Tag Archive for: #NCDOT

NC DOT promotes free bike helmet distribution

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-information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Transportation

Research shows bicycle helmets save lives and prevent serious injuries.

As part of the annual Bicycle Helmet Initiative to encourage more children to wear helmets, the N.C. Department of Transportation will give free protective headwear to organizations across the state to distribute to youth cyclists.

Organizations can apply online with NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Feb. 3.

“Wearing a helmet is an easy way to reduce risk of head injuries when riding a bicycle,” said Ryan Brumfield, director of the state’s Integrated Mobility Division. “We hope the Bicycle Helmet Initiative will help reduce bicycle injuries and raise awareness about the importance of safe bicycling practices.”

In just the last five years, the program has provided people over 45,000 free bike helmets, including nearly 20,000 helmets provided to over 260 organizations in 2022. Research shows bicycle helmets prevent 60% of head injury deaths and they reduce the risk of head injuries by up to 85%. Unfortunately, less than half of all children wear a helmet when they ride a bike.

To apply, please find instructions and guidelines at NCDOT’s Bicycle Helmet Initiative webpage. Applicants may request 25, 50, 75, or 100 helmets, and awardees will receive the helmets in the spring.

The helmet initiative started in 2007 and works with local communities to spark interest in bicycle safety. As part of that, applicants should consider partnering with a local law enforcement agency, parks and recreation department, church or other organization to host bike safety events. The initiative is paid for using sales of the Share the Road specialty license plate.

NCDOT

NC DOT Offers Safety Tips When Driving During “Bomb Cyclone”

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-information courtesy of N.C. Department of Transportation

People should check real-time driving conditions before traveling anywhere throughout the holiday weekend, as a winter storm is forecast to bring bone-chilling cold, rain, heavy winds and possible snow and ice in some locations.

Those conditions could make travel dangerous in North Carolina from the mountains to the coast.

The N.C. Department of Transportation has prepared for the storm. It has  more than 2,200 employees who are specially trained to use hundreds of trucks to remove snow and ice from roads. The agency has prepared its trucks and equipment in advance of this weekend’s winter storm. The NCDOT can store up to 179,000 tons of salt and sand and 1.8 million of brine to treat roads.

“Our staff is ready to clear roads of snow and debris as needed, but travelers need to be prepared, too,” said J. Eric Boyette, NCDOT secretary. “This storm could make it quite dangerous to be outside driving. Everyone should be prepared and be safe.”

If you do choose to travel this weekend, NCDOT recommends the following safety tips:

  • Be sure your vehicle is running well, has at least a half tank of gas and is equipped properly for changing conditions.
  • Keep on hand a supply kit with an ice scraper, extra windshield wiper fluid and anti-freeze, as well as a first-aid kit, blankets, flashlights, drinking water, and a basic automotive tool kit with jumper cables and flares.
  • If possible, leave early for your destination.
  • Allow extra time for your trip, regardless of the route you choose.
  • Drive slowly and maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
  • Approach bridges and overpasses with caution as they may accumulate ice first.
  • Come to a complete stop and yield the right of way when approaching an intersection where traffic lights are out. Treat this as a four-way stop.
  • Other tips can be found on NCDOT’s “Driving in Winter Weather” webpage.
  • For real-time travel information, visit DriveNgov or follow NCDOT on social media.

Road Construction Halted

To ease travel, the NCDOT will temporarily halt most construction activity along major highways to keep traffic flowing for holiday travel.

Construction along interstates, U.S. and key N.C. routes will be suspended from Friday morning until Tuesday evening to help reduce delays.

Construction also will be halted starting the morning of Dec. 31 through the evening of Jan. 3 for motorists traveling during the New Year’s Day holiday. Some projects will continue with work that doesn’t impact travel lanes, and other long-term lane closures will remain in place on certain projects.

Weather Could Impact Other Transportation

High winds and rough seas along the coast could cause schedule interruptions on some or all North Carolina ferry routes. Travelers should check with their terminal of departure before heading out this weekend.

As of Thursday, there are no plans in the coming days to stop or delay any of the state’s passenger rail trains. For the latest train schedules, please visit NCByTrain.org.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

NC DOT

“Operation Crash Reduction” Underway On State’s Roads Through This Weekend

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– information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Transportation

North Carolina law enforcement agencies will be encouraging motorists to slow down from Oct. 3-9, as part of a special speeding enforcement effort dubbed “Operation Crash Reduction.”

“We have an epidemic of high-speed crashes occurring on roads in North Carolina, and that’s why agencies across the state opted to make speeding the focus on this year’s “Operation Crash Reduction” campaign,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “This is part of GHSP’s broader efforts to combat a dangerous increase in speeding through increased enforcement, public awareness and policy.”

The event is part of a larger, regional campaign by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to target unsafe driving behaviors at a particularly deadly time of year. Motorists may notice increased law enforcement efforts to crack down on speeding motorists and bring awareness to unsafe speeds in communities statewide this week. This will include more radar operations and speed display signs.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Program urges drivers to always avoid speeding. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves, makes it more difficult to stop, and increases the risk of crashes and injuries.

The “Operation Crash Reduction” effort is focused on North Carolina, Washington D.C., Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This region experiences some of the nation’s highest numbers of traffic crash-induced fatalities. According to NHTSA, from 2015 to 2019, this region experienced more fatal crashes in October than any other month. A total of 190 people were killed in crashes during the month of October last year in North Carolina. Of those, 42 deaths were related to speeding.

As of Oct. 3, nearly 300 people have been killed in speed-related crashes in North Carolina. That represents more than one fatality a day in 2022. Between 2017 and 2021, there was a 17 percent increase in speed-related crashes in North Carolina.
Find more information and statistics on speeding in North Carolina here.

NCDOT

Henderson Gets $463K in Powell Bill Funds From NCDOT

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Henderson is the big winner among area municipalities in the recent $154.8 million Powell Bill allotment announced by the N.C. Department of Transportation for street improvements.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon told WIZS Wednesday that he and the City Council will be working to help prioritize where and how to use the $463,634.73 allotment, about half of which has been distributed.  The remaining amount to be paid by Jan. 1, 2023, according to a press statement from NCDOT.

Officially called the State Street Aid to Municipalities, the program also is known as Powell Bill funds. This year, a total of 508 municipalities statewide benefitted from the allocation.

The Powell Bill funds are used primarily to resurface municipal streets but also may be used to maintain, repair, construct, or widen streets, bridges, and drainage areas. Municipalities can also use Powell Bill funds to plan, construct and maintain bike paths, greenways or sidewalks.

The amount each municipality receives is based on a formula established by state law, with 75 percent of the funds based on population and 25 percent based on the number of municipality-maintained street miles.  The annual population figures are provided by the Office of State Budget and Management.

“Powell Bill funding allows us to complete a lot of transportation projects important to North Carolina communities from Murphy to Manteo,” said State Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette.  “Municipalities can use these funds on projects that make our state a wonderful place to live, work and play.”

The fund is named for Junius K. Powell, a former state senator and mayor of Whiteville. Powell was the primary sponsor of the 1951 bill to help the state’s cities with urban road problems. The first allocation of Powell Bill funds was for $4.5 million and was distributed to 386 cities and towns.

Here’s what other area municipalities received through the Powell Bill:

  • Oxford – $255,752.37
  • Butner – $211,071.63
  • Creedmoor – $136,485.84
  • Louisburg – $95,153.03
  • Franklinton – $81,171.29
  • Youngsville – $61, 422.29
  • Norlina – $36,146.25
  • Stem – $29,567.39
  • Warrenton – $29,013.37
  • Stovall – $12,849.72
  • Middleburg – $6,201.01
  • Kittrell – $5,248.47
NCDOT

NC DOT Survey Open For Public To Comment On 10-Year Improvement Plan

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The N.C. Department of Transportation has a survey available to gather public feedback on its draft of the 10-Year State Transportation Improvement Program. The STIP identifies the construction funding and schedule for transportation projects over a 10-year period. The survey window opened Sept. 1 and surveys can be completed and submitted through Oct. 28.

There are several ways to submit comments:

  • Take an online survey on NCDOT’s public engagement website by Oct. 28 at https://metroquestsurvey.com/ew73x
  • Submit comments online, by phone or mail using the contact information associated with each county (view here)
  • Attend a drop-in meeting Oct. 10-14 at the NCDOT Division 5 office, 2612 N. Duke St., Durham, NC 27704

Once the public comment period ends, NCDOT will review and address comments. This will help in the next round of project prioritization for the 2024-2033 STIP. We will also share feedback with the Board of Transportation. The board is expected to approve the Final 2024-2033 STIP in summer 2023. 

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to participate. Anyone requiring special services can contact Simone Robinson at strobinson1@ncdot.gov or 919.707.6085 so that arrangements can be made.

Persons who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request by calling 1.800.481.6494.

 Las personas que no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación llamando al 1.800.481.6494. 

NCDOT

Volunteers Needed For NC DOT Fall Litter Sweep

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The N.C. Department of Transportation is looking for volunteers for the Adopt-A-Highway Fall Litter Sweep, which runs Sept. 10 – 24.

Each April and September, the department calls on volunteers to help remove litter from roadsides. Volunteers from local businesses, schools, non-profits, churches and community groups play an important role in keeping North Carolina’s roads clean.

“The Litter Sweep is a great opportunity to get outdoors with family and friends and work alongside NCDOT to ensure North Carolina remains a beautiful place to live and work.” says David Harris, a state DOT roadside environmental engineer.

Volunteers can request gloves, safety vests and bags from their local county maintenance office to prepare for the cleanup event. DOT maintenance crews devote one week of their time to pick up litter and collect the orange bags that dot roadsides after volunteers have finished their work.

Cleanup supplies, such as reversible orange/blue trash bags, gloves and orange safety vests, are available from the local NCDOT county maintenance yard office.
​The following link contains contact information for each county’s local litter management coordinator.
Visit the Litter Sweep webpage for more information.

S-Line Rail Corridor

Another Grant Means Another Step Toward ‘All Aboard’ for S-Line Rail

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Plans to bring rail service back to Henderson continue to chug along, and one city council member said he’s been pleasantly surprised at how the S-Line project is coming together.

Garry Daeke spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk about the recent announcement of a $3.4 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to complete a transit-oriented development study.

“It’s incredible that we’ve been able to get these grants so quickly,” Daeke said. The wheels of government and bureaucracy often move slowly, especially when working with multiple agencies across the local, state and federal levels, Daeke noted. But everything is running along smoothly, including a recent site visit that Daeke said proved quite positive.

“I’m real enthused about the work of DOT – how much time and energy they’ve put into this – they really want to see this fly,” Daeke said. In fact, state DOT officials held a press conference Tuesday morning in Sanford to announce the awarding of the RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Sanford is one of the stops along the proposed S-Line, which includes stops in Apex, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Henderson and Norlina to connect the Raleigh to Richmond corridor.

The City Council is “100 percent excited” about the project, which would include a train station and other possible retail and commercial projects nearby, with the prospect of providing a huge boost to the area’s economy.

The rail would serve passenger and freight traffic, both of which Henderson has experienced in the past.

For Daeke, it’s all about working together. “Collaboration is how things happen,” he said. During the recent site visit, city staff and local officials joined NC DOT staff and railroad representatives to survey existing infrastructure and to envision how the area could be transformed.

The city put up $190,000 for its part of the project, and although Daeke said it’s a lot of money, he said he believes the project will pay big dividends for the city and beyond.

The group took a look at the old First National Bank Building on Garnett Street as a possible station, and Daeke said the reviews were positive. The group took a walking tour and looked at the former bank building as they covered basically the whole block, discussing everything from loading docks and accessibility to parking lots and bike paths.

“This will be the jewel on the new line between Petersburg and Sanford,” Daeke recalled one visitor as saying.

Between the urban redevelopment plans underway and what’s going on downtown with the Downtown Development Commission, Daeke said the state and rail officials who visited were impressed with prospects for the rail hub.

“They said it would be a fantastic site for a train station,” he said, affirming what city leaders had wondered about. “It became very clear that it could work.”

What comes next?

A feasibility study, including a site assessment and preliminary engineering plans, for starters.

But the project includes much more than just situating a train station in town.

The whole notion of a “transportation hub” involves looking at how people are going to get to the station and could include projects from creating bike lanes to widening existing roads. Then there’s the very real possibility of having to build a couple of overpasses for the trains to keep road traffic moving. Where will folks park if they want to catch the train in Henderson and leave their car for a few days?

Daeke said it will be key to take a look at where people gain access to the train and make sure that the area is safe and easily accessible for the community.

“It’s definitely a bigger plan than just building a train station,” he said.

The S-Line is a developing rail corridor that will better connect rural and urban communities, improve and expand freight and passenger services, and significantly reduce rail travel times between Raleigh and Washington D.C. To learn more, visit this NCDOT webpage.

Click Play

Raleigh to Richmond Corridor Grant

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— information courtesy of NCDOT and NCDOT Now —

The Federal Railroad Administration announced during the week of May 30th more than $368 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grants. Of this, nearly $58 million will go to the development of the Raleigh to Richmond corridor.

The grant will support surveys and preliminary engineering for the corridor.

This grant, the largest awarded in this funding cycle, will improve transportation access for underserved and rural communities while shortening travel times between the two cities.

“We want to make sure that we can get people from one place to the next,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “To their jobs, to their schools, to their healthcare. And we know as we move into this clean energy economy, as we fight climate change every single day, that passenger rail is going to be key in getting us from one place to the next.”

S-Line Rail Corridor

June 16 Workshop, Open House Set For Warren Residents To Discuss S-Line Rail Corridor

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-information courtesy of Warren County Community and Economic Development Director, Charla Duncan

As plans continue for rail service through North Carolina, Warren County and the NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division will host a design workshop and public open house next month to allow the community to provide input toward a vision for the transit-oriented development in the area.

The proposed S-Line is a rail line that involves about 95 miles in North Carolina and will connect  Richmond, Virginia and Tampa, Florida, with stops in Norlina and Henderson, according to information received from the office of Warren County Manager Vincent Jones.

The design workshop will be held Thursday, June 16  between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Warrenton Armory Civic Center, 501 U.S. Hwy 158 Business East in Warrenton. Members of the community are invited to come any time during the three hours to provide their own ideas, suggestions and feedback as they learn more about the vision for the S-Line rail corridor in Norlina.

The public open house will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., also at the Warrenton Armory. Families are invited and there will be a “kids zone” with children’s activities.

In addition to Norlina and Henderson, the S-Line project includes Apex, Franklinton, Raleigh, Sanford, Wake Forest and Youngsville along the 95-mile stretch of rail line.

Transit-oriented development has a goal to connect communities and public spaces by increasing accessibility without having to rely on a personal vehicle. An important aspect of this study is public engagement.

More information about the S-Line Transit Oriented Development Study can be found online at https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/rail/s-line-study.

For more information, contact Charla Duncan, director of community and economic development, at 252.257.3115 or by email at charladuncan@warrencountync.gov.

NC DOT

NC DOT Spells Out Rules For Placing Campaign Signs

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As the political campaigning heats up in advance of the upcoming May 17 primary election, drivers are likely to see candidates’ campaign signs along roadsides. State laws govern where the signs may – and may not – be placed, and NC DOT has the authority to remove signs that are in violation of proper placement.

Anyone other than DOT employees who removes – or vandalizes – campaign signs could be subject to a Class 3 misdemeanor citation from law enforcement, according to a press statement released this week by NC DOT.

Campaign signs can remain in place for 10 days after the May 17 primary election. Signs still in the right-of-way after May 27 are in violation of state law, and the NCDOT is authorized to remove and dispose of them.

It is  General Statute 136-32 (b) which states that political signs, if properly placed, are allowed on the NC DOT right-of-way until May 27.

“NCDOT has the authority to remove any signs that violate the general statute, create safety hazards for travelers or interfere with maintenance operations. NCDOT employees may remove signs that are illegally placed within the state right-of-way, as time permits. The signs are normally taken to local maintenance offices where they will be stored until claimed,” according to the press statement.

Restrictions regarding sign placement include:
•    Whoever places a sign is required to get the permission of any property owner of a residence, business or religious institution fronting the right of way where a sign would be placed;
•    No sign is permitted in the right of way of a limited-access highway such as an interstate;
•    No sign can be closer than 3 feet from the edge of the pavement of the road;
•    No sign can obscure motorist visibility at an intersection.
•    No sign can be higher than 42 inches above the edge of the pavement;
•    No sign can be larger than 864 square inches; and
•    No sign can obscure or replace another sign.