RALEIGH, N.C. (WVEC) -- The North Carolina Board of Transportation approved new transportation projects as part of the N.C. Department of Transportation's 10-year construction plan.
These changes, called amendments, were made possible thanks to Governor Pat McCrory's 2015 budget.
"The reforms I signed into law will get these roads built sooner," Governor McCrory said. "The primary purpose of the reforms was to ensure transportation funds were being spent on transportation projects and not diverted to other state programs."
One project that's construction has been accelerated to Fiscal Year 2017 is the Mid-Currituck Bridge over the Currituck Sound.
The only highway crossing of the Currituck Sound along the North Carolina coast is the Wright Memorial Bridge on U.S. 158 at the southern end of Currituck County into Dare County, according to NCDOT.
The Mid-Currituck Bridge project would create a second crossing of the sound to help alleviate congestion and improve the flow of evacuation traffic in the event of a hurricane or severe storm. It would also provide easier access between the Outer Banks and Virginia, as well as other communities in northeastern North Carolina.
The 7-mile toll project includes a two-lane bridge that spans the Currituck Sound and connects the Currituck County mainland to the Outer Banks. It also includes a second two-lane bridge that spans Maple Swamp on the Currituck County mainland, connecting Aydlett to U.S. 158.
The project has an overall estimated cost of $440 million. A portion of the funding is expected to come from bonds that will be paid back with toll revenue. The remainder of the funding is expected to come from a combination of state and federal transportation tax revenues. After taking into account funding from toll revenue, the project has an estimated cost of $173 million to NCDOT.
