The transportation crisis in North Carolina
Friday, August 31st, 2007
By Chris Fitzsimon
Associated Press
Winston-Salem Journal— Comments by state Rep. Nelson Cole, a powerful seven-term Democrat from Reidsville, explain why recurring state problems don’t get fixed in Raleigh – especially transportation problems.
Speaking about North Carolina’s sorry roads and the necessity of raising taxes to fix them, Cole told The Charlotte Observer: “Politically, you can’t ask somebody to stick their neck out and vote for it if their opponent is going to hit them over the head with it. No one likes taxes.”
That’s an incredible statement from the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee on transportation, a leader whose job it is to make hard choices.
North Carolina faces a transportation crisis. Like those in much of the rest of the nation, our roads and bridges have grown old without necessary maintenance. Our airports have surpassed capacity, and most mass-transit systems are inadequate.
The state Board of Transportation has identified $122 billion in needs that must be met over the next 25 years. The current revenue stream is projected to raise only $57 billion of that. (more…)
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