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Governor’s Highway Safety Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary of "Click It or Ticket"

Posted 5/17/2013 10:54:58 PM

RALEIGH – The state of North Carolina was not just First in Flight. It was also the first state in the nation to launch an innovative seat belt safety awareness campaign called “Click It or Ticket.” Starting Monday, May 20, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program will celebrate the campaign’s 20th anniversary.   “We’re proud of the hard work we’ve put into making this campaign a model adopted today by every state in the country,” said N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Tony Tata. “We know the impact of “Click It or Ticket” is far reaching – saving countless lives not just in North Carolina but nationwide.”   Since the Governor’s Highway Safety Program launched “Click It or Ticket” in 1993, the number of reported crashes, fatalities and injuries involving unbelted passengers has dropped dramatically in North Carolina. Law enforcement officers responded to 38,289 crashes involving unbelted passengers in 1992, the year before the campaign started. By 2012, the totals dropped to 8,187.    “We credit the effectiveness of our “Click It or Ticket” campaign for dramatically reducing the number of crashes involving people who didn’t buckle up,” said Don Nail, interim director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “But, there are still North Carolinians who don’t wear their seat belt when they get behind the wheel. Until every person in our state abides by the law, we’ll continue to lead the way in seat belt safety awareness.”                                                                                                             The “Click It or Ticket” campaign runs through the Memorial Day holiday weekend and ends on June 2. During that time, law enforcement officers will step up patrols statewide and cite those who do not buckle up.   NCDOT produced a public service announcement to remind drivers and passengers that wearing a seat belt during a crash not only reduces your chances of suffering critical injuries or even death by 50 percent, but will also save you $161 in fines if you are caught without your seat belt fastened.   In addition to enforcement efforts, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program will hold regional anniversary events in Elizabeth City, Clyde and High Point next week to retrace the historic first steps of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign.   ***NCDOT*** Image of an officer conducting a seat belt inspection during a "Click It or Ticket" campaign

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Monroe DMV's Saturday Hours Help Busy Charlotte Metro Area

Posted 5/16/2013 3:02:48 PM

    RALEIGH – The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles reminds its customers in the busy Charlotte metro area that the Monroe DMV office is continuing to offer its new Saturday hours this weekend. The Monroe DMV office is also open an additional hour each weekday, now staying open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.   The NC DMV began the expanded hours program in early March and now has 14 driver license offices participating in this statewide effort to reduce overall wait times and improve customer service for drivers. The Monroe DMV office, which is particularly convenient to residents south and east of Charlotte, is located at 3122 Hwy. 74 West. Its phone number is (704) 283-4264.   “We want to accommodate the busy schedules of North Carolinians,” said NCDMV Commissioner James L. Forte. “The Monroe DMV’s expanded hours offer a wait time oasis in the Charlotte area, and we encourage local drivers to take advantage of this opportunity to make their visit to the DMV easier and more convenient." The office is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Most regular driver license services, including regular road tests, will be offered during this time, with the exception of CDL skills tests, medical re-exams and motorcycle skills tests. The office is also open for extended hours, from 8 a.m.- 6 p.m., during the week. Testing services will be available until 5:30 p.m., but regular road tests will not be administered during rush hour.   With the addition of the Monroe office to the expanded hours program, DMV is moving closer to its goal of making sure 85 percent of the state’s population will be within 30 miles of an expanded hours office.   ***NCDOT***

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NCDOT Awards I-40/440 Rebuild Project to Granite Construction and RS&H

Posted 5/14/2013 3:04:13 PM

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded the I-40/440 Rebuild contract to the team of Granite Construction Company and RS&H Architects-Engineers-Planners Inc. today. The project, which requires rebuilding 11.5 miles on the southern section of I-40/440, is part of a 10-year plan to alleviate congestion and improve mobility in the Triangle. In March, the department opened bids from four design-build teams, and Granite/RS&H had the lowest bid of $130,129,000. NCDOT engineers estimated the project would cost $193,428,882.   After opening the bids, NCDOT Secretary Tony Tata asked engineers and outside consultant groups to conduct a further review of all aspects of the project, including the road condition, travelers’ safety and traffic impacts, before making a final decision to proceed.   “The Department needed to ensure we’re taking the right steps on a project that will impact nearly everyone that lives in, works in or travels through Wake County,” he said. “The additional work has verified this section of I-40 is a present day safety issue. Knowing this project has been planned for more than three years; we have taken a fresh look and identified additional measures to address traffic and safety concerns.”    The department will work with Granite and RS&H, who are responsible for designing and building the project, to leave three lanes open in each direction on the I-40 portion of the project, instead of two, which will greatly reduce traffic backups in and around the project area.   “As a trusted leader in the transportation industry, Granite has successfully built innovative, award-winning projects across the country,” said Granite Construction Executive Bob Lofling. “A large part of Granite’s culture is partnering for success. Our goal is to partner with NCDOT to proactively build strong relationships with stakeholders, including local communities and the traveling public, to ensure that we are transparently communicating plans, schedules and other construction-related issues in a way that allows for the least impact possible to residents and motorists during construction.”   Knowing that the rebuild will affect traffic around the region, NCDOT launched an outreach campaign in July, 2012 to educate people about the project. The NCDOT team met with stakeholders, including first responders, hospitals, municipalities, schools and businesses.   Now that the contract has been awarded, NCDOT and Granite will conduct another major outreach push during the next few months to make sure these stakeholders and the public are aware of the contractor’s specific plans and schedule, and encourage commuters to help alleviate congestion through the project zone by considering: an alternate route, working an alternate schedule or taking an alternate mode of transportation. Currently, 110,000 cars travel every day on the stretch of I-40 that will be under repair, and NCDOT wants at least 30,000 cars to divert from the project area.   To help, NCDOT is allocating up to $12 million to create bus routes from Johnston County into Raleigh and increase frequency on current bus routes for the life of the project. The project entails rebuilding 11.5 miles on I-40/I-440 -- from west of Jones Franklin Road in Cary to north of U.S. 64/264 in Raleigh. The road is more than 30 years old, and it is crumbling due to a chemical reaction between the rock and the cement. In a phased approach, Granite will re-route traffic lanes, remove at least two feet of pavement and base, and replace the pavement, shoulders and ramps.   Four design-build teams made technical presentations about their plans in March, each earning a technical score that is taken into account in selecting the winning team. Design-build contracts are awarded based on a two-stage evaluation process that includes short-listing contractors and designers and evaluating proposed designs. A team of NCDOT engineers then assigns a technical score to each proposal. Both the actual bid from each short-listed team and its technical score are taken into account when awarding the contract.   The short-listed companies bid the following:   •         Archer Western Contractors LLC and Florence & Hutcheson Actual Bid: $153,341,000; Quality Score: 86; Adjusted Bid: $136,979,515.30   •         Granite Construction Company and RS&H Architects-Engineers-Planners Inc. Actual Bid: $130,129,000; Quality Score: 91; Adjusted Bid: $111,910,940   •         S.T. Wooten Corporation and RK&K LLP Actual Bid: $184,632,000; Quality Score 90.5; Adjusted Bid: $159,392,805.60   •         Zachry Construction Corporation, United Infrastructure Group, Fred Smith Company Tri-Venture and Stantec Consulting Engineers Inc. Actual Bid: $149,396,787.55; Quality Score: 94.5; Adjusted Bid: $125,000,292.14   ***NCDOT***                                                                                            

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NCDOT Emphasizes “Safety on Two Wheels” This Month

Posted 5/3/2013 5:08:50 PM

RALEIGH – “Safety on two wheels” is the theme for the month of May, during which two different two-wheeled forms of transportation – the bicycle and the motorcycle – are taking center stage. May is officially known as both “National Bike Month” and “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.”  “As the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect time to remember the importance of safety, whether on a bicycle or a motorcycle,” said Transportation Secretary Tony Tata. There are more than 194,000 motorcycles registered in North Carolina.  In 2012, there were 4,157 motorcycle crashes that resulted in 162 fatalities and 3,970 injuries. Each year, more than 900 bicyclists are injured or killed by cars on North Carolina streets. NCDOT offers the following important safety tips to bicyclists, motorcyclists and other drivers: Bicycles and Motorcycles: Always wear a helmet. The law in North Carolina requires children on bicycles under the age of 16 to wear a helmet, and it also requires motorcyclists of all ages to wear a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218 helmet. Be visible at all times. This includes wearing bright or reflective clothing. Other drivers: Share the road. Bicyclists are considered vehicles in North Carolina and therefore have the same rights and responsibilities as cars and trucks; and motorcyclists have the right to a full lane.Stay alert. Be aware that bicycles and motorcycles can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spot, therefore; take an extra moment to thoroughly check traffic when changing lanes.Keep a safe distance. Allow plenty of room for passing bicyclists, and plenty of following distance behind motorcycles.Be cautious. Be aware that turn signals on a motorcycle are not self-canceling, thus some riders sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. ***NCDOT***

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Triangle Expressway Sees Continued Growth

Posted 5/1/2013 1:49:00 PM

First quarter numbers show Expressway meeting and exceeding projections RALEIGH — Five months after its latest segment opened to traffic, the Triangle Expressway continues to see a steady increase in drivers who are discovering the benefits of using North Carolina’s first modern toll road. The Expressway is designed to provide a solution to concerns about rapid growth, heavy congestion and dwindling resources. It improves commuter mobility, and better connects Wake County and the Research Triangle Park while reducing congestion on the existing north-south routes that serve the Triangle Region. Drivers like Sheri Mello, who lives in Apex and works in North Raleigh, says the connection is a huge time saver. It reduced her morning commute by more than 20 minutes. “On the commute home it has sometimes cut off up to an hour because if you are stuck on the beltline in traffic because there was an accident, you are just stuck,” Mello said. “Now I can just jump on 540 and I’m home in 30 minutes, and I can get dinner on the table and still get my kids out to their activities at night.” In December 2012, more than 960,000 toll transactions were processed by the Turnpike Authority, with the busiest section of the roadway averaging 19,800 drivers on a typical weekday. (2012 Statistics Report)  According to the 2013 first quarter statistics report, in March of this year, that number has jumped to more than 1,780,000 transactions and 24,900 vehicles. (2013 1Q Statistics Report) “We recognized the great need for this section of 540 and are thrilled to provide this connection to help improve our citizens’ quality of life,” Turnpike Authority Director of Toll Road Operations Andy Lelewski said. NCDOT has sold nearly 70,000 NC Quick Pass® transponders to date. (2013 1Q Statistics Report) In January, the Turnpike Authority executed an agreement with E-ZPass® to ensure compatibility with other existing toll collection systems and customers can now use the NC Quick Pass® hardcase version transponder on out-of-state toll roads in the northeast that accept E-ZPass®. The agreement also allows E-ZPass® customers to use their devices on the Triangle Expressway. The toll road was financed using a combination of State Appropriation bonds (36.5%), Toll Revenue bonds (26%), and a low-interest federal TIFIA loan (37.5%) also to be repaid with toll revenues. Current projections show that the Triangle Expressway may come in approximately $30 million under budget and that it is meeting revenue forecasts under the 34-year funding plan. “The Expressway is doing exactly what we had envisioned,” Lelewski said. “Our ridership has increased tremendously since opening Phase III in December, and we are right on track with our projections.” Drivers like Mello say paying the daily toll to avoid traffic is worth every penny. “For me the cost is insignificant because I’m home with my family, I’m not stressed, and I’m not late for my patients so for me it’s a win-win.”   Triangle Expressway Background: The Triangle Expressway is an 18-mile, six-lane, all-electronic toll road built as part of the Triangle’s outer loop around Raleigh. The project consists of 10 interchanges, 40 bridges, 22 culverts and eight toll collection sites. At a cost of just over $1 billion dollars and a construction schedule of just three years, the Triangle Expressway is the largest infrastructure project in North Carolina’s history.   This landmark project provides the cornerstone for building a successful statewide tolling program. Backed by public support, innovative financing, state-of-the-art technology and accelerated project delivery, this project serves as a catalyst for future tolling endeavors.   For additional information on the Triangle Expressway, watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltTw1eV8obA&feature=youtu.be ***NCDOT***

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