NC's $100 billion transportation infrastructure challenge

NC's $100 billion transportation infrastructure challenge

Author: WUNC News June 5, 2026 Duration: 29:04
With a growing population and skyrocketing construction costs, the N.C. Department of Transportation needs more help to build and improve roads and infrastructure across the state. If you’re driving around a high-growth area of the state, there’s a decent chance you might be stuck in traffic – and those daily bottlenecks are only getting worse. The Department of Transportation knows exactly where it needs to widen roads and build new ones to ease that congestion. But with inadequate revenue from the gas tax, construction on those improvements could be years away. DOT has a list of $144 billion in transportation infrastructure projects submitted by local leaders, but it only has $5 billion to spend  WUNC News sat down with NCDOT Secretary Daniel Johnson at the agency’s Raleigh headquarters to get a better picture of the state’s transportation funding challenges, from controversial toll roads to the shifting sands around N.C. 12 on the Outer Banks.

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Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

WUNC Politics
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 25:21
This is the fifth episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their towns, and the challenges they face. Mi…
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Duration: 22:53
This is the fourth episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. In the coming months, we’ll be visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the positives going on in their towns, and th…