Blog

When Gov. Perdue participated in the groundbreaking for the Interstate 85 Corridor Improvement Project (including reconstruction of the Yadkin River Bridge), she reminded us that the bridge serves as a critical route between Atlanta and Richmond as it carries more than 60,000 cars and trucks each day.

I crossed that bridge this week and was amazed with the progress that our Department of Transportation is making to advance this much-needed effort. The work that is visibly underway near the Yadkin River is a clear reminder of the commitment by the Governor and the N.C. Department of Transportation to proactively address the major transportation needs of our State through innovation, partnerships and a business-like approach to addressing priorities and integrating different modes of transportation.

The Corridor Improvement Project is a great example of this approach. Phase II of the Project (widening and other improvements to Interstate 85) is to be funded entirely by the N.C. Mobility Fund, which was approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor this past June. The N.C. Mobility Fund also created new revenue sources to address critical transportation projects on a Statewide or regional basis. Contracts for Phase II should be let in 2011, and will be executed as design-build arrangements.

Phase I has already begun, and will include both the replacement of eight bridges and Interstate interchange reconstructions. Final completion of this phase is currently expected in January, 2013,  about eight months earlier than estimated by NCDOT.

Innovative techniques to be used by the contractor in this Phase include using each completed section of the U.S. 29/70 bridge as the work platform for the next section, thereby eliminating the need for a temporary work bridge; and, constructing a single temporary work bridge instead of two separate work bridges when replacing the I-85 bridge, which will accelerate the work schedule and be more accommodating to the environment.

The I-85 Corridor Improvement Project/Yadkin River Bridge replacement is an outstanding example of how Gov. Perdue is improving government efficiency and performance and bringing new ideas and approaches to addressing the critical transportation needs of our State.

Jean Chatsky, popular financial editor for NBC News and the Today Show, will be a keynote speaker at the Nov. 9 North Carolina Governor’s Conference for Women at the Raleigh Convention Center. Financial professionals like Chatsky can be a great resource as one charts a course for financial stability in these challenging times.

Chatsky’s basic philosophy has been the same through all the ups and downs of our economy during her nearly 20 years of offering financial guidance to others: “If you want to own your life, you have to own your money.” Chatsky offers information on how to strengthen your financial position so that you can better weather financial uncertainty.

Chatsky emphasizes the importance of maximizing your earning power, spending less than you earn, investing wisely, and protecting everything that you’ve built. In addition to offering detailed guidance in such areas as budgeting, debt consolidation and restructuring and savings plans, she recommends several websites that individuals can use to maximize their financial options and help make their debt more manageable. 

For more information about Chatsky’s appearance or to register, visit the North Carolina Governor’s Conference for Women website at  http://www.ncwomensconference.com.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an array of high-profile presenters who will focus their message on ways women can improve their lives.

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives heard testimony about some of the great things happening in North Carolina to bring high-speed broadband to rural areas of Western North Carolina.  Leonard Winchester, chair of the WNC Education Network (WNC EdNet), Dr. Cecil Groves of Southwestern Community College, and Earl Gohl, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) delivered testimony to the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

They appeared before the House to speak about the importance of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s involvement in regional projects.  North Carolina has used over $500,000 in ARC funding to support the build out of the WNC EdNET.  The project connects the six far western counties (Jackson, Swain, Graham, Cherokee, Clay and Macon) to a fiber ring. 

The fiber ring connects every public building including schools to the network.  There are over 70 sites connected to fiber and project partners include school systems in each county, charter schools, Southwestern Community College, Tri-County Community College, Western Carolina University and the Cherokee Nation’s Tribal schools.

Last week, members of the Governor’s staff were in Charlotte meeting with local leaders about the issues important to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. I was there along with Pearse Edwards, Senior Advisor, and Budd Berro, Piedmont Regional Director. Among the topics for discussion were jobs and the economy, education, transportation, and state social services.

This meeting was just one of many meetings between the Governor’s staff and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. We are aggressively reaching out to engage the community on the issues that matter to them, including opening the first Piedmont regional office, and we will continue our commitment to the region.

Pictured here from left to right: Budd Berro, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, Pearse Edwards, Chair of the Mecklenburg County Commission Jennifer Roberts, and Marion Sullivan.