Transit plan puts emphasis on military needs
Published September 18, 2014
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, September 18, 2014.
Somebody finally blinked. So maybe we can get to work upgrading and expanding our state's highways and other transportation systems.
Maybe.
Until now, state leaders have mostly answered with shrugs and quizzical looks when we asked how they plan to repair our crumbling highways and build new ones to serve a growing population. But on Wednesday, Gov. Pat McCrory and Transportation Secretary Tony Tata unveiled "Mapping Our Future," a 25-year transportation plan that includes tailored approaches for each of the state's regions.
The key to the plan is financing: a proposed $1 billion to $1.5 billion bond issue that will shore up fast-diminishing revenues in the state's transportation funds. Decades of improving fuel mileage have diminished those fund balances, which primarily come from the state's gasoline and diesel-fuel taxes. McCrory proposes the big bond issue, along with public-private partnerships that could include toll lanes on some highways.
The bond issue, and likely the partnerships as well, will require General Assembly approval, which is never a sure thing. But as the transportation plan points out, we need to take advantage of "historically low interest rates to enhance our ability to fund projects with just-in-time bond strategies."
The plan for eastern North Carolina has a decidedly military theme. That's appropriate, since most of the state's major military installations are in the east - and Tata is a retired Army general who spent some of his career on Fort Bragg.
The plan envisions a new interstate highway to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and upgrading U.S. 74 and U.S. 70 - routes to ports in Wilmington and Morehead City - to full interstate standards. It also proposes upgrading rail lines from military bases to the ports.
The 38-page plan talks about improving "connections to the I-95 corridor from rail and seaports to serve markets throughout the eastern United States," but only mentions briefly the need to expand and rebuild I-95 itself. That should be one of the state's highest priorities, and we hope this plan is an opportunity to restart that effort, which stalled and nearly died amid angry sniping over the possibility of charging tolls for the highway.
The plan the governor rolled out on Wednesday is a promising start on addressing North Carolina's transportation needs. We hope any devils in the details are easily exorcised and our transportation network can join us in the 21st century.
September 18, 2014 at 10:31 am
pattie marshall says:
But wait a minute...Tata is taking care of his hometown.....what about McCrory?
