Saturday's Fast Forward column
It's sometimes hard to see what's down the road ahead of you.
But the N.C. Department of Transportation knows it has a major road block ahead. It's one that will cost billions of dollars to move.
Facing a major gap between anticipated needs and expected revenues, N.C. DOT has established N.C. Thinking Ahead!, a group looking at the state’s future transportation needs.
The state estimates it has $16 billion in unfunded projects through 2015 and a total of $34 billion through 2025.
The goal of the group is pretty simple - to come up with a way to get roads built, widened and repaired and pay for other transportation initiatives such as rail lines.
And that's especially important in a state that is growing as fast as North Carolina. Projections from the U.S. Census Bureau put a total of 12.2 million residents in the state by 2030, an increase of a third from the 8 million people counted in 2000.
And for every 10 percent population increase, there is a 30 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled, said David King, N.C. DOT's deputy secretary for transit.
"How long are we going to be able to handle that consumption of roads?" King asked the crowd at a Thursday forum in Greensboro.
If a solution to pay for transportation improvements isn't found, it could have a grave impact on economic development in the state, particularly in the Triad, which is looking to become a major transportation hub, King said.
"A lot of our interstate system is not in good shape and that's the backbone of our economy," he said.
Companies aren't going to move to a congested area if they need to move their products quickly up and down the East Coast.
"That's going to make the difference of whether we get that new plant or not," King said.
On Thursday, the crowd of about 30 made up of mostly government officials came up with several ideas to raise revenue for N.C. DOT.
Most of them would take more money out of the wallets of residents and businesses: tolls, local taxes, impact fees for new developments, raising freight user fees, increasing licensing and registration fees, upping the gas tax and establishing high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
Other ideas included streamlining N.C. DOT’s construction process and environmental regulations so projects can move more quickly and therefore, cost less to build.
Finding the right solution will not be easy.
"It's a struggle," Greensboro Mayor Keith Holliday, a member of N.C. Thinking Ahead!, told the forum on Thursday. "You’re looking at a mountain you're trying to go over in a short amount of time and it's a tough mountain."
So will the group's recommendations really go anywhere?
It's due to finish up its eight regional forums on Monday. A report is expected to go to the governor at the end of the year. The General Assembly would have to agree to many of the changes that would likely be proposed.
"We’re going to need major support," Holliday said.
To share your opinion with N.C. Thinking Ahead! in a survey that runs through the end of the month, visit www.ncdot.org or call
(877) 368-4968.
Planning for greenways
It's not too late to tell the city of Greensboro where you like to walk, run or bike.
Two public workshops will be held this week from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for the city to gather input from residents on a master plan for bicycles, pedestrians and greenways.
Don't forget to check one out: Wednesday at Summerfield Elementary School, multi-purpose room, 7515 Trainer Drive, Summerfield; and Thursday at Lawndale Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall, 3505 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro.
For more information, or to complete a brief opinion survey, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/gdot/.
Fast Forward runs every Saturday. Got questions you want answered or need to vent about transportation issues? Send ’em our way at fastforward@news-record.com. Be sure to leave your name and a way for us to get in touch with you.
