Transportation for the Future Act.

SB 519, the "Transportation for the Future Act," reorganizes how North Carolina allocates transportation funds to prioritize sustainable projects like bus rapid transit, commuter rail, and bicycle/pedestrian improvements. It caps state funding for commuter or light rail projects at 10% of either the regional allocation or total project costs, and requires at least 20% of funds to go toward non-highway projects. The bill categorizes projects into "Statewide Strategic," "Regional Impact," and "Division Needs" groups, using specific scoring criteria (e.g., safety, economic growth, multimodal access) to rank and fund them. Local input and federal funding rules are also clarified to ensure transparency in project selection. This directly affects local governments, transit agencies, and communities seeking to build safer, more connected transportation systems.