We’re at a crossroads in Northern Wake, Franklin, Vance, Granville and Warren counties.
We have been given the option to make a hard decision about whether to make U.S. 1 a toll road or not. This isn’t just a road — it’s the lifeblood of our communities, connecting hardworking families, small businesses and visitors to the beating heart of Raleigh.
Tolling U.S. 1 threatens to choke off opportunities, burden our most vulnerable residents and stall the economic engine that makes our region thrive.
Let’s start with the plain truth: Tolls hit the poorest among us the hardest. Every day, North Carolinians pay their fair share through gas taxes and state taxes to keep our roads open. A toll triple-taxes drivers by charging them to use a highway they’ve already paid for.
For low-income families, that toll isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a barrier to jobs, doctor appointments and schools in Raleigh. We cannot let a paywall exclude entire communities from the opportunities they deserve. This isn’t progress; it’s a step backward.
Then there’s the economic fallout. Central North Carolina is a hub of innovation, with small businesses and startups driving our growth. But tolls on U.S. 1 will slam the brakes on that momentum. Imagine a local business in the counties of Franklin, Vance, Granville or Warren paying a toll every time they send a delivery truck or an employee commutes to Raleigh.
Those costs add up fast, squeezing tight budgets and making it harder to compete. Worse, new companies eyeing our counties might look elsewhere to avoid the hassle and expense, while existing businesses could relocate to toll-free regions. We can’t afford to let tolls limit our economic growth when we’re working to keep our region of North Carolina open for opportunity.
And let’s not ignore the chaos tolls will unleash on our roads. Drivers dodging U.S. 1’s tolls will flood secondary roads and Highway 401, clogging residential streets, backroads and wearing out infrastructure never meant for heavy traffic. Picture longer commutes and skyrocketing repair costs for local governments. These roads aren’t built for this burden, and our communities shouldn’t bear these additional expenses.
We are promised tolls are a quick fix for funding, but history tells a different story: Once a toll road, always a toll road. Look at Interstate 77 near Charlotte, where drivers pay an average of $40 a day during peak hours and $16 off-peak. Those aren’t convenience fees; they’re highway robbery, with no end in sight.
Here’s the good news — we’ve got a better way. North Carolina is sitting on $1.1 billion for a railroad project that hasn’t even broken ground. Let’s redirect those funds to keep U.S. 1 toll-free, serving the daily needs of commuters, businesses and visitors across our counties.
This isn’t about empty promises; it’s about practical solutions that put people first.
Finally, let’s talk trust. North Carolinians expect their tax dollars to build roads that serve everyone, not create paywalls that favor the wealthy. Tolling U.S. 1 sends a message that only those with deep pockets deserve access to quality infrastructure. That’s not the North Carolina I know — a state where hard work and opportunity go hand in hand, not where your wallet determines your path.
Our counties deserve better. Tolling U.S. 1 will burden the working class, cripple our economy, clog our roads and lock in costs for generations. Together, we can demand a transportation system that unites us, not divides us by ability to pay. Let’s keep U.S. 1 free and invest in solutions that lift every North Carolinian. Our future depends on it.
Rep. Matthew Winslow represents the 7th District in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
