ROCKINGHAM — More than $300,000 is coming back to Richmond County to help maintain local streets.
The N.C. Department of Transportation announced this week that $185.6 million has been disbursed to 508 qualified municipalities across the state through the Powell Bill program.
Five of Richmond County’s local governments were allocated a total of $339,340:
The first allocations were disbursed in October, with a second round of funding slated for January.
According to NCDOT, the annual allocation “is disbursed to cities and towns primarily for resurfacing the municipally maintained streets located within corporate limits.”
Funds — which come from the gasoline tax and other highway fees — can also be used to: maintain, repair, construct or widen streets, bridges and drainage areas; or to plan, construct and maintain bike paths, greenways or sidewalks.
Each municipality’s allocation is based on a formula set by the General Assembly, with 3/4 of the funds based on population and the remainder based on the mileage of locally maintained streets.
According to a spreadsheet from NCDOT, the number of certified mileage for each local municipality is as follows:
"Powell Bill funds often bridge a meaningful gap in resources, helping cities and towns keep up with demands on their local transportation systems," said North Carolina Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson. "We are pleased to help address these critical needs and grateful to our state leaders for their continued support of this program."
The fund is named for former state senator and Whiteville mayor Junius K. Powell, who “was the primary sponsor of the 1951 bill that helped the state's cities with urban road problems.”
