Tag Archive for: #NCDOT

TownTalk: Reporting Potholes To NCDOT

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Dabney Drive has seen major improvement, but if you drive along state-maintained roadways, you may want to add a number to the contact list in your phone, just in case you need to report a pothole to the N.C. Dept. of Transportation.

Did you know that NCDOT has a dedicated number – 1.877.368.4968 – for folks to report potholes that pop up? Not only that, but there’s a whole section on the NCDOT website dedicated to potholes, including a link to submit a claim online.

On Tuesday’s TownTalk, Caller Tony phoned in to recount his experience with NCDOT when he called to complain about some pretty significant damage to his car, thanks to an 18-inch deep pothole.

It was last summer, Tony said. Although he was aware of the pothole, the weather conditions (it was drizzly) and oncoming traffic offered a one-two punch that resulted in close to $5,000 damage to his car.

Tony marched himself down to the Gillburg DOT facility and learned how to get in touch with the folks in Raleigh to lodge a complaint.

He spoke with someone who said the state could reimburse him for at least some of the hefty repair bill. The car was in the shop for a month, and when Tony sought the reimbursement, it seems the person he’d spoken with had retired and he was unable to find others who could help.

There may still be time for Tony to submit his claim – there’s a way to submit online but also a way to download a citizen incident statement to mail to the NCDOT.

According to the website, “individuals who suffer injury or property damage, such as vehicles damaged because of a pothole or mailbox knocked down as a result of a snow plow, can file a damage claim to request reimbursement.”

The website also said the NCDOT aims to repair reported potholes within two business days.

NCDOT generally submits the driver’s claim, as well as its own report, to the N.C. State Attorney General’s Office, which will determine whether NCDOT knew about the pothole and made an effort to repair it within a reasonable length of time, the website states.

If the Attorney General’s Office denies the claim, drivers can appeal to the N.C. Industrial Commission. For more information, conta​ct the Attorney General’s Office.

Visit https://www.ncdot.gov/contact/Pages/claims.aspx to learn more.

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NCDOT

NCDOT Awards $1.9M In Paving Projects For 16 Miles Of Roadways In Vance County

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— From the N.C. Dept. of Transportation

More than 16 miles of roadway in Vance County will be milled and resurfaced after the N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $1.9 million contract.

Raleigh-based Carolina Sunrock LLC will make improvements to the following highway, as well as four secondary roads:

  • U.S. Highway 1 Business (Raleigh Road) from Chavis Road to J.P. Taylor Road
  • South Cokesbury Road from Tower Road to North Cokesbury Road
  • South Cokesbury Road from Tower Road to Vicksboro Road
  • Egypt Mountain Road from U.S. Highway 1 to Charlie Grissom Road
  • Community House Road/ Briggs Road/ South Lake Lodge Road/ Lake Lodge Road Ext. from Old Watkins Road to U.S. Highway 1 Business

The contractor is scheduled to begin work this spring and will have until the fall of 2027 to complete the work.

State Auditor Discloses Details Of DMV Audit As Long Wait Times, Lines Continue Across State

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— information courtesy of the N.C. Office of the State Auditor

 

The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released two audits of North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles. The reports – including a performance audit and information systems audit – were conducted to examine the current operational challenges affecting the most forward-facing agency in state government.

“I pledged to audit the DMV to get to the root cause of its failure, and the reports dealing with licensing procedures and information systems are now complete,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek. “Our audit team has worked hard to find opportunities where the DMV can course correct and effectively serve North Carolina citizens.”

OSA’s performance audit shows the DMV experience for both customers and employees has gotten worse over the years, and that the relationship between the DMV and the N.C. Department of Transportation is a contributing factor.

Customer service has been declining, with wait times on the rise:

  • Average DMV wait times stand at 1 hour and 15 minutes, up 15.5 percent since 2019.
  • Data shows nearly 14 percent of visits exceeded 2.5 hours in fiscal year 2025, up about 79 percent since 2019.

Employees are struggling with workload and burnout:

  • Only 47 percent of DMV workers believed the DMV fostered open communication.
  • 43 percent expressed negative views of prior leadership support.
  • Employees cited low salary, burnout, security concerns, lack of support and inadequate training.
  • Average salaries are below $50,000 for examiners in both rural and urban areas.

Staffing levels are unsustainable:

  • North Carolina’s population has grown by 2.5 million (29 percent) in the last 20 years, but driver license examiner positions have only increased by 52 positions (10 percent).
  • Only 505 of the 710 driver license examiner positions are filled, roughly 160 vacancies remain.
  • In Harnett County, there is only one examiner serving over 56,000 residents.

To address the structural challenges identified in the performance audit, and ensure DMV can deliver timely, effective, and citizen-centered services, OSA makes five recommendations:

  • Policymakers should consider establishing DMV as an autonomous agency or authority with direct control over its budget, strategic planning and operations.
  • DMV leadership should adopt a comprehensive strategic plan independent of DOT.
  • DMV should conduct an in-depth staffing analysis to inform a multi-year, phased staffing plan that addresses examiner shortages and ensures service equity statewide.
  • DMV should build and maintain a centralized performance dashboard to track and report key service metrics.
  • DMV should partner with an industry expert to develop and implement evidence-based improvements to customer experience and service delivery.

The findings in the performance audit point toward a dysfunctional relationship between DMV and DOT. There are four systemic challenges stemming from the DMV’s governance structure as a division of DOT, including limited strategic input, restricted budget autonomy, insufficient performance data and exclusion from key process modernization initiatives.

Examples include:

  • DMV generates 30 percent of DOT’s overall revenue, but accounts for only 2.8 percent of DOT’s expenditures.
  • Of the 45 performance milestones in the DOT strategic plan for the 2023-2025 biennium, only two directly pertained to DMV operations.
  • Only 31 percent of DMV’s staffing requests were included in DOT’s budget requests.
  • DOT left out DMV customer satisfaction data in its performance report.
  • DMV was excluded from planning and procurement phases of improvement efforts led by DOT.

“It’s time to solve the DMV problem. North Carolina has the will and the tools to make our DMV better. Our audit lays out some concrete steps to begin the process to fix the DMV,” Boliek said.

Each recommendation includes specific timelines for impacted parties to follow. OSA will be following up on each recommendation to ensure progress is being made.

In addition to the performance audit, OSA conducted an information systems audit of DMV. The information systems audit found that since 2014, the DMV and Department of Information Technology – Transportation initiated 46 projects that resulted in a cost of approximately $42 million. However, even with all the projects, IT modernization efforts have not produced meaningful customer service improvements, and the current DMV mainframe systems are outdated and overdue for replacement.

OSA made four recommendations for the DMV and DIT-T to take to improve operations.

The audit process for the DMV involved on-site visits to multiple locations, interviews with DMV and DOT personnel, and a thorough review of current strategic plans, general statutes and employee engagement surveys. OSA analyzed key data, including budget expansion requests, wait times, transaction volumes, ZIP code transaction data, service time data, and dwell time data, to assess operational efficiency and service delivery.

Auditors and specialists also engaged external experts from the Institute for Transportation Research and Education, the Bryan School of Business and Economics at UNC-Greensboro, and the UNC School of Government.

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NC DOT

NCDOT Awards $2.9 M Contract For Roadwork In Vance, Granville, Warren Counties

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— information from the N.C. Department of Transportation

The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $2.9 million contract to Sunrock Industries LLC to improve more than 16 miles of roads in Granville, Vance and Warren counties.

The roads to be upgraded include:

  • US 1 / 158 / Norlina Road from just north of Satterwhite Point Road to the U.S. 1 Bypass
  • U.S. 158 (North Garnett Street/Norlina Road) from near Satterwhite Point Road to U.S. 1 Bypass in Vance County
  • U.S. 1/U.S. 158 from U.S. 1 Bypass to the Vance-Warren County line
  • U.S. 1 Business/U.S. 158 from the Vance-Warren County line to Terrell Street in Norlina
  • NC. 56 (East C Street/Butner Creedmoor Road/West Lake Road) from Central Avenue to South Durham Avenue (U.S. 15) in Granville County

The project will include milling, resurfacing, shoulder reconstruction and curb replacement. Work is set to begin this spring and should be finished by late fall 2026.

NCDOT

NCDOT: $2.3M Contract Awarded To Improve 18 Miles Of Granville County Roadways

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— from the N.C. Dept. of Transportation

The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $2.3 million contract to Sunrock Industries, LLC to enhance more than 18 miles of roadway across Granville County.

The project will focus on improvements to seven sections of secondary roads, including:

  • Old N.C. 75 from the bridge over Ledge Creek to Providence Road
  • Lawrence Road from Horseshoe Road to the Wake/Granville County line
  • Thad Carey Road at Old N.C. 75
  • Joe Pruitt Road from Graham Hobgood Road to Cornwall Road
  • Bodie Currin Road from Graham Hobgood Road to Cornwall Road
  • Cornwall Road from Joe Pruitt Road to U.S. 158
  • John Watkins Road from Oak Hill Road to Cornwall Road

The scope of the work includes milling, resurfacing, shoulder reconstruction, and curb replacement. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring, with completion anticipated by late fall 2026.

NCDOT

11 Miles Of Vance County Roads Included In NCDOT $1.2M Improvement Project

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— Information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Transportation

The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded an almost $1.2 million contract to Sunrock Industries, LLC to improve more than 11 miles of roadway in Vance County.

NCDOT spokesperson Kim Deaner released the information on Thursday, May. 15.

The contractor will improve 11 sections of secondary roads including Glebe Road from Glover Road to N.C. 39, Nutbush Road from N.C. 39 to Satterwhite Point Road, and Haywood Wright Road from Ross Mill Road to N.C. 39.

The project will involve milling, resurfacing, shoulder reconstruction, and curb replacement. Work is scheduled to begin this spring and is expected to be complete by late fall 2026.

NCDOT

Upcoming Improvements for Franklin County Roads

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The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $2.3 million contract to Sunrock Industries LLC to improve more than 16 miles of roadway in Franklin County.

The project will include milling, resurfacing and shoulder reconstruction.

The roads to be improved are:

  • Brantleytown Road/Old Halifax Road from the Franklin-Wake County line to N.C. 39
  • Halifax Road from North Bickett Boulevard to Justice Street
  • Vaiden Road from Schloss Road to N.C. 58
  • 11 stretches of secondary roadway

Work may begin this spring and is expected to be completed by late fall 2026.

— press release information courtesy of NCDOT

TownTalk: Mobility Hub Info Sessions In Henderson May 13, 14

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The concept for situating a mobility hub in downtown Henderson is taking shape, and the public has a chance to share opinions and ideas about what the actual facility should – and could – look like.

Grady McCollum is one of many at the N.C. Dept. of Transportation who is helping to move the plan from the vision board stage to the brick-and-mortar stage. McCollum, senior project coordinator of NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division, said having a mobility hub in Henderson can be transformational for transportation options and beyond.

The information sessions will be held Tuesday, May 13 and Wednesday, May 14 in Henderson. The May 13 session will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Room at Perry Memorial Library; the May 14 session will take place from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the site of the proposed mobility hub – the former First National Bank Building on South Garnett Street.

Although plans for the S-Line rail corridor may be on pause as a result of efforts at the federal level to reduce wasteful spending and make government more efficient, McCollum said on Wednesday’s TownTalk that he and his team at the state level will keep working toward completion of mobility hubs along the S-Line Corridor until they’re told there’s definitely a major change happening.

“We’re planning on the money coming, and we’re anticipating the money coming,” he said.

Until they hear otherwise, it’s “full steam ahead – pardon the pun,” McCollum said.

Having a mobility hub in place will make sure Henderson is “ready” for rail service, he said. The former bank building is centrally located, right in the heart of downtown Henderson, and the concept is to have it be a central location for all types of transportation used by residents, as well as those coming to visit or using Henderson as a stop to a future destination.

It’s a place to meet and gather, too, he said – “a catalytic spark to future development.”

A mobility hub would offer amenities like restrooms and bike racks but also give people a place to connect that is new, exciting, convenient and inviting.

What better place than a former bank building to purchase a train ticket, reserve a KARTS micro-transit ride or just stop in to meet up with like-minded friends?

“Being in the center of downtown is what makes it a good site,” McCollum said. “It brings in excitement to downtown,” and the plan to revitalize the area across the railroad tracks along William Street helps to broaden the scope of the total project.

The bank building, although in need of some major renovation, is unique among the half dozen or more spots along the S-Line corridor that the NCDOT is working with.

McCollum called it an anchor of the city, and he is excited “to build that up and make it as impressive and cool” as it can be.

“It gets your mind racing with all it could be,” he continued, adding that having an actual bank vault as a backdrop to a ticket counter? “It’s a unique and interesting space I think that brings a lot of character with it.”

Other communities along S Line don’t have the luxury of lots of community gathering places, and McCollum said this mobility hub could serve as a way to bring the community together for events in addition to helping to move people around in the easiest, most convenient way possible.

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The Local Skinny! Aviation Academies at the Henderson-Oxford Airport

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The Henderson-Oxford Airport is one of a dozen airports to get state funding to host summer academies for students in grades K-12 who want to learn more about aviation and the aerospace industry.

The N.C. Dept. of Transportation’s Division of Aviation has awarded grants of up to $5,000 for these smaller airports to have programs for young people, according to information from NCDOT.

“We’re thrilled to partner with airports across the state to offer these academies,” said Nick Short, interim director of the NCDOT Division of Aviation. “Not only do students have an incredible time learning about aviation, but they also gain valuable insight into the career opportunities available in this dynamic and growing industry. It’s about sparking curiosity and showing them that the sky really is the limit.”

The academies are designed to engage students in hands-on activities, interactive lessons and behind-the-scenes experiences that bring the aviation industry to life. Participants can look forward to flight simulator sessions, airport tours, aircraft demonstrations and opportunities to connect with aviation professionals who share their passion for the skies. Triangle North Executive Airport in Louisburg is also participating in the summer academy program.

The ACE Academy Grant Program is a key component of the Division of Aviation’s mission to support aerospace and aviation workforce development. By funding these academies, the Division is helping to cultivate a pipeline of skilled professionals who will contribute to the state’s robust aviation sector.

Parents and students interested in participating in this year’s ACE Academies can learn more by visiting the NCDOT web page devoted to the academies, which contains contact information for each.

James N. Brown, Jr., director of Customized Training at Vance-Granville Community College, is the contact person for both local airports. Contact Brown at 252.738.3520 or brownj@vgcc.edu.

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Henderson Driver License Office Closed Until At Least 2 P.M. Friday

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UPDATE: The Henderson Driver License office has reopened as of 1:50 p.m. Friday

Original Update:

WIZS News learned at 7:30 a.m. Friday that the Henderson Driver License Office is expected to be closed until at least 2 p.m. Friday.

A spokesperson with DMV and NCDOT told WIZS, “The Driver License office in Henderson will be closed this morning to allow for necessary facilities maintenance and office upgrades. Customers with appointments this morning are being serviced at the Oxford Driver License office or have been rescheduled.”

The Henderson office is scheduled to reopen around 2:00 p.m.

More details may be available later in the day.

In mid-January there was a closure for scheduled office upgrades such as the installation of new workstations for examiners, new wiring for computers, computer upgrades, and new furniture in the customer waiting area.