Town of Biscoe

Powell Bill

The Powell Bill is codified in N.C.G.S. 136-41.1 through N.C.G.S. 136-41.4
N.C.G.S. 136-41.3 provides, in part: “the funds allocated to cities and towns under the provisions of G.S. 136-41.2 shall be expended by said cities and towns primarily for resurfacing of streets within the corporate limits of the municipality but may be used for the purposes of maintaining, repairing, constructing, reconstructing or widening of anystreet or public thoroughfare including bridges,
drainage, curb and gutter, and other necessary appurtenances within the corporate limits of the municipality or for meeting the municipality’s proportionate share of assessments levied for such purposes, or for the planning, construction and maintenance of bikeways, greenways or sidewalks.”
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WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO MAINTAIN YOUR STREET?

POWELL BILL OVERVIEW

The Powell Bill funds are used primarily to resurface municipal streets but can also be used to maintain, repair, construct or widen streets, bridges, and drainage areas. Municipalities can also use Powell Bill funds to plan, construct and maintain bike paths, greenways, or sidewalks. The fund is named for Junius K. Powell, a former state senator and mayor of Whiteville. Powell was the primary sponsor of the 1951 bill that helped the state’s cities with urban road problems. The first allocation of Powell Bill funds was for $4.5 million and was distributed to 386 cities and towns. The NCDOT has begun distributing more than $147.7 million in State Street aid, also known as the Powell Bill fund, to 507 municipalities across North Carolina.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES:

INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES:

Curb, gutter, and storm drainage

Construction, maintenance, or repair on private streets

Patching

Construction or maintenance of off-streetparking areas or facilities

Resurfacing

Street name signs

Widening

Street repairs necessitated by utility installation or repairs

Snow removal

Indirect costs such as budget administration, data processing, office equipment, supplies, etc.

Sand and debris removal from natural causes

Leaf vacuums

Street sweeping

Salaries or other expenses for traffic policeman

Purchase or rental of equipment

Police Cars and motorcycles

Purchase and maintenance

Construction of equipment shed for housing street

STATE MAINTAINED ROAD SECONDARY ROAD SYSTEM OVERVIEW

State maintained roads are additionally ineligible for the Powell bill Program because they fall underneath a system called ‘the secondary road system’. The purpose of this Sub-chapter consists of those roads maintained by the Department of Transportation that do not carry “NC” or “US” numbers and are outside the boundaryof any incorporated municipality. In the development of secondary road plans, these roads fall into several categories which are defined as follows:

PRINCIPAL COUNTY ROUTES

These routes serve as the backbone of the rural transportation network within a county. Their major purpose is to move local traffic to community and recreational centers, shopping, and industrial areas, to urban areas within the county and to connect together the other secondary roads with the primary highway system. In addition, they serve abutting residential, farming, business, and industrial property.

COUNTY ROADS

These roads have as their primary purpose serving abutting residential, farming, business, and industrial use. They also carry small to moderate volumes of traffic moving to the principal county routes and the primary highway system. Their dual function of serving traffic and abutting property is variable depending upon their importance as a through route or connecting link.

SUBDIVISION STREETS

A subdivision street is considered to be a street or road which has been dedicated to the public to provide ingress and egress to lots or parcels which have been laid out for the purpose of providing home sites by a person or firm hoping to profit by the sale of such parcels. These lots or parcels are of insufficient size to be used primarily for farming purposes. A subdivision street is primarily for the use and convenience of the abutting property owners and not the general traveling public.

COLLECTOR ROADS

Collector roads channel traffic in subdivisions from side roads. They also provide access from other state-maintained roads.

BISCOE POWELL BILL STREET LISTING

NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BISCOE STREET LISTING