Brief History of Highway 17 • Built originally in the 1920s • Begins in Shenandoah Valley, ends on Florida Gulf Coast • About 1,200 miles • Known as the Ocean Highway through North Carolina Brief History of the Organization • Founded in 1975 • Ad hoc and Voluntary • Reorganized in 2006 Growing Regional Support • Nine Counties • Eight Municipalities • Three Economic Development Organizations Mission, Vision and Goals • Build a fully controlled access, four lane Highway 17 from Virginia to South Carolina • Fund all the unfunded Highway 17 projects in the TIP by 2009, or as soon as possible • Be regional in vision and scope for Eastern North Carolina Eastern North Carolina is Falling Behind Well over half of North Carolina’s poorest counties are in eastern North Carolina, including six of the thirteen counties in the Highway 17 corridor. DECLINING INCOME NC Office of State Budget and Management, 2000 Eastern North Carolina is Falling Behind The east has 16 of the 20 North Carolina counties with the highest percentage of food stamp recipients, including three in the Highway 17 corridor. SOCIAL SERVICES DEMAND NC Department of Health and Human Services, 2000 Eastern North Carolina is Falling Behind 23 of North Carolina’s 41Tier 1 counties are in the east, including five in the Highway 17 corridor. ECONOMIC DISTRESS NC Department of Commerce, 2008 Dramatic Military Growth • More than 25,000 Marines and their Families • Another 15,000 people serving USMC growth • Projected growth of 21,000 + without Marines Highways are vitally important • Highways are a key factor in recruiting industry • Highways enable goods to move in and out of our ports • Highways allow tourists a safe and efficient way to visit • Highway 17 is the economic lifeline of the coastal region We Face a Big Task • Approximately 50 miles still two lanes • $500 million unfunded We Face a Big Task • Several four-lane stretches are bottlenecked • About $250 million unfunded Progress in Funding $38.5 million for previously unfunded projects Progress in Funding More than $600,000 in federal budget Progress on Highway Jacksonville to Belgrade Completed • 6.2 miles • $30 Million Progress on Highway Windsor Bypass Ahead of Schedule • 9 miles • $64 Million Progress on Highway Washington Bypass Underway • 15 miles • $306 Million Progress in Outreach • Fully Engaged with NC DOT • Active Presence at the NC General Assembly • Monitoring 21st Century Transportation Commission Progress in Outreach • Partner with NC Go! Coalition • Collaborating with East Carolina University Optimism for the Future • Continue funding momentum • Solve problems affecting key projects • Help create sustainable transportation funding for North Carolina • Gain support for Highway 17 Association from all 13 counties, all key cities Thank you.