Tony Tata

North Carolina governor Pat McCrory and transportation secretary Tony Tata have announced the funding of 303 additional projects in the US state.

McCrory and Tata told the state board of transportation that the projects will be fully or partially funded, in addition to creating 126,000 more jobs under the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law, which created the strategic mobility formula.

McCrory said: "Over the next ten years, this new law and vision will help create thousands of new jobs, invest millions in our communities and better connect all North Carolinians to work, life and play."

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will use the new formula over the next ten years and plans to fund 478 highway projects, while creating 300,000 jobs.

"We will invest in our entire transportation network from the mountains to the coast, with crews actively working in all 100 counties over the next ten years."

The results of the new funding formula were contained in the draft ten-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which has a total of nearly 1,100 projects across all transportation modes and in every county across the state.

Secretary Tata said: "Through the new formula, we will invest in our entire transportation network from the mountains to the coast, with crews actively working in all 100 counties over the next ten years.

"These projects will improve safety, reduce congestion and strengthen connections to make our state more economically competitive."

Along with another 108 major transition projects that were already slated for commencement prior to 1 July 2015, more than 140 non-highway projects are funded in all.

STIP also includes 389 interstate maintenance and bridge projects, and 17 safety projects all prioritised under alternate criteria.

Image: North Carolina department of transportation secretary Tony Tata. Photo: courtesy of NCDOT.