Improving NC Roads, Ports To Drive Economic Growth

Governor Pat McCrory says the best way to bring jobs to North Carolina is by way of better roads, rails, and seaports.

Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory traveled across the state explaining his 25-year vision to improve the transportation system. He visited airports in Wilmington, Greenville, Asheville and Winston-Salem explaining how each region would be affected. In the Triad, he landed at Smith Reynolds Airport and spoke to an audience of city and county leaders, politicians, state employees with the Department of Transportation and the media. McCrory described some of the plans for the Triad. “We're going to complete the loop around Greensboro to help ease congestion and move freight. We're also going to build a high-speed taxi-way and expand the runway at the Piedmont Triad Airport to expand air freight movement,” explained McCrory. He continued to say he's introducing to the state legislature, a new billion-dollar transportation bond to help fund the completion of several state projects including the Winston-Salem Northern Beltway.

Other aspects of this 25-year-plan focuses on improving the I-95 corridor to boost service along the U.S. eastern seaboard, to provide industrial access to freight rail lines and to create public-private partnerships to develop mega sites for new businesses. According to McCrory, under the state's new Strategic Mobility Formula, all projects will be approved based on facts, not politics. “First, where are the cars, congestion. Second, where we can save lives based on safety requirements," says McCrory. "Third, based on where we can create jobs and where jobs are needed in North Carolina.”

Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Tata accompanied the governor and shared details about specific projects.  He said this new plan more efficiently uses state funds for the possible completion of potentially 360 projects, double what had originally been identified.