NC H713

Authorizes the North Carolina Department of Transportation to construct telecommunications conduit in state highway rights-of-way and lease the conduit to private telecommunications companies to recover construction costs.

Creates a Conduit Installation Account within the Highway Trust Fund to receive revenues from conduit leasing, with funds used only for installing additional telecommunications conduit in state rights-of-way.

Requires the Department to include conduit installation in planning for new roads and road improvements when fewer than 50% of households in the county have access to high-speed data or telecommunications services and a provider expresses interest in leasing the conduit within five years of project completion.

Mandates the Department report to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by May 1, 2014, and annually thereafter on program implementation progress, including identification of statutory or regulatory barriers and cost-effectiveness analysis for eligible highway projects.

Effective upon enactment.