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.
Port of Wilmington Opens New Refrigerator Yard
The North Carolina State Ports Authority is now equipped to handle more refrigerated containers than ever following the completion of a new refrigerated container yard at the Port of Wilmington.
The port now has 775 refrigerated container outlets and with the ability to expand to 1,000. The improvement allows the port to better support the growing agriculture and grocery sectors in the Southeastern United States.
This project is an important part of NC Ports' capital improvements plan, which totals more than $200 million.
Drones to Deliver Medical Supplies, Food
NCDOT announced this week a
project to use drones in the delivery of critical medical supplies and food during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department is working with public and private partners and hopes to launch three relief projects in May.
The state agency has been a leader in using drone technology during times of crisis and will be collecting data so lessons learned from this effort can be applied to other drone relief efforts nationwide.
We plan to host an
online forum on April 24. People interested in participating should visit
ncdot.gov.
Electronic Highway Signs Post New COVID-19 Website
People are encouraged to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But if you must travel, you may notice the electronic signs along our highways have a new message. The signs display the
state’s newly launched website, which is North Carolina’s go-to spot for people seeking information about COVID-19. Here you can find the latest information about protecting your health, applying for unemployment and many other topics related to the pandemic.