RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has released its latest weekly “Cash Watch” report for the week of Sept. 25 through Oct. 1, 2026, offering a detailed snapshot of state transportation expenditures and reserves.
In compliance with state transparency laws (Session Law 2019-251), NCDOT publishes the financial update each Friday to track receipts, disbursements, and cash balances across state funds.
Cash Balances & Financial Snapshot
According to the report, NCDOT closed the week with a combined cash balance of $2,089,787,034 across its Highway Fund and Highway Trust Fund accounts. Total cash and bond proceeds—which includes reserved funds held in trustee accounts—stood at $2,359,399,650.
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Beginning Total Cash & Bonds: $2,359,399,650
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Weekly Receipts Added: $275,009,584 (including $117.7 million in federal reimbursements)
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Ending Highway Fund Balance: $1,077,462,114
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Ending Highway Trust Fund Balance: $1,012,324,920
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Reserved Cash (Trustee Accounts): $258,453,001
The department’s unreserved ending cash balance easily exceeds the statutory minimum cash floor set by the General Assembly at $735,695,000.
Weekly Disbursements Breakdown
NCDOT reported total weekly disbursements of $286,228,418 across several primary operational and development categories:
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State Aid Payments (Powell Bill municipal funding): $92,401,380
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Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) Construction: $85,310,754
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Highway Operations & Maintenance: $50,767,814
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Administration & Other Agency Transfers: $46,186,240
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Disaster-Related Expenditures: $9,266,621
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Modal Programs (Ferry, Transit, Aviation & Rail): $2,293,809
Disaster Relief & Reserved Accounts
The financial report also highlighted ongoing disaster recovery spending. Cumulative expenditures for Hurricane Helene recovery have reached $909.2 million for FY2025, $794.7 million for FY2026, and $268.5 million for the current FY2027 fiscal year. Cumulative federal reimbursements from the Federal Highway Administration ($617.1M) and FEMA ($372.3M) total over $989 million.
Reserved cash accounts held in dedicated trustee accounts include $125 million in the Transportation Emergency Reserve, $113.2 million in unexpended GARVEE bond proceeds, and $20.2 million in unexpended Build NC bond proceeds set aside for specific ongoing infrastructure projects.
NCDOT notes that weekly balances fluctuate day to day as revenue comes in and disbursements occur, with official monthly cash balances finalized at the close of each month.
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