GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H	1
HOUSE BILL 1233

 
 
Short Title:	LRC to Study Hiway Prosperity Planning Act.	()	
Sponsors:	Representative Shubert.	
Referred to:	Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.	
April 12, 2001

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION TO STUDY A Statewide PLAN FOR USING HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION TO ENHANCE OVERALL ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Legislative Research Commission shall study a statewide plan for using highway construction to enhance overall economic prosperity.
As a focus for part of the study, the Legislative Research Commission shall consider the following:
(1)	What it would take to upgrade the Highway 74 corridor to an interstate quality, limited‑access highway from Asheville to Wilmington, including prioritizing segments based on benefit to the State as a whole.
(2)	Study the use of toll roads to accelerate construction in those areas where a toll road could parallel existing Highway 74 and the benefits of limiting access and development along the bypass so that through traffic could proceed at higher speeds, reducing congestion so that local traffic could use the existing corridor.
(3)	Study the use of toll roads in other areas where a toll road could be built to parallel an existing road in areas where tolls would permit acceleration of construction while those who wished to avoid them could use an alternate route. Revenue bonds would be issued to be paid from the tolls with the toll ending when the bond was retired. Bonds would only be issued pursuant to a vote in the county or counties affected, so that the public's authorization of the bond included a sunset the legislature could not repeal. The study would include consideration of this means of funding Highway 601S in Union County.
(4)	Any other aspects of the interrelationship between highway construction and economic development along this corridor.
SECTION 2.  The Legislative Research Commission may submit an interim report to the 2002 Regular Session of the 2001 General Assembly and shall submit a final report to the 2003 General Assembly.
SECTION 3.   This act is effective when it becomes law.