RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department’s weekly newscast.
Safe Routes to Schools Grants
North Carolina students will continue learning about how to safely walk and bicycle to school through NCDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program.
Through a new grant process, communities can develop creative programs that work to reduce the number of bicycle and pedestrian injuries and fatalities. A key component of this will be encouraging student safety through educational programming, encouragement and enforcement.
If your community is interested in participating,
visit the department’s website.
Battery-Electric Buses
As North Carolina looks toward the future of transportation, one of NCDOT’s partners, the
Greensboro Transit Authority, is taking the lead by introducing four new all-electric city buses.
The first in the state, the environmentally friendly buses are powered by under-floor batteries which can travel up to 200 miles before needing to be recharged. The use of electric motors brings a quieter ride for passengers and the community, while removing the use of fuel and associated exhaust fumes.
It’s estimated that this switch will save the city $30,000 per bus every year over a diesel bus.
Aviation Art Contest
The North Carolina Aviation Art Contest inspired thousands of students across the state to tap their imaginations and share their dreams of flying.
Each year, the Division of Aviation sponsors the contest to engage young people in aviation and aeronautics. A new record was set this year for the number of entries submitted, which more than doubled from 1,200 in 2018 to more than 2,700.
Check out the winners on the
Division of Aviation’s website.