North Carolina’s road conditions
As of 2008, a full 52% of North Carolina’s state-owned major roads had fallen out of good condition, meaning they will now be increasingly expensive to repair and maintain. Only 48% of North Carolina’s roads were in good condition, the state in which repairs are least expensive.
North Carolina’s highway spending priorities
Between 2004 and 2008, North Carolina spent 63% of its highway capital expenditures on road expansion – $1.2 billion each year on average – but only 10% on repair and maintenance of existing roads – $190 million. That 63% of spending on expansion added 2,055 lane-miles to North Carolina’s road network.
This significant expansion not only diverted needed funds away from repair projects, it also permanently increased the annual funding needed to maintain the state’s road network. North Carolina would need to spend $3.8 billion annually for the next twenty years to get the current backlog of poor-condition major roads into a state of good repair and maintain all state-owned roads in good condition. Shifting more funds toward repair would go a long way toward addressing the state’s maintenance needs.
North Carolina’s road condition goals
North Carolina uses the Pavement Condition Rating to measure road conditions. According to the most recent publicly available information the state aimed to maintain an average of 82.5% of state-owned major roads in “good” or better condition by 2009
For more information about North Carolina’s pavement management program, including the source and methodology for the above information, see the appendices of Repair Priorities.
Read more about North Carolina’s transportation spending
Smart Transportation North Carolina: Save Money and Growth the Economy
This Smart Growth America report provides more extensive analysis of North Carolina’s transportation spending priorities and recommendations for how state leaders can make the most of North Carolina’s transportation funds.
