State transportation secretary speaks to Valley

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Declaring a new positive approach, North Carolina Transportation Secretary Gene Conti came to Roanoke Rapids Friday to talk about local issues and statewide challenges with members of the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“A lot’s changing in the Department of Transportation,” Conti told the group, assembled at Lone Star Steakhouse in Premier Landing. “And we think the changes are going to be positive.”

That positive approach permeated the secretary’s remarks. “We have been transforming our processes ... we want to be open; we want to be honest; we want to be accountable and make our decisions based on need rather than politics.”

While looking toward the future, Conti excoriated the department’s previous methods. “We’ve had a transportation program that’s been the greatest work of fiction in North Carolina,” he said. “That’s not the way to operate.”

Conti, who’s had the job since January, stated realistic goal setting represented part of the new approach. He also stressed his new five-year work plan is reviewable and subject to update every year. “If it’s in there (the five-year plan) you can count on it,” he told the assembly.

Despite today’s economic challenges — NCDOT had to cut new projects by 75 percent due to the recession and reduced staff and hiring by 1,200 positions — Conti feels optimistic about future projects.

One such project — examining Interstate 95. “Different people have looked at improving I-95,” Conti said. “You’re looking at $5 billion for improvement to that highway. We’re looking at options for tolling parts of or all of 95. I know that’s controversial, which is why we are considering all the options. We need to make sure we’re keeping it up to date; it needs modernization and improvements to its capacity.”

Conti pointed out the decisions for what to do with I-95 are reasonably close. He asserted a timetable of about 18 months before the department chooses a course of action.

The secretary also told the business group the department has a plan to resurface 28 miles of Highway 158. The money will come from the federal stimulus funds.

He knows widening Highway 158 in the area is a local hot issue. “It’s always made a lot of sense to me that if you did that you would make a great economic impact on the area,” Conti said of widening 158 as a passage from I-95 to I-85. He also pointed out such a route would provide alternative options for truckers and travelers.

As for the status of such a project, Conti wasn’t certain. “I haven’t looked at where we are on that. Obviously we’re not going to have enough money to do what everybody wants.”

Conti said $300 million could be forthcoming for improvements to I-85. “We’re ready to go,” Conti said of that project. “All the environmental work has been done.” With regard to rail, Conti said the state has asked the federal government for $5 billion of the $8 billion available for rail improvements nationally.

Even with such money coming, the secretary believes financing must be rethought. “We all need to think about new ways of financing transportation,” he said. “Because the gas tax isn’t cutting it.”

Future funding must be rethought as well, according to Conti.

The department did a long-term funding study in 2003-04, covering the next 25 years from the date of study. The conclusion: North Carolina would need $125 billion in transportation improvements and projects in those 25 years. Unfortunately revenue projects came out at only $60 billion, leaving a $65 billion shortfall. Such studies, Conti pointed out, indicate just how much financing needs to be rethought.

In terms of how current funds get distributed, Conti discussed the State Equity Formula, in which North Carolina gets divided into seven economic districts — the Roanoke Valley is in District One. Money within each district gets allocated according to three criteria: Population, equal share and miles of infrastructure in the system.

“Within regions politics does play a significant role,” Conti said of the funds distribution. The legislature is currently reviewing the formula, however, and changes could be coming.

Conti believes small changes now could make a big difference not only in approach, but also public perception. “Our approach is to be much more open,” he said. “People may disagree with it but at least they’ll understand the logic of what we’re doing.”