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Cary board warned road program needs about $4.5 million yearly to reach 'satisfactory' PCI
Summary
Trustees were presented data showing Village of Cary’s pavement condition index at 62.03 and heard staff estimate that about $4.5 million annually would be required to reach and maintain a satisfactory PCI of 70; current motor fuel tax revenue and other existing sources leave a multiyear funding gap.
Village staff told trustees Feb. 11 that Cary’s overall pavement condition index (PCI) stood at 62.03 for 2025, placing the network in a “fair” condition, and said that maintaining a “satisfactory” PCI of 70 would require approximately $4.5 million per year.
Public works staff and trustees discussed the gap between that estimated need and the village’s current motor fuel tax (MFT) receipts, which staff said are roughly $720,000 annually. Staff noted that MFT revenue has been declining and that electric vehicles reduce future MFT receipts because they do not pay fuel taxes, a trend municipal leaders nationwide raise with state policymakers.
Trustees pressed staff on what the village could do to close the gap, including whether bonds or loans backed by MFT could help. Staff told the board that a prior analysis found bonding against current MFT projections would produce only a short‑term boost and leave the village exposed if MFT revenues fell short, and that using MFT as the primary pledge for long bonds would carry fiscal risk to the village general fund.
Board members discussed alternatives: seeking grants, pursuing intergovernmental purchasing and regional partnerships to lower construction costs, or considering local revenue options such as a village sales tax or other targeted taxes. No decision was reached; staff will return with more revenue scenarios and the board will weigh priorities in the March workshop and April budget meeting.
