Shared by IRPO–Report: Airports Contribute $52 Billion, 307,000 Jobs to N.C. Economy

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North Carolina’s publicly owned airports contribute more than $52 billion to the state’s economy and support 307,000 jobs, according to a report released by the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation.

The report, North Carolina: The State of Aviation, highlights the economic impacts of the state’s public airports and the related aviation and aerospace assets that support North Carolina’s aviation economy. NCDOT created the report to help guide future investment in aviation infrastructure and to act as a tool for recruiting future aviation and aerospace industry.

Airports and aviation-related jobs also provide $12.6 billion in personal income and contribute $2.2 billion in state and local tax revenues every year.

“Our network of 72 public airports and the aviation and aerospace asset that rely on them help move our economy forward by creating jobs, supporting business growth and connecting people and companies to markets around the globe,” said Bobby Walston, director of NCDOT’s Division of Aviation.

North Carolina’s public airport system boasts 10 commercial service and 62 general aviation airports that connect local businesses and communities to global markets, house and refuel private aircraft, support military, and agricultural aviation and statewide emergency response, and provideaviation services such as aerial photography and pilot training. The commercial service airports also offer regularly scheduled passenger service.

All airports generate significant economic returns for their communities and the state. For instance, North Carolina’s public airports lease space to more than 3,300 private aircraft that generate more than $19 million in tax revenues for their communities each year. The owner of a $1.5 million aircraft based at a North Carolina airport pays local property taxes equivalent to those paid by owners of 10 homes valued at $150,000 each.

The report contains data compiled and analyzed for NCDOT by North Carolina State University’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education. Impacts are calculated based on factors such as jobs supported by theairports and the businesses that rely on them, business and leisure travelers, and airport capital projects and operations.

View the full report, including the breakdown of each individual airport’scontributions, at ncdot.gov/aviation.

***NCDOT***

Shared by IRPO– Motorists Urged to Be Careful As Heavy Rain Floods Roads in N.C.

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  CHARLOTTE – As a strong storm system marches across North Carolina, heavy rain is prompting N.C. Department of Transportation crews to temporarily close some roads due to flooding.

Multiple flooded, impassable roads have been reported, particularly in western North Carolina. Those counties with multiple flooded roads include Polk, Henderson, Madison, Yancey, McDowell, Wilkes, Stokes, Yadkin, Stanly, Richmond, Duplin, Lenoir, Wayne, Rockingham, Randolph, Person and Wake counties.  

If you must travel, be sure to slow down and leave extra room between your vehicle and those in front of you. If you come across a road covered with water or closed by a barricade, turn around. Any standing water could be covering up a road hazard, like debris or downed power lines. Never drive around a barricade or move it off the road, as those barricades are there for motorists’ protection.  

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.

Shared by IRPO: NCDOT to Suspend Most Construction During Holidays

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RALEIGH – With a busy Christmas and New Year holiday travel week being predicted, the N. C. Department of Transportation is suspending most road and lane closures on interstates, U. S. and N.C. routes across the state from Friday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday, Jan. 2.

There will be some exceptions where construction conditions make it unsafe to open all lanes, such as where a bridge is being replaced, or lanes are being constructed or rebuilt. Drivers need to be alert for any lane closure signs.

To help make trips safer and cut back on distracted driving, NCDOT and GEICO are teaming up to provide “Safe Phone Zones” throughout the holiday and into 2019. While GEICO sponsors the initiative, NCDOT has designed all 58 rest areas across the state as Safe Phone Zones to encourage drivers to take advantage of their use. 

These facilities are strategically located along major highways, so accessing them is very easy to allow drivers to get out of traffic and safely use their smartphones and tablets to access information or even to send text messages, which is illegal while driving in North Carolina and 46 other states. So, the highway rest areas not only serve as a place to rest and rejuvenate, but also to use cellphones. Even a glance at a cellphone while driving is considered distracted driving and could easily lead to a tragic crash.

Travelers can also make their trip better by checking on the status of their planned route in advance by going to DriveNC.gov to see if it will be clear. Once underway, a stop at one of the Safe Phone Zone locations provides a chance to check the route again to see if anything has changed.  DriveNC.gov provides road condition updates by route, county or region, updated 24 hours a day with possible changes, including the travel impact of a crash or bad weather. In addition to checking the DriveNC website, another option to get updates during daytime hours is to call 511 will get live operators to provide travel assistance. 

Here are some additional tips for safe driving during the holiday season: 

  • Leave early to get a head start, and travel at non-peak hours if possible, as the weekends before Christmas and New Year’s Day will be the heaviest traffic congestion periods for most of the state, especially on interstates such as I-95, I-77, I-85, I-40, and I-26.
  • Use alternative routes if possible to avoid traffic congestion; 
  • Allow extra time for your trip, regardless of the route you choose; 
  • To avoid drowsy driving, travel at times you are normally awake and take frequent breaks, taking advantage of the state’s rest areas;
  • Pay attention to your surroundings and other vehicles nearby, and avoid distracted driving; and 
  • All drivers and passengers must be wearing their seat belts, it’s the law.