North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory announced that $50 million will be dedicated to improving highway safety and reducing the number of traffic accidents throughout the state.
“These investments in road safety will help save lives,” said McCrory. “One of my top priorities as governor is to ensure the safety and security of all North Carolinians.”
Improvements supported by these funds include high-friction surface treatments and high-friction pavement, which improves friction during wet weather and reduces the risk of hydroplaning related accidents. Other safety improvements supported by these allocations include the addition of turn lanes, as well as the installation of new guardrails and traffic signals.
The department of transportation will distribute $1 million to each of its 14 highway divisions and the remaining $36 million will be targeted to combat safety hazards across the state using a data-driven process. The selection criteria evaluates local crash data among other metrics. Additionally, citizen groups, local elected officials and community leaders help identify specific traffic hazards to be considered for safety funds.
The $50 million are state funds advanced to the projects that the DOT will request reimbursement payments for through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program.
A comprehensive list of the projects in question can be found here.
