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I like to follow local news, it is another source for my research so I am just passing it along for anyone who is interested....
From the Charlotte-Observer ( I only copied and pasted the highlights)
Budget crunch delays N.C. road projects
you're waiting for a wider Providence Road, a smoother Interstate 77 or a safer U.S. 601, it will be longer before you see relief -- or asphalt.
Moderator cut: Provide a link instead of copying, please
Don't laugh, there is probably some dirt roads around the rural areas. I don't think there is where he is talking about or at least I hope there isn't.
Wen,
Thanks for posting that article. Great minds think alike, I read that this morning and thought of posting it.
I live off Providence Road, and will actually travel several miles past my exit, and come down Rea Road, rather than get in the bottle neck traffic on Providence.
you're waiting for a wider Providence Road, a smoother Interstate 77 or a safer U.S. 601, it will be longer before you see relief -- or asphalt.
I think that statement would lead one to believe that we are waiting on asphalt. Don't worry, we have asphalt, just need more lanes.
Don't laugh, there is probably some dirt roads around the rural areas. I don't think there is where he is talking about or at least I hope there isn't.
Out in the rural areas, they'll most likely be gravel. That's why many real estate ads for country land will specifically state "located on state maintained road", a euphemism for 'you won't be driving on rocks to get to your house'.
A different article along the same vein, from the Winston-Salem paper:
Quote:
RALEIGH - NC runs one of the most centralized road systems in the country, behind only Texas in the miles of road maintained with state money. To pay for it, the state has relied heavily on motor-fuels taxes, including the gasoline tax.
The gas tax, currently at 29.9 cents a gallon, is under fire from those who want legislators to cap it, and polls show that voters don't want it to go any higher.
Unlike many states, here in NC, the state runs almost all roads. Residential city streets are the main exception. This has its ups and downs. The pro is that everything is centralized and there's a good deal of comformity for road contruction requirements, environmental regulation, and an equity formula that distributes the road funds based on both population of an area and geography. It also takes burden off cities, usually, and counties have no burden at all. The con is, that at times local concerns aren't weighed as heavily.
There are multiple levels of state maintained roads:
A) Interstates (red/blue shield numbers...all are freeways)
B) US Routes (white/black shield numbers....ranges from freeways to small two-land roads)
C) NC Routes (white/black diamond numbers...some freeways but mostly small roads)
D) SR Routes. 4-digit numbered roads, mostly outside cities, usually small two lands. (SR either stands for "State Road" or "Secondary Route" depending on who you talk to.) Usually marked with regular green/white street signs with localized names.
All of A and B are indeed paved. 99.9% of C are paved (there's like 2-3 of them in the mountains that aren't yet but give it time.) and for D, like 89% are paved, with the rest mostly in rural mountain or coastal areas.
Funding for roads come from so many places it's hard to keep up with it. The Fed puts in some, state gas tax, state income tax, state fees, etc. Very complicated.
Lately, I think the state is trying to spend more time on upgrading existing roads and paving and such than new highways. (And right they should, as far as I'm concerned...you'd be amazed at the number of bridges that are about to fall apart!)
Thus a new "NC Turnpike Authority" has been started that will build some roads using toll money. Most of what they will target will be routes that have no funding thru traditional DOT means....so they will build these new routes and pay for them with tolls so that DOT can spend more time/money on maintaining and repairing existing roads & bridges.
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99.9% of C are paved (there's like 2-3 of them in the mountains that aren't yet but give it time.) and for D, like 89% are paved, with the rest mostly in rural mountain or coastal areas. 
