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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA<\/p>\n
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION<\/p>\n
BEVERLY E. PERDUE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY EUGENE A. CONTI, JR. GOVERNOR SECRETARY
\nNORTH CAROLINA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY
\n1578 MAIL SERVICE CENTER, RALEIGH, N.C. 27699-1578
\nTELEPHONE: 919-571-3000 FAX: 919-571-3015<\/p>\n
July 30, 2010<\/p>\n
To:\u00a0\u00a0 Members of the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee
\nFrom:\u00a0\u00a0 Transportation Secretary Gene Conti and Turnpike Authority Director David Joyner
\nSubject: 2010 Mid-Year Report
\n________________________________________________________________
\nIn accordance with General Statute 136-89.193 (c), we are pleased to present the following report on the Turnpike Authority\u2019s activities during the first half of 2010.<\/p>\n
The Authority continues to make significant progress on six toll projects across North Carolina, each of which will improve mobility, reduce congestion and help ensure that our state\u2019s highway infrastructure meets the growing demands of our motorists.<\/p>\n
As North Carolina continues to face economic hardship, toll revenues have taken on an increasingly important role in providing valuable funding for vital improvements across the state that cannot be paid for through traditional financing alone. These revenues not only help pay for the highways on which they are collected, but they also free up money for other much-needed projects that will benefit travelers throughout North Carolina.<\/p>\n
In recognition of the growing need to utilize innovative financing options and a more diverse array of operational tools to optimize the performance of our transportation infrastructure, the N.C. Turnpike Authority was fully integrated into the N.C. Department of Transportation this past June. This
\ntransition began in 2009 at the direction of Gov. Bev Perdue to improve the efficiency of both agencies and provide better coordination of our closely related missions. House Bill 1734, \u201cDOT Powers and Duties Changes,\u201d solidified this transition by clarifying that the Turnpike Authority is
\nnow a part of the Department of Transportation, which is critical to our future efforts to obtain bond financing.<\/p>\n
It is our expectation that the integration of the Turnpike Authority into NCDOT will provide valuable knowledge and experience as we work to upgrade our transportation system. The Turnpike Authority is on the cutting edge of implementing both alternative financing tools, such as careful consideration of North Carolina\u2019s first public-private partnership for the Mid-Currituck Bridge in Currituck County, and in system operation technology, as demonstrated by the first all-electronic toll collection contract for a start-up toll agency awarded in May for the Triangle Expressway in Wake and Durham counties.
\nThe Turnpike Authority continues to conduct significant outreach efforts to educate North Carolinians on the value of toll roads and the many benefits they offer to our motorists and our communities. We are also taking steps to mitigate the effect of our current budget situation on these projects and ensure that they are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner.
\nBelow is an update on each of the Authority\u2019s six projects:<\/p>\n
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