SB 243 directs North Carolina's Department of Transportation to study the cost and feasibility of a commuter rail service connecting Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point in the Piedmont Triad region. The study must analyze ridership, operating costs, land acquisition, and recommend a management entity, with results due by December 29, 2025. The bill allocates $100,000 from the Highway Fund for this study, which is purely a feasibility assessment with no funding for actual rail construction. It does not create new policy or affect residents directly beyond enabling the study.
Senate Bill 576 redefines electric assisted bicycles into three distinct classes based on their motor assistance and speed capabilities. The bill permits e-bikes on most roadways and paths, but requires helmets for Class 3 e-bike riders and passengers. It also grants cities and counties the authority to regulate e-bike use within their jurisdictions, allowing them to restrict certain classes on specific paths, set speed limits, and require helmets for Class 1 or 2 e-bikes. Finally, the Department of Transportation is tasked with developing educational materials on e-bike safety.
House Bill 652 modifies how the North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) calculates the baseline unit pricing for transportation goods used in highway maintenance and construction projects. The bill changes the baseline calculation from the 2015-2016 fiscal year to a rolling average of the three previous fiscal years. It maintains the existing provision that no Highway Division can exceed a ten percent variance over these established unit prices. If a division exceeds this variance, the DOT is required to report to several legislative committees detailing the reasons and steps for compliance. This act is set to become effective on July 1, 2025.
This bill authorizes local governments to borrow money through "grant anticipation notes" to accelerate local transportation projects already identified for funding under the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). To utilize this, a local government must enter into an expedited project agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOT), outlining project details, costs, funding, and a repayment plan. These notes are special obligations, meaning they are repaid solely from the anticipated STIP funding, and the local government's general taxing power is not pledged. The DOT must ensure that any STIP changes do not delay the repayment of these notes, and both the DOT and the Department of the Treasurer are directed to establish rules for their implementation.
This is a House Resolution (HR 769), not a bill, urging Congress to support H.R. 4052, which would create a National Infrastructure Bank. The resolution cites North Carolina's infrastructure needs - like roads, bridges, water systems, and lead pipe replacement - and states the proposed bank would be funded through existing Treasury debt (without new taxes or spending). It calls for Congress to pass the bank legislation to finance infrastructure projects nationwide, including those in North Carolina. The resolution itself does not create the bank but advocates for its adoption.
HB 948, the P.A.V.E. Act, amends North Carolina law to allow Mecklenburg County to levy an additional 0.5% local sales tax specifically for public transportation systems. The bill defines "public transportation system" broadly to include buses, transit facilities, bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and automated transport tunnels, while excluding general roads. Funds collected must supplement, not replace, existing public transit funding and can only be used for financing, building, operating, or maintaining these systems. The tax proceeds would be distributed monthly to Mecklenburg County and its public transportation authorities per a financial plan, with the bill taking effect only if Mecklenburg levies this tax.
HB 837 is a study bill requiring North Carolina to examine alternative highway funding methods, primarily to address potential revenue gaps as electric/hybrid vehicle adoption grows. It directs the Legislative Services Officer and Transportation Oversight Committee to hire a consultant to study mileage-based fees (VMT) for electric/hybrid vehicles and a new "Access User Fee" for all non-diesel vehicles (replacing gas taxes). The study must be completed by May 2026, with findings reported to key legislative committees. This bill does not implement new fees but assesses options affecting all vehicle owners, particularly electric/hybrid drivers and non-diesel vehicle registrants. It allocates $125,000 from the Highway Fund for the study, effective July 1, 2025.
This bill increases the fee for vehicle safety inspections in North Carolina. It directly affects vehicle owners who require safety inspections, as the fee for a safety-only inspection will rise from $12.75 to a new amount (specified in the bill's text). The key mechanism adjusts the inspection fee amount while maintaining the same structure for authorization fees and free re-inspections within 60 days of a failed test. The fee increase applies to safety inspections only and becomes effective October 1, 2025.
HB 112 raises the maximum allowable speed limit on North Carolina's interstate highways and controlled-access roads from 70 mph to 75 mph, as determined by the Department of Transportation after engineering studies. This directly affects drivers traveling on these roads, as the new 75 mph limit replaces the previous 70 mph cap where the DOT deems it safe. The bill also updates related penalties: speeding over 85 mph on roads with a 75 mph limit becomes a Class 3 misdemeanor, and license suspension rules for excessive speeding (e.g., over 85 mph on 75 mph zones) are adjusted accordingly. The changes apply only to offenses occurring on or after December 1, 2025, and do not affect cases before that date.
This bill clarifies the eligibility requirements for motorcycle registration in North Carolina. It updates the definition of "motorcycles" to explicitly include those designed or modified for both off-road and highway use, provided they meet specific engine size, speed, and highway equipment standards. The bill also ensures that these dual-purpose motorcycles are not denied registration by being classified as "utility vehicles." This change affects individuals seeking to register motorcycles intended for both on-road and off-road operation. The act will become effective on October 1, 2025.
