Rural North Carolina between streets and internet

Posted on November 15, 2013 in Insights by

internetNorth Carolina is changing its formula for road projects. Even if this should be positive for the state, things can be different for the rural part or this country. Basically, new formula will advantage (both in time and in funds) bigger roads and richest part of the country, leaving on behind rural streets and rural cities. State transportation officials is worried about how this can change road priorities and how improvements for local roads will continue in the future.

Future scenario can be focused in the widening of Interstate 95 instead of widening local roads (such as Lumberton’s Linkhaw Road), which can be otherwise useful for local communities to move more often and easier.

On the other hand, one area will benefit of new road system will be the Fayetteville urban Area, as the city will be able to compete stronger against Raleigh, bringing money and hopefully jobs to its inhabitants.

Streets is not the only problem for rural NC, as a federal government report that North Carolina is last in the country for Internet subscription. Report says only 17 percent of North Carolina households have high speed Internet connection (faster than 3 Mbps, mobile broadband are not included) and percentage is quite lower in rural areas, where getting coverage is more difficult.

MCNC, non-profit organization which has the goal to bring high speed internet connection in North Carolina, says “we are working to reduce costs of internet access for privates”.

Will North Carolina rural world be able to develop faster and stronger? Only time will tell, what we know today is that both roads (which allow connection to real world) and internet (which allow connection to digital world) are quite important for the whole North Carolina, rural world does not make ecception.