Transportation
North Carolina maintains the 2nd highest number of roadways in the country, yet we rank 10th nationally in terms of population and still, over 75% of our highways are congested. The Highway Trust Fund is raided every year to cover General Fund expenses. Local sales taxes have been raised to pay for mass transit that will not address the congestion problem. Reports from transportation expert Dr. David Hartgen at UNC-Charlotte suggest we should spend more money on roads, intersections, expanding bus service, and improving engineering for traffic signals and hold on further development of light rail.
- Modify the TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan) and equity formula to focus resources on urban congestion relief.
- Pass legislation that would prevent the legislature and governor from raiding the Highway Trust Fund.
- Co-sponsored SB 1320, Highway Trust Fund Security Act of 2007. This bill would stop the annual raiding of funds from the Highway Trust Fund for other purposes.
- Prioritize transportation funds to expand road capacity which is more cost effective and help alleviate congestion.
- Implement a moratorium on new construction on all future transit corridors until the South Corridor Blue Line is complete and ridership analyses can be completed to determine future needs.
- Revisit bus rapid transit solutions which are more cost effective than light rail.
