Remarks for Secretary Tippett
West Fayetteville Rotary Club Luncheon
Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 1 p.m.
A.I.T. Building, Fayetteville
Introduction
Good afternoon.
Thank you, Mr. Yarborough, for that kind introduction.
Before I begin, I also want to thank you and the West Fayetteville Rotary Club for all your hard work for this community and its people.
I always enjoy returning to Fayetteville. Being here with talented civic and business leaders such as you makes me proud to call this great city home.
I am pleased to have the opportunity today to update you on several projects here in Fayetteville and Fort Bragg and share with you the North Carolina Department of Transportation's agenda for 2007.
Transportation and Growth
Year after year, North Carolina continues to become an increasingly popular place to live and work.
While this growth provides numerous opportunities, it is also placing an increasing demand on our transportation system.
To put the situation in perspective:
· North Carolina's population grew from 5 million in 1970 to 8.5 million in 2004, and is expected to grow by 4 million more people in the next 25 years.
· Vehicle miles traveled more than tripled from 30 billion in 1970 to 94 billion in 2004, and are expected to increase 50 percent more by 2020.
· Truck freight hauled in North Carolina is projected to increase to 808 million tons by 2020, a 190-percent increase since 1998.
Many of the state's highways were built as farm-to-market roads and were not designed or built to handle the heavy traffic volumes they carry today.
As a result, an increasing number of the state's most important corridors need significant upgrades. This includes our interstate highway system, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this past year.
Other Factors
There are several factors besides growth that make this situation especially challenging.
In North Carolina, unlike many other states, a major portion of the burden to fund local transportation improvements rests on the state level rather than the local level. We have more than 79,000 miles of state-maintained highway. Only Texas has as many.
According to a recent census report, North Carolina ranks 19th nationally in per capita highway spending on the state level, but only 49th in those same expenditures on the local level.
Construction inflation increased by more than 45 percent over the last three years alone - making it more costly for us to complete needed projects. Unfortunately, these costs are continuing to rise.
Gov. Easley and the General Assembly recognize the strain placed on the department's budget and they built $200 million into this year's budget to reduce the annual transfer from DOT's Highway Trust Fund to the General Fund. They also provided an additional $18 million to the Highway Fund for maintenance.
This means that more of our transportation revenues will actually go toward transportation improvements.
We thank the governor and the legislator for these actions.
Other Steps We are Taking
While we are working hard to make the most of our current revenue, we understand that our state can no longer rely on traditional funding sources. We must explore ways to help generate new funds to better meet our needs.
One of these funding sources is the use of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles, or GARVEE bonds.
These bonds allow us to borrow against future federal funding, accelerating our transportation dollars to finish projects sooner and reduce inflation-related costs.
The General Assembly has authorized DOT to issue $950 million in GARVEE bonds, and we are currently working diligently to determine candidate projects. We are also examining the possibility of using these bonds to complete our most-needed interstate maintenance improvements.
The department is also looking at ways to partner with private industry to give further options for building and maintaining mutually beneficial highway facilities.
As Fayetteville leaders, I urge you to help this community think "outside the box" about ways you can contribute to transportation improvements.
Fayetteville and Cumberland County Projects
To help keep up with the tremendous growth in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, NCDOT has several projects currently under construction and several more scheduled to be let in the next year. These projects come from a variety of sources including the Transportation Improvement, N.C. Moving Ahead!, Small Construction, Economic Development, Spot Safety, Senate Bill 1005 and Public Transit programs.
Transportation Improvement Program Projects
The transportation improvement program identifies projects for a seven-year period based on local, regional and statewide transportation needs and funding constraints. Several TIP projects are currently under construction here.
First, Bragg Blvd from north of N.C. 210 to Manchester Road has recently been improved with the installation of a median island including directional crossovers at intersections, signal upgrades, milling and resurfacing.
Construction of an additional lane on Cliffdale Road from Raeford Road to west of Reilly Road is also complete.
I know you will also be pleased to hear that the Hope Mills Bypass project from Bingham Drive to Legion Road at Elk Road is currently ahead of schedule and should be completed this October.
In addition, widening Bingham Drive to four and five lanes from the proposed Hope Mills Bypass to Raeford Road is estimated for completion this July.
Construction of the Owen Drive extension from I-95 Business to N.C. 87 at East Mountain Drive in Fayetteville is also scheduled for completion in July.
DOT also plans to award contracts for two other TIP projects in 2008.
The first one entails widening U.S. 13 by two feet on each side from I-95 to the Sampson County line, including widening for left turn lanes at various intersections.
The second project includes the installation of directional crossovers on N.C. 87 in the Grey's Creek area.
N.C. Moving Ahead! Projects
Several projects are also under way as part of the North Carolina Moving Ahead! program, a special initiative aimed at meeting the state's most pressing maintenance needs and generating new economic development opportunities.
The first project will construct a left-turn lane and signal at the intersection of N.C. 210 into Fayetteville State University. This contract was let in July 2006 and work is estimated for completion in May.
Also, a contract for milling, resurfacing and drainage improvements along Russell Street from Walters Street to the bridge is scheduled to be let in November. The estimated completion date is July 2008.
The other Moving Ahead! project includes several small projects along Chicken Foot Road. What a great road name. Projects include the widening of Chicken Foot Road, as well as resurfacing the road from I-95 to N.C. 20 in Bladen County. A three-lane section will also be constructed on Chicken Foot Road from Bylerly Place Road to Clifton McNeil Road. These projects were let in March 2006 and are scheduled for completion in August 2008.
Small Construction Projects
Two small construction projects are currently in progress.
Construction of radius improvements, widening and resurfacing on Andrews Road at U.S. 401 is estimated for completion this spring.
A contract for curb and gutter construction and drainage improvements on N.C. 53 from I-95 to two-tenths of a mile east of the interstate was let in August 2006. The scheduled completion date is this May.
The department is also planning to award contracts this spring for drainage improvements on Shaw Road from Summerwind Road about 1,000 feet west to Little Cross Creek.
Economic Development Projects
Economic growth is vibrant in Cumberland County and new businesses are coming here. I especially want to mention two significant projects planned for area business parks.
The first involves construction of an access road into Spring Lake Industrial Center including a turn lane on Manchester Road at this new access road. This project is being built by a municipal agreement with Cumberland County and should be let to contract this spring.
The second project was the recently completed extension of Production Drive from Technology Drive in the Cumberland County Industrial Park.
Grading, draining, paving and erosion control are included in both of these projects.
Spot Safety Projects
We also have several spot safety projects in this area, which are intended to make high-priority safety improvements. I'm not going to mention them all but I will touch on a couple.
We recently completed construction of a traffic island, right-turn lane and acceleration lane on Reilly Road at Baldoon Drive.
A contract was also let in fall 2006 to remove a signal and install a traffic island on Skibo Road at Bragg Blvd. Construction is scheduled for completion in fall 2007.
A number of other projects are planned.
SB 1005 Project
Funds were also authorized through Senate Bill 1005, legislation which is aimed at maintenance and economic development needs across the state. Area SB 1005 projects include construction of an access roadway into Cedar Creek Business Center and turn lane for Phase 1 of the Cedar Creek Business Center Development located two miles east of I-95 on N.C. 53 (Cedar Creek Road).
Public Transit Projects
In addition to our work on this region's highways, our Public Transportation Division has been developing several projects to better meet the needs of citizens and visitors.
The approval of state funding by the Board of Transportation to assist with the Intermodal Transportation study is important to meeting these needs. This study will develop plans for a new Fayetteville transportation center that will replace the temporary transfer facility now in use.
Also, the Fayetteville Area System of Transit or FAST, is among the five transportation systems participating in a project approved by the Board of Transportation in April 2006 to purchase a Web-based asset and vehicle maintenance management software package. The software will allow NCDOT staff to monitor vehicle maintenance practices without the need for a site visit.
In addition, the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County have developed the scope of work for an urban/rural transit consolidation plan study. We are currently reviewing the draft and upon approval, a Request for Proposals will be put out to secure a firm to conduct the planning work.
Fayetteville Outer Loop (I-295)
Continued construction of the Fayetteville Outer Loop, or I-295, will aid commuters and visitors traveling within or around the city and county.
The first segment of the I-295 loop opened in July 2005. This segment from I-95 to Ramsey Street has already proven beneficial for commuters in northern Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
It has reduced travel time to Fort Bragg and is considered an important northern crossing of the Cape Fear River.
The next segment of loop construction will run through Fort Bragg, from Ramsey Street to just past the All-American Freeway, giving the base a direct connection to the interstate highway system.
The department is working closely with base officials on corridor security, including plans to construct security checkpoints at interchanges that lie within the base's borders.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2008 and the $200 million project is expected to be completed in 2011.
Conclusion
The projects I've mentioned to you today are only a handful of those the department is working on to improve the quality of transportation not only in Cumberland County, but also throughout the state.
Fayetteville, Cumberland County and Fort Bragg are working together to meet the transportation needs of the area's citizens. Our work, with your help and patience, will help the state adapt to the needs of the ever-growing population.
Thank you again for inviting me here today and for your hard work in the Fayetteville community.