This week, a significant bill was filed in the North Carolina General Assembly that aims to compel the North Carolina Department of Transportation to spend $150,000 on a study regarding the potential impacts of an Access Fee.

As the Department strives to balance crucial funding for our neighbors in Western North Carolina who are recovering from Hurricane Helene’s devastation with the needs of our entire state, we must recognize that North Carolina continues to be a prime destination for those relocating here.

What’s particularly troubling is that the concept of an Access Fee has already undergone extensive study. The NC Moves Coalition has strong objections to this proposal.

The Access Fee would unjustly exempt out-of-state drivers and diesel vehicle owners from paying their fair share for using and maintaining our transportation network. Moreover, it would impose a sharp financial burden on low-mileage drivers. For instance, think of your grandparents, who may be on a fixed income and only drive short distances for essential errands like grocery shopping and medical appointments. The Access Fee would only increase their yearly costs.

Another flawed assumption about the Access Fee is that out-of-state drivers never refuel in North Carolina. If they did, we could derive revenue for our transportation system from their gas station spending.

The NC Moves Coalition is committed to fostering thoughtful discussions about sustainable and actionable strategies to modernize the revenue mechanisms that support our state’s transportation infrastructure. Unfortunately, this proposal would tie up valuable transportation funds in a study of an issue that has already been comprehensively explored.