The House Budget Bill does include the Mobility Fund. Below is a summary of what is in the Mobility Fund, and what is not.
Funds going into the Mobility Fund:
$39 million in GAP funds that are likely to be unspent FY 2009-10
$31 million from Highway Trust Fund transfer to the General Fund in FY2011-12
$45 million from Highway Trust Fund transfer to the General Fund in FY2012-13
$45 million from Highway Trust Fund transfer to the General Fund in FY2013-14 (and for future years)
This leaves $25.5 million to be transferred from the HTF to the GF for future years and $18 million transferred from the Highway Fund to the General Fund for future years. (It is the Governor and NCDOT’s desire to have the remaining funds currently transferred from the HTF and HF to the GF deposited into the Mobility Fund.)
The YRB project will consume all the Mobility Fund dollars until mid FY2013-14. The bill has a stakeholder process to develop the project prioritization process for future Fund projects. The bill also gives preferential consideration to projects qualified to receive state grants from the Congestion Relief and Intermodal Transportation Fund.
The Governor’s provision to allocate 6.5% of the Mobility Fund each year to Powell Bill is not in the House bill. Neither is the dedicated $30 million each year for Interstate Maintenance.
The budget bill next goes to conference committee where the House and Senate negotiate a final compromise bill. The Mobility Fund was not in the Senate Budget, so the issue is in contention and may or may not be in the final compromise budget bill. The Governor, NCDOT, the League, and the Metro Mayors are also working to try to get the Powell Bill and Interstate Maintenance provisions into the budget bill during the conference process.
