GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 431

Short Title:  Unpaved Roads Study.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Odom; and Hoyle.

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Referred to:  Rules and Operations of the Senate.

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March 19, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION TO STUDY THE QUESTION OF PAVING AND MAINTAINING OF ALL UNPAVED ROADS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the Highway Trust Fund was designed to pave all unpaved secondary roads with a daily vehicle volume of 50 vehicles or more per day pursuant to G.S. 136-182; and
Whereas, the Department of Transportation was required to maintain all county roads in existence on July 1, 1931; and
Whereas, G.S. 136-62 guarantees citizens of the State the rights to petition the Board or Transportation about additions, maintenance, and construction of secondary roads, through the county government, and to discuss the secondary road plan with representatives of the Department of Transportation; and
Whereas, there are secondary roads that are not paved and maintained by the State under the secondary road plan with the consequences that school buses, mail carriers, and some emergency service vehicles cannot operate safely on them; and
Whereas, the citizens living on those roads pay taxes designated for the maintenance of the roads in this State and because of low residential density, low vehicle usage, and often considerable road lengths cannot afford to pave or maintain the roads themselves through assessments; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Legislative Research Commission may study the issue of unpaved secondary roads in North Carolina.  The Commission may study the history, the current paving and maintenance programs, and any plans for the future paving and maintenance of secondary roads on the State secondary road system and those not currently on the State system or provided for in existing statutory or administrative programs.
Section 2.  The Legislative Research Commission may make an interim or final report to the 1998 Session of the General Assembly; if a final report is not made to the 1998 Session, it shall make a final report to the 1999 Session of the General Assembly.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.