AASHTO Journal, 5 October 2012
More than $142 million in funding is going to assist municipalities pay for road projects across North Carolina, courtesy of North Carolina Department of Transportation State Street Aid money.
The State Street Aid funding, more commonly known as the Powell Bill Fund, comes from revenue generated by the state gas tax and highway user fees. This year, NCDOT is distributing $142.8 million to 508 separate municipalities, which is about $4.5 million and six municipalities more than was allocated last year.
“Powell Bill funding helps our state’s towns and cities cover the cost of construction, maintenance, and repairs for their streets and sidewalks,” said NCDOT Secretary Gene Conti in a statement. “It has proven to be of valuable assistance through the years so these communities can make important improvements to the safety and condition of their transportation systems.”
The Powell Bill Fund was created in 1951 and has since allocated $3.6 billion to various North Carolina municipalities. A formula, created by the North Carolina General Assembly, determines how much municipalities receive from this funding. According to that formula, about 75 percent of the funds are awarded based on population, while 25 percent are based on the municipalities’ street miles.
Additional information on NCDOT’s Powell Bill Program, including a list of the allocated amounts for this year’s funding, is available at bit.ly/NCstreet.