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Forward thinking on transportation

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Staff

RANDOLPH VOLLER

I was dismayed to learn that the recent North Carolina State Senate budget failed to include the proposed policy from Gov. Bev Perdue to fund a N.C. Mobility Fund.

As the chair of the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization (TARPO), which advises the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on transportation planning and related issues outside of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations in Orange, Chatham, Lee and Moore counties, I have seen first-hand some of the challenges inherent to the current system we operate under in North Carolina.

Long ago, our leaders set policy and encouraged transportation investments that we benefit from today. Legendary Gov. Kerr Scott made it a point in the late 1940s to address rural areas with poor-quality dirt roads in the Tar Heel State. Decades later, Gov. Jim Martin pushed forward the idea that no North Carolinian should live farther than 10 miles from a four-lane highway and championed a 5.25 cent per-gallon motor fuels tax hike to help step up road construction. These were bold policy positions that responded to the needs of the people and moved North Carolina ahead.

And although we can occasionally become myopic about the needs of our fellow North Carolinians, this is not an area where we can stick our heads in the sand. Transportation networks are linked, and, by their nature, cross political, regional and NCDOT district boundaries. For instance, transportation projects in District 8 logically connect to those in District 7, which means sidewalks and bike lanes on U.S. 15-501 in Chatham County need to cross district lines and connect to sidewalks and bike lanes in Orange County. Transportation networks leaving Chatham County need to connect to similar and high-quality contiguous networks in the eight surrounding counties and not become influenced by, nor mired down with, petty politics and pork-barrel projects. The governor’s proposal will address some of these issues by requiring that a new open and transparent prioritization model be created and developed in collaboration with local governments, stakeholders and the public. 

It is 2010 and North Carolina needs to support policies that will provide the flexibility to address the changing demography and transportation requirements of the Tar Heel State. A good idea would be a fresh look at the current equity formula for the allocation of transportation funding in our state as well as the implementation of Gov. Perdue’s plan.

Gov. Perdue’s Mobility Fund could generate revenue for transportation and economic-development projects of all shapes and sizes throughout North Carolina regardless of whether they are rural or urban and will create opportunity, logistical consistency and, most importantly, jobs.

I have spoken to my fellow mayors in Chatham County, Goldston Mayor Tim Cunnup and Siler City Mayor Charles Johnson, and they also support the forward thinking of Gov. Perdue and NCDOT Sec. Gen Conti. As a team, we all strongly urge other leaders to support this new program too.

Randolph Voller is mayor of Pittsboro.

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