With a rapidly growing population and roadways
becoming more congested, road-building funds are being stretched. As a result, tolls
are becoming an increasingly important solution to financing new road
construction projects in North Carolina.
To help keep pace with the transportation needs of
the state, the N.C. Turnpike Authority plays a critical role in the N.C.
Department of Transportation’s operations by studying, planning, developing and
building toll roads as well as operating and maintaining them.
Since 2002, the Turnpike Authority has worked to
advance toll facilities to help give drivers more choices in how they reach
critical destinations while also reducing congestion along heavily traveled
routes and providing an additional revenue stream for building new commuter
routes.
In December 2012, North Carolina’s first modern
toll road, the
Triangle Expressway,
opened as a six-lane toll road that utilizes all-electronic tolling technology
while improving regional mobility and setting the stage for future tolling
projects in North Carolina.
Several other projects are currently in the
planning and development stages or are under construction.