N.C. Public Works Earn Mediocre Grade

by Bruce Siceloff - Septermber 19th, 2006 - News & Observer

North Carolina needs to invest tens of billions of dollars to rejuvenate its aging roads, schools and water systems and to support economic growth, a professional engineers' group said in a report released Monday.

[snip]

The state's roads also earned a D grade for poor pavement condition, worsening congestion and a widening shortfall in funds needed to keep up with traffic growth. North Carolina trails most states in supplying enough roads to handle congestion, the report said.

"Congested highways, outdated schools, corroding bridges -- they're all constant reminders, and you see them all around you," Grant K. Autry of Raleigh, a former president of the engineering group's 2,500-member North Carolina chapter, said at a news conference. "The infrastructure situation out there is a looming crisis that jeopardizes our nation's prosperity and our quality of life."

It is especially appropriate to read this article while we are pushing so hard for the Inner Banks Scenic Parkway. As bad as the road situation is throughout North Carolina, it is worse right here in the Inner Banks. We need the North South corridor of U.S. 17 / U.S. 13 finished, we need U.S. 158 and U.S. 264 widened and we need the Inner Banks Scenic Parkway.

However I question the "Mediocre Grade" evaluation in the title as being harsh enough for what is really happening. It is good to find that the dire situation created by the State's Democratic leadership is starting to be noticed.