Bill > H159

This bill establishes the Orphan Roads Maintenance Program Grant, which creates a special fund within the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to help improve subdivision streets that currently do not meet the minimum construction requirements for being officially maintained by the state or local municipalities. The program will provide $75 million in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with individual subdivision projects eligible to receive up to $250,000 in funding. Counties must provide a 25-cent local match for every dollar awarded, and funds will only be distributed after the improved street meets NCDOT or municipal maintenance standards and is officially accepted into the respective highway or street system. Once a subdivision road meets these standards, ownership will be transferred to either NCDOT or the local municipality. The program is set to expire on June 30, 2030, at which point any remaining funds will be transferred back to the Highway Fund, and the grant fund will be closed. The bill becomes effective on July 1, 2025, providing a targeted approach to improving infrastructure in subdivisions with substandard road conditions.

Budget and Finance

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H159