RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department’s weekly newscast.
Flooded Vehicles
Floodwaters from recent storms left behind significant damage. Not all flood damage is visible, however, such as with a vehicle. While it may appear fine from the outside, the real damage is hidden underneath the hood. Not only could the engine be ruined, but the car’s wiring and computers can also be affected.
NCDMV’s License and Theft Bureau recommends buyers take these steps to protect themselves:
- Always have a mechanic check the vehicle;
- Look for high water or mud marks on the engine or in wheel wells, and use a flashlight to look in hard to reach places;
- Check to see if wires under the dashboard feel brittle;
- Smell the upholstery and carpeting by turning on the heat and air conditioner to see if you smell mildew or the odor of electrical wiring burning; and
- Buy a vehicle history report.
Following these simple tips can save car buyers both time and money.
Monroe Expressway
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority recently received international honors for being the first agency in the nation to implement technology that allowed NC Quick Pass to offer customers free sticker transponders and lower-price E-ZPass transponders.
This type of tolling technology is used on the Triangle Expressway – the state’s first toll road – and is being implemented on the Monroe Expressway which is scheduled to open Nov. 27.
The Turnpike Authority showcased the Monroe Expressway’s toll system this week. Participants traveled through a toll gantry, watched transactions being created and learned about how the system works.
The Expressway, which is east of Charlotte, will feature an all-electronic toll system to provide customers seamless travel to their destinations so they don’t have to slow down or stop to pay tolls.
NC Quick Pass transponder accounts allow tolls to be automatically deducted from a prepaid balance and save drivers up to 35 percent on tolls in North Carolina. Those who don’t want to sign up for an account will pay tolls through the Bill by Mail program.
Drivers can
open their NC Quick Pass accounts now, in advance of the opening of the Monroe Expressway.
Transportation Summit
NCDOT is hosting the first-ever NC Transportation Summit Jan. 9-10, 2019. Registration and sponsorship opportunities
are now open.