State transportation officials are looking at ways of raising revenue to modernize Interstate 95. One thing they're looking at is tolling the highway. That's being considered up and down the coast. Greer Beaty with the Department of Transportation says a large-scale study of I-95 started early last year. She says there are a number of things to consider.
Greer Beaty: "If we were going to toll, where would we toll? How would we toll? What kind of money could be generated? But, we need to do that in conjunction with what improvements need to be made, and how much do they cost?"
Beaty says I-95 has never really had a major renovation. It's the deadliest highway in North Carolina. She says they'll probably have public hearings in February.
Beaty: "We'll let people see the data, let em respond to it. Hear what we say well this is how much it'll cost to modernize all of 95, and if we use tolling as a tool, we can do it in this time frame. It'll cost this much. If we don't use tolling, it'll cost this much and it'll take us this long. All of those things are going to be put back out to the public."
Beaty says it'll be several years at the earliest before they implement tolling if that's what they decide to do.
You can find more information about plans for I-95 here.