NC Board of Transportation hands over authority to transportation secretary

The North Carolina Board of Transportation has deferred to Governor Bev Perdue when it comes to approving road-building contracts.

Thursday the board gave Transportation Secretary Gene Conti the authority to decide whether to award 18 million dollars in highway projects in eight counties.

Perdue signed an executive order two days after taking office last month, ordering the panel to delegate to Conti the power to approve the projects.

Perdue said the change would allow decisions to be based more on data and professional staff and less on political influence.