North Carolina is heading toward a transportation cliff with declining sustainability, growing population, aging roads and bridges and well-documented transportation needs. Forecasts show that by 2018, gas tax revenues (which make up 70% of the state’s transportation revenue) will peak and start declining. Over the next 10 years, the state will produce about $2 billion less in necessary transportation revenues due to declining gas tax dollars.

In his recent op-ed article, Charles Hodges with NC Go! – a member of the Coalition for a Prosperous Future – lays out the funding challenges North Carolina faces and how everyone has a stake in the solution. Hodges points out that with increased fuel efficiency, people are paying less to travel the same mile of road, which means we are contributing less to maintain roads and bridges. We all must be a part of the long-term solutions. As Hodges stresses, “Everyone benefits from the transportation network. We all get goods, services, food and more that must come by truck, rail or plane. Even folks who don’t drive use the transportation network… The bottom line: Everyone must share in the burden of improving our transportation system.”

In order to proactively address the long-term transportation challenges in our state, the NC Chamber has formed the Coalition for a Prosperous Future to join the voices of key stakeholders throughout the broad-based business community with other aligned organizations to advance comprehensive solutions around this critical issue. If your organization is interested in joining the Coalition for a Prosperous Future, please contact Jake Cashion.

Join the conversation on Twitter with #MovingNC.

Gary J. Salamido
Vice President, Government Affairs
North Carolina Chamber