Opinion: McCrory's new transportation plan shifts emphasis to economic development

W hile there are many outstanding criticisms of Gov. Pat McCrory’s recently unveiled 25-year transportation plan, it signals an admirable desire to help connect rural and metropolitan areas and develop North Carolina’s economy.

The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported McCrory asked for a $1 billion bond Sept. 17 to begin new projects, but with two conditions: The projects must be ready for immediate implementation and have also received a relatively high priority under 2013’s Strategic Transportation Investments law. The governor also hopes to increase revenues by $58 million to fund proposed projects with proposals such as a toll booth on I-77 north of Charlotte.

This seems like an appropriate response to population projections that predict 12 million North Carolina residents by 2034.

Opponents point out the use of the bond favors convenience over priority. Indeed, McCrory seems to be moving away from the Strategic Transportation Investments law’s emphasis on urban development and concentrating on finding ways to develop the state’s rural areas and small towns. One of the projects on the list is an upgrade to U.S. 301 in Nash County, which was originally ranked below well-known thoroughfares U.S. 70 and N.C. 540.

But McCrory said these projects are expected to create between 20,000 to 70,000 jobs in mostly low-income areas. These are well-planned initiatives that McCrory said have been sitting on the back burner for years.

This emphasis on rural development could slow urban sprawl and would begin to give the state’s poorest areas the attention they need.