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State private-roads and bridge program has nearly 1,000 submittals; county says permanent work will take years
Summary
County staff reported 994 total project submissions to the state—s private roads and bridges program, representing 194 unique projects after duplicates; officials said the state—s permanent repairs are prioritized for emergency access and that the multi-year program will focus on resilient fixes.
Buncombe County staff briefed commissioners on Sept. 16 about the North Carolina private-roads and bridge program, which county staff said had received 994 total submissions from the community and roughly 194 unique projects after accounting for duplicate applications on the same structure.
"What that means is you have maybe a bridge in a community or neighborhood where multiple houses have been affected, multiple applications on that same project," said Brad Hughes, who presented the update on the state-managed program. The county reported 99.4% of contractor assessments in Buncombe County were complete and 93.1% of project cost estimates were complete, meaning many projects were moving toward construction planning.
The program prioritizes permanent, resilient repairs rather than temporary fixes, Hughes said; North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) will prioritize projects that restore emergency access and those affecting multiple residences or commercial/recreational facilities. County staff said the first phase of the program closed Aug. 31 and a second application window opened Sept. 1 for reimbursement eligibility, with that second window open for six months.
Staff shared local examples, including field videos of innovative temporary fixes such as repurposed railcars used as bridge spans, and highlighted that completed projects have improved access and safety for residents. At the time of the briefing, county staff said five projects were complete and seven were in progress locally.
Why it matters: Many private roads and bridge failures isolate residents and impede emergency access; the state-run program provides a route to permanent repair but county staff cautioned it will take years to finish statewide. The county recommended residents use the state hotline or the Helene Resource Center for assistance with applications and to track ongoing project status.
What to watch: Progress through the state—s RFP/assessment-to-construction pipeline, prioritization criteria tied to emergency access, and results of projects under the second application window (reimbursement program).
