RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation will distribute more than $597,148 to Scotland County as part of its Powell Bill Fund.
Half of that overall total, was sent out last week. The rest will be paid by Jan. 1, 2016.
Powell Bill funding is generated by revenue from the state gas tax and other highway user fees. The program has allocated nearly $4.1 billion to municipalities over its 65-year history.
The money can only be used for the construction, widening, maintaining or repairing of any street, bikeway, greenway or sidewalk that is maintained by the municipality, DOT officials said.
“This program assists local governments in improving transportation connectivity and safety for its residents and visitors by helping upgrade and repair their transportation systems,” Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson said.
Laurinburg got the lion’s share — $470,844. The city’s allocation is down from last year when Laurinburg received $476,929, according to the DOT.
Wagram will receive $29,530 this year down slightly from $29,834 for the 2014 cycle.
The town of Gibson will receive a total of $18,068 as part of the 2015 allocation. The town got $18,090 in 2014 funding.
Maxton, which is in both Scotland and Robeson counties, will get a total of $78,706 for 2015. That is down from $79,701 the previous year.
The amount each municipality receives is based on a formula set by the N.C. General Assembly, with 75 percent of the funds based on population, and 25 percent based on the number of locally maintained street miles.
Statewide, towns and cities in North Carolina will receive more than $147.7 million in street aid.
This year’s total is about the same as last year, increased by about $400,000. And the number of municipalities who applied for the funds is the same as last year.
There are 22 cities are receiving at least $1 million, led by Charlotte at $20.4 million, based on its population of 803,392 and 2,455 miles of maintained roads. Raleigh will receive $10.6 million, followed by Greensboro ($7.4 million), Winston-Salem ($6.5 million), Durham ($6.2 million) and Fayetteville ($5.5 million).
The fund is named for Junius K. Powell, a former state senator and mayor of Whiteville, who was a primary sponsor of the 1951 bill to help the state’s cities with urban road problems. The first allocation of Powell Bill funds was for $4.5 million and was distributed to 386 cities and towns.
A complete list of cities and towns receiving Powell Bill funds and the amounts, and additional information about the State Street-Aid (Powell Bill) Program is on the NCDOT website at www.connect.ncdot.gov/municipalities/State-Street-Aid/Pages/default.aspx.