved in 2013.
The DOT says projects making the list include the Mid-Currituck Bridge along the northern Outer Banks. The state also would build an Interstate 95 loop around Fayetteville and construct more quickly Winston-Salem's Northern Beltway and widen I-26.
Other highlights of top projects include:
- Expanding U.S. Highway 17 between Jacksonville and Wilmington.
- Expanding N.C. Highway 211 to Oak Island to Southport, providing better access to U.S. 17 during the tourist season.
- Upgrades to U.S. Highway 17 in Bertie and Chowan counties for better roads to Hampton Roads.
- Construction of N.C. Highway 125 bypass around Williamston, with connection to local business park.
- Build Havelock bypass in Craven County.
- Extending Felix Harvey Parkway in Lenoir County to benefit Global TransPark.
- Widening and improving U.S. Highway 321 between Lenoir and Hickory.
- Expanding N.C. Highway 191 in Hendersonville
- Improvements to U.S. Highway 221 to Jefferson and West Jefferson.
- Widening and improving Interstate 85 in Rowan and Gaston counties.
- Improvements to North Carolina Highway 24/27 in Stanly County.
- Conversion of U.S. Highway 1 into a freeway between northern Wake County and Raleigh.
- Improvements to Interstate 40 from Orange County through Wake County to Johnston County.
- Completion of Greensboro's urban loop, known as Interstate 840, with construction on the north side.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
