Recent Headlines
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Jan 14, 2010
LaHood rescinds Bush transit spending restrictions
WASHINGTON -- Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Wednesday rescinded Bush administration restrictions on federal transit grants ...
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Jan 14, 2010
Charlotte loop's funding called legal
RALEIGH -- The NC Attorney General's office has settled a dispute between the state Department of Transportation and state ...
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Jan 14, 2010
New highway program needs to be comprehensive, forward thinking, LaHood says
Regional and local transportation authorities must be empowered to invest in all kinds of projects, LaHood told the annual meeting of the Transportation ...
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Jan 14, 2010
State may build rail line in northeast Charlotte
Attendees will be able to look at preliminary plans and talk to transportation officials. State transportation officials will hold a public meeting tonight ...
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Jan 14, 2010
Galyon retires from transportation board
Doug Galyon, the long-time chairman of the NC Board of Transportation, officially retired this week. Galyon, a Greensboro civic leader for decades, ...
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Jan 06, 2010
Meeker plans to keep Raleigh moving ahead in 2010
Raleigh, NC ? High-speed rail, a new public safety center and making the long-planned regional park on the Dorothea Dix Hospital campus a reality are among ...
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Jan 06, 2010
The 'short bridge' to oblivion
However, these natural processes are impeded by ongoing efforts to protect the current, extremely precarious transportation corridor. ...
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Jan 06, 2010
AAA Carolinas issues a list of ?red lights & green lights?
Red light ? to NC Board of Transportation which agreed to spend $270 million in highway funding in Fayetteville, weeks before then DOT Secretary Lyndo ...
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Sep 02, 2009
Perdue signs local-option transit sales tax bill
Today the governor's signature turned legislation into state law: Triangle residents now have new options to pay for ambitious bus and rail transit improvements, with $86 million a year from sources including a half-cent sales tax hike.
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Sep 02, 2009
NC Legislature changes how transit dollars raised
"It's kind of a vision for the future," said Berry Jenkins, co-chairman of NC GO! - a coalition of local governments and road-building trade groups that ...
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Aug 13, 2009
Future rides on toll roads
Elected officials agreed to make the TriEx a toll road in 2005, after the state Department of Transportation squelched hopes for a tax-paid, toll-free Outer ...
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Aug 13, 2009
State's first toll highway finally reaches beginning of road
North Carolina already has four other toll road projects in the planning stages: three highways and one bridge. Funding for the Triangle Expressway project ... http://www.wral.com/traffic/story/5777906/
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Aug 13, 2009
NC House Gives Final OK For Transit Tax Plan
Other counties could raise the sales tax by a quarter-cent for public transit. Authorities could increase the local portion of the tax on vehicle ...
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Apr 30, 2009
NCDOT awards $50M in stimulus work; Triangle gets $24M
The North Carolina Department of Transportation on Wednesday awarded road construction contracts worth $75 million ? with $50 million of that funding coming ...
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Apr 30, 2009
Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
WASHINGTON -- A House committee chairman said Tuesday that he wants Congress to enact a mileage-based tax on cars and trucks to pay for highway programs now rather than wait years to test the idea.
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Apr 30, 2009
Maybe we should ask Santa to unclog traffic
This week, a group studying the region's transportation problems told government leaders Mecklenburg would come up about $12billion short in road money over ...
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Apr 30, 2009
Panel: No tax hike for rail
Curran said congestion in Charlotte is approaching levels seen in Atlanta, even though Atlanta's urban area is four times larger than Charlotte. ...
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Apr 30, 2009
Transit Taxes
Despite what you may be hearing and reading, the City Council and Mecklenburg County commissioners are not - repeat not - debating whether to raise the county sales tax for transit by a half-cent.
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Apr 30, 2009
The stimulus won't restore NC's roads
Using toll revenue, the state could begin building projects that would immediately affect congestion instead of waiting until funding is available. ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Transit sales tax passes House test
Darren Jackson, an eastern Wake Democrat, said the sales tax would help bring public transportation to rural and suburban areas. "This bill isn't just about ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Which train comes first?
That's unpopular among north Mecklenburg communities, such as Davidson and Cornelius, where many residents hope a train would reduce congestion on heavily ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Low bids on roadwork save $9 million for DOT
North Carolina continues to reap the benefits of fiercely competitive bidding from highway contractors hungry for work. The state Department of Transportation figures it...
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Apr 23, 2009
Cost of northeast rail line could hit $1.12 billion
Both rail lines are part of the Charlotte Area Transit System's 2030 transportation plan. Most signs pointed toward CATS being forced to choose one of the ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Stimulus-funded road project won't bring new jobs
Work will begin on widening a portion of NC Highway 51 from Pineville to the South Carolina line. It is the first stimulus-funded project to start in the ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Projects announced with North Carolina stimulus cash
Bev Perdue's office on Friday announced the latest round of highway and bridge projects that will receive stimulus funding ? including $44.5 million worth ...
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Apr 23, 2009
Obama Pushes Vision for High-Speed Rail
This is exactly why Republican, Tommy Thompson should have been secretary of Transportation under Obama. Republican leaders have been calling for this for ...
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Mar 26, 2009
NC's largest city seeks pay freeze for budget
NC's largest city seeks pay freeze for budget CharlotteObserver.com - March 26, 2009 The council also is discussing an increase in water rates, which already are scheduled to rise 12 percent. The Charlotte Area Transit System also is ... http://www.charlotteobserver.com/232/story/623411.html
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Mar 26, 2009
Fayetteville's revenue forecast, debt leave big hole
Last week, city officials presented a five-year forecast of projected spending based on the City Council?s priorities in public safety and transit, ...
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Mar 26, 2009
CATS to announce service cuts, layoffs
By Steve Lyttle 6/19/08 Keith Parker is Director of Public Transit for the City of Charlotte and Chief Executive Officer of the Charlotte Area Transit ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Upcoming NC Road Projects
That means everything is ready except for the funding and crews can be on scene and working between now and June. That was one of the requirements to get ...
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Mar 26, 2009
$14 Million in Stimulus Money Approved for Greensboro ...
By Roxanna Haynes FOX8 News GREENSBORO, NC - Several transportation projects to be funded by economic stimulus money got the go-ahead Wednesday, ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Triad residents urged to hop on the bus
?We also have some traffic congestion issues that we have to deal with. And the Triad Commute Challenge is a great way to get people to look at how they ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Poll: More than half of voters support mass transit
The transportation alliance, which focuses on ways to relieve traffic congestion in an effort to promote strong business in the area, reported more than 50 ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Open Transit Options (Editorial)
So how long has it been, this ongoing debate over public transit in the Triangle? Hmmm ... well, there was the year the wheel was invented, and then the car, and then the highway, and then the traffic jam. Buses. Trains?
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Mar 26, 2009
Study: Triangle residents might favor sales tax hike for transit
Asked if they agree or disagree with people who say they couldn?t vote for a funding plan for public transportation unless it came along with an increase in ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Study will measure commuter rail interest
Funding would have to come from federal, state and local sources, said Kat Christian, public affairs director for NCRR. "It would be up to local communities ...
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Mar 26, 2009
Analysis: Transportation projects could be casualty of NC budget ...
Danny McComas, R-New Hanover, said the state is falling farther behind every day as transportation needs outstrip projects that will relieve congestion and ...
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Mar 19, 2009
Breaking the Gridlock on Paying for Roads
"Shortages in our road system are manifested as congestion." So Congress created the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission to ...
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Mar 19, 2009
NC roads get little stimulus
But North Carolina also got the short end in terms of per-capita transit funding, receiving $103 million for public transportation, or $11.20 per resident. ...
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Mar 19, 2009
Editorial: Cause of collapse shouldn't be a secret
Three and a half months have passed, work has stopped and neither the NC Department of Transportation nor the contractor in charge of getting the work done ...
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Mar 19, 2009
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge among worst in state
The survey is an effort to show the need for legislative funding. But DOT Division Engineer Allen Pope said drivers shouldn't be concerned about the poor ...
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Mar 19, 2009
State's worst bridges listed in AAA report
"Anytime you get additional funding, like the stimulus, that just gives up more options." The Department of Transportation plans to use $20 million from the ...
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Feb 26, 2009
First state stimulus money allocated to road projects
?Our overriding goal is to get North Carolina?s economy moving by funding transportation projects that will create jobs from the mountains to the coast,? ... http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/02/24/article/first_state_stimulus_money_allocated_to_road_projects
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Feb 26, 2009
Perdue outlines plans for stimulus funding
Perdue and State Transportation Secretary Gene Conti outlined how the first $466 million in stimulus money will be spent in the state. ...
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Feb 26, 2009
Triangle to get $60M in stimulus funds
?Our overriding goal is to get North Carolina?s economy moving by funding transportation projects that will create jobs from the mountains to the coast,? ...
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Feb 26, 2009
Mayor: Charlotte is due more road money
According to the first round of stimulus funding announced last week, the NC Department of Transportation's Charlotte office will get $38.6 million. ...
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Feb 26, 2009
Durham opens new mega bus station
DURHAM (WTVD) -- The City of Durham opened a brand new transportation center downtown on Monday. The brand new building will be home to regional and ...
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Feb 19, 2009
Ethical engineers
In his Feb. 11 Point of View article "Engineering the beaches will erode NC Resources," Rob Young denigrated the entire engineering profession by suggesting ...
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Feb 19, 2009
NC transportation officials get road construction moving
State Transportation Secretary Gene Conti said North Carolina has received $838 million in stimulus funding for transportation projects. $735 million is for highways and bridges, plus $103 million for public transit, aviation, rail, ferry, ...
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Feb 19, 2009
NC Gets $838M In Stimulus For Transportation
Conti said the funding will create jobs in the state, and that his agency is working with local communities to determine which projects will receive federal funding per the state's wish list created in November and updated recently.
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Feb 19, 2009
NCDOT receives $848 million in economic recovery plan funding
The total includes about $735 million for highway and bridge projects and about $103 million for transit, including aviation, bicycle and pedestrian, ferry, public transportation and rail projects. ?This funding will help us move forward with needed ...
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Feb 19, 2009
Stimulus expected to add jobs to update energy system
-Transportation: The measure provides $8.4 billion for public transit and $8 billion for high-speed rail. The American Public Transportation Association surveyed transit agencies starting a year ago and recently released the results.
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Feb 19, 2009
For road crews, stimulus promises more opportunity
Most of the federal money would flow to contractors and crews through state transportation departments for projects considered "shovel ready.
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Feb 19, 2009
Stimulus Roadblock?
PBS NOW traveled to North Carolina to see what the future holds for mass transit in these troubling financial times. The show covered how the stimulus plan will affect transit, as well reform at NCDOT, the Triangle's light rail plan, and Charlotte's success with the CATS system.
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Feb 05, 2009
It'll be one man, one vote for DOT contracts
For possibly the first time, the state Board of Transportation will not take action at its monthly meeting today on what has always been...
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Feb 05, 2009
CATS seeks stimulus funds for North Corridor Rail
One provision currently under consideration would provide ?a big pot of money, about $5.5 billion,? to the US Department of Transportation, which could decide to provide up to 100 percent funding for any project it wants, Mr. Carol said.
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Feb 05, 2009
Rider Paradox: Surge in Mass, Drop in Transit
In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering steep fare increases and its deepest service cuts in years to help close a $1.2 billion deficit. http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090204/ZNYT02/902043016/1042/NEWS?Title=Rider_Paradox__Surge_in_Mass__Drop_in_Transit
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Feb 05, 2009
5 states, feds to work together to improve I-95
The Virginia Department of Transportation says the goal is to reduce congestion and increase safety. VDOT says the other participants are Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and the US Department of Transportation.
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Feb 05, 2009
Democrats promise boost for road building
Top Democrats plan to add a big increase in highway and mass transit funding to President Barack Obama's economic recovery program Tuesday, even as others in the ...
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Feb 05, 2009
Best NC use of billions: Fix roads, fund transit
And the fervor to build roads has led to serious problems -- polluted air and water, lost farmland and open space, sprawling development, longer commutes, pinched family pocketbooks, a long-brewing transportation funding crisis. The list goes on.
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Feb 05, 2009
DOT chief keeps priority on Fayetteville
Q. Many in Charlotte and other cities believe the state's equity formula for funding transportation is inadequate for the state's urban areas.
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Jan 29, 2009
Highlights of economic stimulus plan
Infrastructure - $43 billion for transportation projects, including $30 billion for highway and bridge construction and repair and $6 billion to buy transit ...
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Jan 29, 2009
NCDOT announces more than 1M calls made to 511 in 2008
NCDOT announces more than 1M calls made to 511 in 2008 Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Jan 28, 2009 RALEIGH ? The NC Department of Transportation today announced that in 2008, more than 1 million callers used North Carolina 511 to access real-time ... http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990128021
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Jan 29, 2009
NC legislature: Big goals, little money
The backlog of projects ? road maintenance, construction or mass transit ? keeps growing. Officials hope for help from the federal stimulus package. ...
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Jan 29, 2009
Obama seeks GOP help, suggests open to compromise
Another $32 billion is ticketed for transportation projects, and $30 billion more for water projects and rail and mass transit. Obama's centerpiece tax cut ...
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Jan 29, 2009
Highway 17 Association gathers to discuss future plans
By Amy Kibler It?s the reason local and state officials met this afternoon to discuss projects along the Highway 17 corridor. The Highway 17 Association ... http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/local/article/highway_17_association_gathers_to_discuss_future_plans/30035/
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Jan 29, 2009
US Roads, Airways Get 'D' From Engineers
Often, building newer roads doesn't fix congestion, yet building better public transit would pay off more, he said. And spending on energy efficiency more than physical power plants makes sense, he added.
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Jan 29, 2009
City nears transit plan's completion
But the main focus of the beltway is funneling commuter traffic outside the city to relieve congestion. ?I think that would be a great addition to the city because 40 and 52 are very congested, heavily, during the high traffic hours,? commuter Julie ...
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Jan 22, 2009
House Plan for Infrastructure Disappoints Advocates for Major Projects
?Money included to modernize and expand public transportation networks will put thousands to work while reducing our nation?s dependence on oil, traffic congestion, and global warming pollution,? Mr. Baxandall said. The demand for more public ...
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Jan 22, 2009
Editorial: Use stimulus funding to replace aging bridge
Finally, the state's 21st Century Transportation Committee's proposal for a toll bridge has so angered local residents, who complain they'd pay a disproportionately high percentage of the project's costs, that it won't gain traction either.
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Jan 22, 2009
Replacing Yadkin River Bridge Remains Top Priority
Transportation officials claim more than 60000 drivers cross the Yadkin River bridge every day. Everyone agrees the bridge is falling apart.
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Jan 15, 2009
Transportation is taking center stage for city
This week, during a routine discussion of a forthcoming report on road funding options, political machinations emerged. During a City Council meeting, Danny Pleasant of the city transportation department and Charlotte Chamber government liaison Natalie ...
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Jan 15, 2009
Perdue promises to take Yadkin River bridge issue to Washington
Perdue noted funding for NC Department of Transportation highway projects will be dramatically affected in the coming budget year by lagging gas tax revenues and dwindling car sales.
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Jan 15, 2009
DOT board to lose power over road projects
Another order effectively strips the state Board of Transportation of power to approve highway projects and award contracts.
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Jan 15, 2009
The real rail rub
30 column in which he encouraged North Carolina officials to increase funding of Amtrak. Use of this form of transportation is growing quickly as people look for an alternative to high gas prices and crowded highways and airports.
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Jan 15, 2009
To toll or not to toll: that could be the question
RALEIGH - Local elected officials say the state should consider using federal stimulus funds to build the Triangle Expressway, which currently is on track to become North Carolina?s first toll road. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has ...
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Jan 07, 2009
Gene Conti is a political insider, but his prior roles in state ...
Because of his experience with the federal transportation bureaucracy, he ought to know how to turn the wheels to help North Carolina when it comes to funding, much of which is derived from Washington. And he's hardly naive regarding the history of DOT ...
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Jan 07, 2009
Editorial: Road money should go where it's most needed
Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand hail from the Cumberland County city. Rand derided the Charlotte folks as whiners who aren't satisfied with a share of funding but want it all. It's Fayetteville's turn ...
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Jan 07, 2009
Perdue picks leaders for DOT, commerce, culture
"We're pretty enthusiastic about it," said Marc Finlayson, a co-chairman of NC GO!, a coalition of local governments and road-building trade groups. ...
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Jan 07, 2009
Yadkin River fix on bridge to nowhere
?We felt like the legislators and transportation officials would see there is something broken with the funding,? Ivey said.
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Dec 03, 2008
Transit officials should face tough questions
The Town of Chapel Hill Transportation Board has, by ordinance, certain duties and powers, including "Advise the Council and Town Manager regarding plans and policies for bicycling and bikeway facilities, and regarding pedestrian access and safety.
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Dec 03, 2008
Gasoline Tax Limit Means $600M Lost For NC
Becky Carney, D-Mecklenburg, a member of a blue-ribbon transportation funding committee meeting last week. "But there's no money.
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Dec 03, 2008
City Holds Open House For Public On Long Range Transit
DATA strives to provide traffic congestion relief, cleaner air, and economic development-all in comfort and safety. For additional information about DATA, call (919) 485-RIDE or visit the City's Web site at http://DATA.
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Dec 03, 2008
I-85 bridge on stimulus list
States have compiled lists of projects they think would qualify for an infusion of federal funds, but only a fraction are likely to be funded, said Mark Foster, chief financial officer for the NC Department of Transportation. A $400 million replacement ...
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Dec 03, 2008
Carolyn Justus Talks About Transportation Needs
She said some of the money has been put into a gap fund for toll roads. Justus said that one proposal from the committee that she is definitely opposed to is turning secondary road work over to the counties.
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Dec 03, 2008
Tax discussed as possible source of highway money
"They concluded that it is a feasible and workable alternative to the gas tax and other types of transportation funding," Reed said. Oregon's program placed GPS units on vehicles so that miles traveled in state and out of state could be measured.
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Dec 03, 2008
Federal government withholds state road funding
AP RALEIGH - Federal transit officials have withheld some $25million in grants for local transportation projects in North Carolina, saying the state Department of Transportation is inadequately managing how such money is spent.
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Dec 03, 2008
Retool the tax code to take on NC infrastructure
The first challenge is causing tremendous strains on our transportation, water, sewer and school systems, while the second threatens the very funding mechanisms needed to repair and expand these critical systems. Both challenges are substantial, ...
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Dec 03, 2008
Local leaders frustrated with state funding for roads
"There does appear to be money for a handful of other projects elsewhere, just not here and in Greensboro and Charlotte, where there is tremendous congestion." The DOT says that although funding is down 56 from last year, Wake County and surrounding ...
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Dec 03, 2008
Transit funding sought
... smart planning and a shift in attitude as to what transit means to the citizens of North Carolina," said NC Go, a coalition of government agencies, ... http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881125104
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Nov 19, 2008
NBC17 Special Report: DOT Funding Shortfalls Could Cost You In New ...
Tippet said toll roads, which are in the works, will help in the future but only address about five percent of transportation needs. David Joyner, who is overseeing the toll road project, also said he sees tolls playing a limited role in future funding ... http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/news/story/14416
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Nov 19, 2008
Triangle Transit Expanding ?Talking Bus? Technology
Triangle Transit improves the region's quality of life by connecting people and places with reliable, safe, and easy-to-use travel choices that reduce congestion and energy use, save money, and promote sustainability, healthier lifestyles, ...
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Nov 19, 2008
State's roads are falling behind
Wilson?s committee has recommended ending transfers of money out of the state?s Highway Trust Fund and improving efficiency at the NC Department of Transportation. Both ideas would help. Neither would solve the state?s transportation funding problem.
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Nov 19, 2008
Future funding options will toll for taxpayers
The transportation committee is weighing several new tax options to help raise money for those projects. Any new tax must be approved by the General Assembly and the governor.
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Nov 19, 2008
CATS targets stimulus money
The American Public Transportation Association has been lobbying for transit funding to be included. ?We're optimistic there would be spending on infrastructure,? said Paul Dean, director of government relations for APTA.
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Nov 06, 2008
Hit the road, Jack? Nope: Drop in taxes keeps NC from road work ...
"People are starving for work," said Berry Jenkins of Carolinas AGC, a construction trade group. "We've had people laying off workers. ...
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Nov 06, 2008
Perdue faces a slew of economic and social ills
TRANSPORTATION: Perdue plans to remove members to the State Board of Transportation from making decisions on road projects.
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Nov 06, 2008
David Brooks: Invest in national infrastructure
Explore all the new ideas that are burgeoning in the transportation world -- congestion pricing, smart highways, rescue plans for shrinking Midwestern cities, new rail and airplane technologies.
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Nov 06, 2008
A National Mobility Project
Government spending is growing at an astounding pace. Congress and the president have thrown hundreds of billions into stimulus packages, domestic programs, military spending and other initiatives. Total federal spending is growing at a 13.8 percent annual rate.
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Nov 06, 2008
Public finding that passenger rail travel is just the ticket
The high cost of energy, coupled with congestion on highways and at airports, is drawing travelers back to trains for travel between cities as much as 500 miles apart.
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Oct 29, 2008
Congressman skeptical of NTSB on bridge collapse
Congressman Jim Oberstar, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, is skeptical that the structure failed because of a single factor.
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Oct 29, 2008
Slowing economy could stall road projects
City Council will hear suggestions Monday night from transportation engineers. The city expects to lose nearly 10 percent of its state funding for roads ...
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Oct 29, 2008
Next stimulus should focus on infrastructure
Supporters of infrastructure spending argue that many transportation projects suspended due to a lack of funding could be quickly restarted.
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Oct 29, 2008
Traffic plans bring snarl
The idea is to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents on a thoroughfare expected to see even more congestion as the town, Harnett County and Fort Bragg continue to grow.
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Sep 11, 2008
Burlington considers use of public transport system
Perry further cited a high availability in federal funding grants that could double or even triple Burlington?s transit budget. ?For every state and local ...
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Sep 11, 2008
Bridge repair program unfocused, says GAO
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional investigators say many of the nation's largest and most seriously deficient bridges aren't getting fixed because a federal ...
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Sep 11, 2008
Transit ridership surges nationally in 2nd quarter
By SARAH KARUSH AP WASHINGTON ? The nation's public transportation systems logged a 5.2 percent jump in ridership in the second quarter, according to ...
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Sep 11, 2008
NC leaders grapple with funding for roads
?There?s just not enough transportation funding, for rural areas or urban areas,? said John Marshall, transportation manager for Western Piedmont Council of Governments, who will speak at the meeting.
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Sep 11, 2008
Charlotte Roads In Trouble
Ernie Seneca, spokeperson for the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation, says much of North Carolina's transportation funding comes from the Federal Highway Trust Fund. That fund relies on revenue from federal highway taxes.
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Sep 11, 2008
Highway Trust Fund Is Nearly Out of Gas
By Eric M. Weiss US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said the nation's highway trust fund will run out of money this month, which means that federal ...
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Aug 27, 2008
State looking at tax increases for road funding
Chairman Brad Wilson said all tax options including charging drivers for how much they travel are on the table as the 21st Century Transportation Committee looks at ways to fill a projected $64 billion construction shortage over the next 22 years.
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Aug 27, 2008
Local design for I-26 connector should get green light
Called Alternative 4B, the design resulted from collaboration among the Department of Transportation, a national bridge building firm hired by Asheville and Buncombe County and a group of volunteers working through the nonprofit Asheville Design Center ...
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Aug 27, 2008
City resolution supports a state bond for new I-85 bridge
The Lexington City Council will likely join Davidson County commissioners in support of a statewide transportation bond to pay for a new Interstate 85 bridge over the Yadkin River at its meeting Monday night. http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080822/ARTICLES/1168043/1006/NEWS&title=City_resolution_supports_a_state_bond_for_new_I_85_bridge
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Aug 27, 2008
New taxes urged for roads, bridges
Plan a major state bond issue for road, bridge and other transportation needs. * Press Congress to strengthen federal transportation funding and give North Carolina its fair share. The state Department of Transportation has made steps toward reducing ...
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Aug 27, 2008
Highway funding increase urged by committee
Wilson said the state should consider raising the sales tax on cars, turning interstates into toll roads and taxing drivers based on the miles they clock on the roads.
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Aug 20, 2008
Danger zone: Fixing I-95 can't wait 10 years.
But we?re not ready or willing to accept the NC transportation secretary?s embrace of that reason for delaying expansion and repair of Interstate 95.
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Aug 20, 2008
State gives Asheville new bridge proposal
NC Department of Transportation officials will provide a project update to City Council Tuesday. State transportation officials will hold a formal public hearing Sept. 16. DOT is set to make a final decision on an alternative by the end of 2010.
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Aug 13, 2008
Raleigh outlines concerns over high-speed rail
Raleigh, NC - Raleigh officials have sent a letter to the state Department of Transportation outlining their concerns over a proposed high-speed rail corridor that would pass through the city.
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Aug 13, 2008
Where do gas taxes really go?
Several readers were skeptical when The News & Observer reported last week that the state Department of Transportation is suffering as drivers cut spending on two big sources of DOT taxes: gas and car sales.
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Aug 13, 2008
Not a crisis just yet
The DOT inspects all bridges every two years, they're required to do that," said Barry Jenkins, co-chairman of NC Go!, a coalition of advocates for ...
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Aug 13, 2008
Danger on I-95
?Anytime you can increase capacity, you?re going to increase safety,? he said. ?We really don?t have a great solution for solving congestion other than adding lanes,? Tippett said. ?And that brings about the funding issue.? A federal plan, Corridors of ...
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Aug 13, 2008
Frugal drivers put road funds in peril
The outgoing Bush administration has called for more private funding and less federal spending for the nation's transportation system. New administrations in Raleigh and Washington will inherit similar challenges with transportation funding problems ...
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Aug 13, 2008
Gas, car tax revenues are down
... said Berry Jenkins, a lobbyist for roadbuilders and chairman of NC Go, a statewide organization that advocates for more transportation funding.
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Aug 06, 2008
N.C. roads, bridges fare poorly
North Carolina's roads and bridges are among the worst in the country. According to a study by The Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles, the state ranks 48th in urban interstate congestion and 41st in deficient bridges?
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Aug 06, 2008
Study ranks North Carolina among worst for traffic, bridges
Meanwhile, the NC Department of Transportation, which maintains more than 12700 bridges in the state, and NC Go! traded news releases last week about the ...
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Aug 06, 2008
We can?t keep putting off repairs to aging highway infrastructure
Barry Jenkins, co-chair of NC GO!, which speaks for road-building trade groups and local governments, told The Associated Press, ?The big challenge next ...
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Aug 06, 2008
Special Transportation Advisory Committee Recommends New Rail ...
NC Go! ? A statewide advocacy group that is working to expand Highway Trust Fund flexibility and to end the annual transfers from the Highway Trust Fund to ...
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Aug 06, 2008
Lawmakers put off NC bridge repairs
?The big challenge next year is can they come up with more transportation money,? said Barry Jenkins, co-chairman of NC GO!, a coalition of local ...
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Jul 31, 2008
Report says 1 in 4 US bridges needs upgrading
State officials said bridge repairs are just one element of a pressing need for more federal funding to improve the country's deteriorating transportation infrastructure. "We need federal intervention, and federal intervention at a big level," Gov.
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Jul 31, 2008
Unfinished business in Raleigh: Transit
The bill provides the first comprehensive approach to transportation funding in memory, providing funds to plan transportation services as well as improve rail facilities and inland ports. It would also extend local transit funding options to other ...
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Jul 31, 2008
NCRR, NCDOT and Norfolk Southern Partner to Improve Railroad ...
We want to ensure that these crossings are improved for safety and to meet increased train and highway traffic. We've invested more than $50 million in this line since 2001.NSC
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Jul 31, 2008
Lawmakers put off NC bridge repairs
?The big challenge next year is can they come up with more transportation money,? said Barry Jenkins, co-chairman of NC GO!, a coalition of local ...
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Jul 31, 2008
Transportation secretary proposes new funding plan
"Mostly, it is a collection of the same uninspired and uninspiring policies that this administration has offered over the past five years: toll it, privatize it, lease it, sell it, or congestion-price it," House Transportation and Infrastructure ...
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Jul 31, 2008
Crashes cut at roundabouts
We know this because safety engineers at the state Department of Transportation are keeping score. The junction of NC 751 and Old Erwin Road in Durham had been one of the Triangle's scary spots for many years.
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Jul 24, 2008
State DOT in jeopardy of losing federal funding
Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Department of Transportation could lose at least a third of its federal funding because of record-high gasoline prices.
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Jul 24, 2008
Brunswick wants research on road to port
The feasibility study, expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete, would determine the most cost-effective ways to relieve traffic congestion on NC 211, NC 133 and NC 87 and the costs associated with building a new state highway from US 74 or ...
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Jul 24, 2008
Charlotte loop stalls as others speed ahead
Tippett said that while other areas might have more congestion, it's important to spread taxpayer money throughout the state, including Fayetteville.
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Jul 24, 2008
Dream of gas tax holiday falters over job losses
Oberstar, D-Minn., said his committee is working on the next long-term highway bill. He estimated it will take between $450 billion and $500 billion over six years to address safety and congestion issues with highways, bridges and transit systems.
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Jul 17, 2008
Bush administration highway safety chief resigning
That's according to a source familiar with her plans who requested anonymity because her decision hasn't been announced by the Transportation Department. Nason, who has led NHTSA (NIT'-sa) since May 2006, has focused on promoting child passenger safety ...
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Jul 17, 2008
US Senate earmarks $18M for Charlotte light rail extension
While we do not expect the transportation appropriations legislation to be enacted until after the presidential election in November, and there is no guarantee that the funding level will hold, this is a step in the right direction.
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Jul 17, 2008
Not so fast
The industry has made a push for these changes despite opposition on safety grounds from the state Highway Patrol and the Department of Transportation. How, then, can North Carolina's lawmakers push on? Alas, it appears it's the tried and true ...
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Jul 17, 2008
Rising fuel prices taking toll on business
While the rise in gas prices is taking a toll nationally - a gallon of unleaded gas is up 40% in a year - economists say Charlotte could be particularly hard hit in coming months.
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Jul 17, 2008
Bill that allows bigger trucks advances, but with safeguards
The committee amended the bill to make it easier for the NC Department of Transportation to designate certain roads as off-limits to 53-foot trucks.
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Jul 09, 2008
Revised Brunswick roads proposal now includes plans for new port
The DOT will use the plan to decide which projects receive funding and are placed in the state's Transportation Improvement Plan, which outlines projects, costs and construction schedules.
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Jul 09, 2008
Relief for interstate traffic? Driving on shoulders
Without enough road construction money to relieve congestion, the NC Department of Transportation began exploring in late 2007 using shoulders for two high-congestion areas: I-485 between South Boulevard and Johnston Road, and I-77 between mile marker ...
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Jul 09, 2008
Transportation Board to consider more than $63 million in highway ...
GARVEE bonds allow the acceleration of federal funding to help finance projects sooner and avoid cost increases due to construction inflation.
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Jul 09, 2008
Budget bill fuels Turnpike Authority's plans for Triangle toll road
The $21 billion spending plan includes $25 million a year for the North Carolina Turnpike Authority?s Triangle Expressway project, which would be the state ...
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Jul 03, 2008
Bond or toll proposed as choices for new I-85 bridge
Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, said funding boils down to two choices: a toll bridge or a statewide transportation bond referendum. More than 30 local and state elected officials, staff members from area governments, NC Department of Transportation ...
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Jul 03, 2008
Officials debate how to pay for I-85 bridge
"Interstate 85 is just a critical part of the state's transportation system, and it's an issue we cannot afford to ignore," said Nancy Dunn, a member of the NC Board of Transportation from Winston-Salem. Max Walser, a Davidson County commissioner, ...
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Jul 03, 2008
Making one old bridge less dangerous
Friday, government and transportation officials from across the state met in Davidson County to talk about that visit and the possibility of making the new bridge a toll bridge. Davidson and Rowan county officials agree the Yadkin River bridge on ...
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Jul 03, 2008
Funding NC transportation needs
GAP funding (the difference between toll revenues and total project cost) is included in House and Senate legislation to fund NC Turnpike Authority projects, including the Monroe Connector-Bypass.
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Jul 03, 2008
NC legislators debate golf carts as transportation as gas prices ...
"Safety is the main consideration," said Caswell Beach town administrator Jim Carter. But golf carts rolling down the streets in Wilmington might not be so safe in the eyes of state Rep. Sandra Hughes, D-New Hanover.
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Jul 03, 2008
Road projects get red light due to budget
"I think the answer for the congested streets is more transit, because you can move more people at rush hour when the congestion is happening,? said Greg Flynn, with WakeUP Wake County. ?As we grow, it only gets to be more of a concern.
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Jun 25, 2008
House panel OKs long trucks
Comment on this story RALEIGH - A House committee today changed a bill to preserve the state Department of Transportation's ...
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Jun 24, 2008
More money needed to keep NC moving
Both consider transportation planning to be vitally important. Both would stop the transfer of money from the Highway Trust Fund to pay for other state ...
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Jun 24, 2008
As gas hits $4, will locals change their driving habits?
As an environmental attorney trying to promote smart transportation practices in the South, David Farren often saw his overtures fall on deaf ears. ...
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Jun 23, 2008
Momentum building for new era in transportation
One of the bright spots in the 21st Century Transportation Committee's deliberations is a visionary proposal that would establish a comprehensive approach ...
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Jun 23, 2008
High gas prices have commuters looking for options
Representatives from Cape Fear Community College and Corning Inc. said their workers are taking advantage of alternative transportation, such as carpooling, ...
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Jun 22, 2008
Charting NC's transportation future
For a man leading the effort to figure out how North Carolina will meet its future transportation needs, that's sobering news. Why? ...
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Jun 11, 2008
Bill Would Allow Increased Funding For Mass Transit
RALEIGH, NC -- Lawmakers are mulling over a bill that could help create a light rail system and other modes of mass transportation in some ...
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Jun 11, 2008
Today in North Carolina: Serious ideas about traffic
By Scott Mooneyham For the past year, state leaders have been doing a lot of talking about how to deal with growing traffic congestion and transportation ...
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Jun 11, 2008
Regional bus usage doubles
Scott Rhine, programs manager for the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART), said the Mountaineer Express now averages about 2400 riders per ...
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Jun 11, 2008
PART sending buses to Asheboro, Thomasville, Lexington
The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation?s budget includes money for commuter routes into from Asheboro, Randleman, Thomasville and Lexington to ...
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Jun 10, 2008
Ports committee teleconference to focus on transportation needs
Specifically, the committee will consider a resolution urging the NC General Assembly to request that the NC Department of Transportation conduct a ...
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Jun 09, 2008
Bypass will speed trip east of Raleigh on US 70, I-40
Department of Transportation spokeswoman Amanda Perry said the 10.7-mile bypass is expected to carry 85000 cars a day by 2025. The road links Interstate 40 ...
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Jun 08, 2008
Gas taxes set to rise in some states
But the largesse has a cost: he's forfeiting roughly $80 million at a time when the state is facing a $1 billion shortfall in transportation projects. ...
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Jun 08, 2008
Legislature doesn't want to make sweeping changes
They appear to be content to leave Raleigh with measured improvements to the state's transportation and education systems, rather than passing sweeping ...
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Jun 04, 2008
Sorting out real cost of fuel
... Cooper was among several experts who told the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that speculators are helping push up prices. ...
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Jun 04, 2008
House to vote on budget
State House members are expected to vote today on a $21.3 billion budget proposal that includes modest pay increases for teachers and most state employees...
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Jun 04, 2008
I-40 will get wider, sooner or later, in 3 places
When the state Board of Transportation updates its roadbuilding plans for the next seven years today, the new schedule will include improvements to reduce daily backups...
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Jun 03, 2008
High gas prices lead to surge in mass transit
"Whether I'm in town or out of town, public transportation is going to be the way to go for now." In the first three months of 2008, 2.6 billion trips were ...
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Jun 02, 2008
Raleigh to consider $120 million transportation bond
RALEIGH - A $120 million transportation bond referendum is included in the city's proposed Capital Improvement Program. Voters would be asked to approve the ...
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Jun 02, 2008
19 counties may get road upgrade money
RALEIGH - The state Board of Transportation will consider awarding $82.8 million in contracts for road improvement projects in 19 counties, including Durham ...
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Jun 01, 2008
Lynx system inspiring big ideas for rest of state - Opinion
When legislative leaders set up the 21st Century Transportation Committee last year, few would have bet real money that its most impressive recommendation ...
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May 27, 2008
Drivers turn to buses as gas prices climb
Tarley said he and his wife are a little embarrassed about having to rely on public transportation. They declined to be photographed, and she didn't want to ...
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May 27, 2008
Going farther - Opinion
Regarding your May 18 editorial "There yet?": You need to take a closer look at what the two transportation study commissions have produced...
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May 25, 2008
Gas prices boost mass transit
In recent years, Census Bureau data have shown an uptick in the percentages of US commuters taking public transportation or car pooling, ...
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May 24, 2008
Gas prices reduce holiday travel
To ease traffic for travelers, the state department of transportation has suspended all road construction until Tuesday morning.
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May 23, 2008
AP IMPACT: What makes up the price of gas?
Consider the game of chicken that plays out every day across Pennsylvania State Highway 441. In Marietta, where the road hugs the Susquehanna River, ...
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May 23, 2008
DOT says both river bridges at Wilmington need repairs
The Wilmington Star-News reported Friday that highway engineer Allen Pope said if lanes have to be closed on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, workers won't ...
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May 22, 2008
Gas tax holiday is misguided
There is also a proposal in Raleigh this year to end the use of highway funds for non-highway projects ? something that should have happened a long time ago ...
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May 22, 2008
County rejects state's call for 'help'
House Bill 1513 would allow counties to "voluntarily" participate in the costs of transportation projects. Commissioner Efton Sager said he was concerned ...
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May 21, 2008
Troubled bridges over our waters - Editorial
First we learn that many of the connectors that help hold up the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge have dangerous cracks. Now we're told the underwater equivalent of termites has severely damaged up to a dozen of the pilings supporting the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge...
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May 15, 2008
Lobby's focus is roads, schools
On the other side of the aisle, Phil Berger, a Raleigh Republican and Senate minority leader, told the audience that North Carolina needs a transportation ...
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May 15, 2008
The governor?s budget
Over the next 20 years, the state faces $65 billion in transportation projects. Easley should end the diversion of highway fund money ? and leave a legacy ...
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May 14, 2008
Four views from Jones Street
Top House and Senate leaders of both parties made their annual appearance before the North Carolina Chamber Wednesday afternoon and their view of North Carolina and the prospects for the General Assembly session were as different as their personalities.
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May 13, 2008
Committee recommends bonds to pay for road work
RALEIGH ? On the day lawmakers convened for the 2008 session, a transportation committee asked them to slash $172million from the budget and ...
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May 13, 2008
Road bond eyed as way to generate highway funds
RALEIGH - A special transportation panel is hoping to put an infusion of dollars into highway spending by eliminating a transfer ...
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May 13, 2008
$1 billion bond may help transportation
The committee also recommended the state come up with an aggressive plan for mass transportation, like the successful LYNX light rail system in Charlotte. ...
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May 13, 2008
More money recommended for road building
Raleigh ? As lawmakers returned to Raleigh today to start a new legislative session ...
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May 13, 2008
Transportation commission boosts Triangle Expressway plans
A package of transportation proposals sent to the General Assembly today would enable construction of the the 18-mile ...
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May 13, 2008
Lawmakers head back to work
RALEIGH -- North Carolina's top two legislative leaders said Tuesday they intend to make good on the balance of ...
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May 13, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at the NC General Assembly
SESSION OPENS: The General Assembly returned to Raleigh to open its budget-adjusting session with brief floor meetings and a long afternoon listening to ...
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May 11, 2008
Making the most of the ?short' session
With the demands of a growing state for an improved transportation infrastructure, the continued siphoning money from the Highway Trust Fund is inexcusable. ...
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May 11, 2008
Issues and questions before the '08 NC legislative session
A blue-ribbon panel is expected to propose a statewide referendum to approve more than $1.5 billion in transportation bonds. But legislative leaders in the ...
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May 11, 2008
Lowered expectations for NC legislative session this week
The largest single financial choice on the table this session will be whether to offer voters two statewide bond referenda to pay for transportation ...
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May 11, 2008
Budget would boost teacher pay
He will not take away the gas tax cap, and the budget will not include major bond proposals like water, sewer, schools or transportation. ...
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May 11, 2008
NC lawmakers assemble this week
More money will remain in the trust fund, which is used for road building and other transportation needs. Eventually the transfer will be phased out ...
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May 10, 2008
Short money means a short legislative session
Two areas sure to receive attention this session are transportation and mental health. Last year, lawmakers came to Raleigh with a $2 billion surplus and ...
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May 09, 2008
Train ridership increases as gas prices skyrocket
?More and more travelers are finding that our trains provide a timely, safe and environmentally-friendly alternative means of transportation,? NC Department ...
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May 09, 2008
Transportation wish list to seek bonds, taxes from General Assembly
Transportation planners are putting the final touches on an ambitious laundry list of recommendations - including a billion dollar-plus bond initiative and tens of millions in local funding options - they hope the General Assembly will consider in its upcoming session.
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May 08, 2008
Low Expectations for Short Session
This Tuesday the General Assembly will convene for what is commonly known as the ?short session.? For many years our legislators met every two years, in odd-numbered years, but as state budgets increased rapidly and issues became more complex...
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May 07, 2008
Some spans to become toll bridges
In order to replace 8000 of them, the state Department of Transportation will need to replace 400 per year. Currently it averages 120 per year. ...
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May 06, 2008
States Get In on the Calls for a Gas Tax Holiday
... prices fell by an average of only 4 cents, according to a study by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, which opposed the plans. ...
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May 06, 2008
Editorial: Gas pump politicking
The actual pocketbook benefit, according to state transportation officials, would be about $28 per motorist over the summer driving season. ...
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May 06, 2008
Bond may pay for planned Wilmington Bypass
The 21st Century Transportation Committee, appointed by the NC General Assembly, is charged with studying and reporting on transportation issues. ...
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May 04, 2008
Trying to strike a balance between growth and accommodating it
Jim Sebastian, who manages bicycle and pedestrian programs for Washington's Transportation Department, said the bicycles will help reduce congestion, ...
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May 03, 2008
Political hot air on gas tax
According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the average driver would save only about $28 in a three-month ...
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May 02, 2008
Gas prices rattle Triad economy
The result: transportation-dependent companies must rethink the way they do business, whether cutting back on trips or investing in fuel-saving technology. ...
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May 02, 2008
Raleigh desires streetcars in wider downtown area
The group is helping city officials design a new downtown transportation system to include areas as far west as Hillsborough Street near the North Carolina ...
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May 02, 2008
Gas prices' impact deeper for state roads, farmers
Raleigh, NC ? Rising fuel prices cost the state Department of Transportation about $20 million last year, and that number is expected to be higher this year ...
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May 02, 2008
Millions flow to Triangle for buses
The North Carolina Board of Transportation has allocated $14.9 million to four Triangle transit operations, mostly to pay for new buses. ...
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May 02, 2008
State allots funds for walkers, bikers
Raleigh, NC ? The NC Board of Transportation awarded $391750 Friday to 16 municipalities planning to improve conditions for bicycle riders and pedestrians. ...
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May 02, 2008
State awards nearly $100 million in transportation contracts
The NC Board of Transportation Thursday awarded nearly $100 million in federal funded contracts for highway improvement projects and urban transit systems. ...
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Apr 29, 2008
Greensboro Transportation Needs Add Up To $422 Million
Transportation leaders will present a list of top projects to city council next week. They want the council to put a bond referendum on the November ballot. ...
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Apr 29, 2008
Clinton pitches gas tax break
She chided Obama for dismissing the gas tax as a "scheme" that would divert money from needed transportation improvements. "This is one of the biggest ...
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Apr 28, 2008
PART Expanding Service
As gas prices near the $4 mark for a gallon of unleaded, Transportation leaders want to open a third Park and Ride lot in Davidson County. ...
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Apr 28, 2008
Editorial: Yadkin Bridge stuck as-is
The deeper the state Department of Transportation sinks into paralysis, the higher the bridge's replacement costs rise. The price has grown from $175 ...
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Apr 26, 2008
Editorial: Next governor?s main task is managing state?s growth
The Statewide Transportation Plan projects that by 2030 North Carolina will need nearly $124 billion for expansion, modernization and maintenance, ...
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Apr 25, 2008
STAC debuts Triangle transit blueprint
This comes in the wake of ongoing transportation problems across the state. As it stands, because of growing population, state highways and roads are ...
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Apr 24, 2008
Committee looks at coming road woes
The 21st Century Transportation Finance sub-Committee has come up with short-term ideas to handle the growth. They want to stop the transfer of $172 million ...