North Carolina Turnpike Authority

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority was created in 2002 as a board with the authority to study, plan, develop and undertake preliminary design work for toll roads and toll bridges in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Once the preliminary work is complete, the NCTA will have the power to design, establish, purchase, construct, operate, and maintain certain up to nine (originally three) toll road projects. It was created "out of a need to implement alternative financing to pay for much-needed roads during a time of rapid growth, dwindling resources and skyrocketing costs" ^[1].

As of April 2007, no toll roads exist in the state of North Carolina, but the NCTA is studying multiple possible projects. Thirty-six states operate some type of toll facilities; in fact, every state along the Atlantic Seaboard uses toll facilities except North Carolina and Connecticut^[1].

The NCTA was created with HR644, a bill which passed both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Mike Easley on October 3, 2002. The law prohibits the NCTA from converting any existing roads in the non-tolled system to toll roads, but there is a loophole in the legislation. An existing free road can be converted into a toll road if it "is needed to help establish the financial viability" of a nearby toll project^[2]. In addition, the law mandates the North Carolina Department of Transportation to maintain an existing, alternate, comparable non-toll route for each toll route constructed by the NCTA.^[3]

Contents 1 Possible projects 2 Criticism 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Possible projects

Possible toll road and bridge projects in North Carolina include:

• Western Wake Parkway[1], the western segment of the second beltway around the Raleigh area.
• Triangle Parkway[2], southern extension of North Carolina Highway 147 to Interstate 540 in Research Triangle Park.
• Gaston East-West Connector (Garden Parkway)[3], a bypass around Gastonia for U.S. Highway 74.
• Monroe Connector/Bypass[4], a bypass around Monroe for U.S. Highway 74.
• Cape Fear Skyway[5], a bridge connecting Brunswick County with southern Wilmington and a possible extension of Interstate 140
• Interstate 74 in Brunswick County[6], a segment of a future interstate route across the Green Swamp connecting to South Carolina in Brunswick County
• Mid-Currituck Bridge[7], a bridge connecting mainland Currituck County with Corolla and the northernmost Outer Banks communities - a shortcut across the Currituck Sound.

[edit] Criticism

There is continued criticism among North Carolina legislators and citizens about the issue of toll roads in North Carolina, a state which has previously not had tolls for its modern roads. It has been a political campaign issue in state and local elections. Gerry Bowles, a democrat, challenged 16th North Carolina Senate District incumbent Senator Neal Hunt, a republican, on the issue of tolls on I-540. Bowles launched a website, www.stop540toll.com, calling for the removal of tolls from plans for the extension of I-540. Bowles, however, lost the 2006 election to Hunt^[4]. ^[5]

Some criticism with the NCTA lies with the toll prices. A price of $2 was proposed for the 16-mile segment of the Western Wake Parkway, an amount that some feel is too high. Propoents of the price often cite Colorado's E-470 and its $3.75 charge for 16 miles. ^[6]

[edit] See also

• North Carolina Department of Transportation
• North Carolina Ferry System
• North Carolina Highway System

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} North Carolina Turnpike Authority official website
2. ^ News & Observer - Crosstown Traffic: New tolls for old roads? (June 21, 2006)
3. ^ Legislative Watch: North Carolina - 2003 Archive
4. ^ NealHunt.com
5. ^ News & Observer - Toll worrier (May 19, 2006)
6. ^ News & Observer - $2 for 16 miles: steep or cheap? (June 13, 2006)