A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to designate and erect highway markers to Commemorate and Recognize the Lafayette Trail.
Whereas, the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution will be celebrated commencing in 2026; and
Whereas, the Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman, was instrumental in securing the support of France in the colonies' struggle for independence and fought bravely alongside Americans on the battlefield; and
Whereas, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the United States in 1825 to travel the country and to visit his former comrades in arms, which included traveling through North Carolina; and
Whereas, the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette's return to the United States will be celebrated in 2025; and
Whereas, it is fitting that the State should recognize the contributions of the Marquis de Lafayette to the American Revolution, a period of war and uncertainty which led to the freedoms we now enjoy as Americans and North Carolinians; and
Whereas, the Department of Transportation is in a unique position to erect suitable highway markers in locations across the State that will ensure citizens of and visitors to our State will be informed about the significant contributions the Marquis de Lafayette made in the fight for American independence; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

title of the act
SECTION 1.  This act may be cited as the "Recognition of the Lafayette Trail Act."

designate roads as the lafayette trail
SECTION 2.  The Department of Transportation shall designate the following road portions as the Lafayette Trail:
(1)	The portion of U.S. Highway 158 beginning in the Town of Murfreesboro and continuing westerly until the intersection with Barrows Mill Road past the Town of Jackson.
(2)	The portion of U.S. Highway 258 beginning in the Town of Como at the intersection with Mill Neck Road and continuing southward until the intersection with Hill Ferry Road.
(3)	The portion of U.S. Highway 301 beginning in the Town of Halifax at the intersection with South King Street and continuing southward until the intersection with Benvenue Road in the City of Rocky Mount.
(4)	The portion of N.C. Highway 97 beginning in the City of Rocky Mount at the intersection of South Franklin Street continuing westerly until the intersection with Old Bunn Road in the Town of Zebulon.
(5)	The portion of State Road 2320 beginning in the Town of Zebulon at the intersection with N.C. Highway 97 continuing westerly until the intersection with U.S. Highway 401 in the Town of Wake Forest.
(6)	The portion of U.S. Highway 401 beginning at the intersection with Mitchell Mill Road in the Town of Wake Forest and continuing southward until the intersection with Wake Forest Road in the City of Raleigh.
(7)	The portion of U.S. Highway 401 beginning in the City of Raleigh at the intersection with South Wilmington Street and continuing southward until the intersection with Old Stage Road in the City of Raleigh.
(8)	The portion of State Road 1006 beginning in the City of Raleigh at the intersection with Fayetteville Road and continuing southward until the intersection with N.C. Highway 27.
(9)	The portion of N.C. Highway 27 beginning in the Town of Lillington at the intersection with Leslie Campbell Avenue continuing southward until the intersection with U.S. Highway 421.
(10)	The portion of U.S. Highway 421 beginning in the Town of Lillington at the intersection with N.C. Highway 27 continuing easterly until the intersection with State Road 1769.
(11)	The portion of State Road 1769 beginning in the Town of Lillington at the intersection with U.S. Highway 421 continuing southward until the intersection with North 13th Street in the Town of Erwin.
(12)	The portion of N.C. Highway 82 beginning in the Town of Erwin at the intersection with Iris Bryant Road continuing southward until the intersection with State Road 1812 in the Town of Godwin.
(13)	The portion of State Road 1812 beginning in the Town of Godwin at the intersection with N.C. Highway 82 continuing southward until the intersection with State Road 1802 in the Town of Godwin.
(14)	The portion of State Road 1802 beginning in the Town of Godwin at the intersection with N.C. Highway 82 continuing southward until the intersection with U.S. Highway 301 in the Town of Wade.
(15)	The portion of U.S. Highway 301 beginning in the Town of Wade at the intersection with State Road 1802 continuing southward until the intersection with Church Street in the Town of Wade.
(16)	The portion of State Road 1714 beginning in the Town of Wade at the intersection with U.S. Highway 301 continuing westward until the intersection with Middle Road in the City of Fayetteville.
(17)	The portion of State Road 1006 beginning in the City of Fayetteville at the intersection with Dunn Road continuing westward until the intersection with Hay Street in the City of Fayetteville.
(18)	The portion of State Road 1003 beginning in the City of Fayetteville at the intersection with Cumberland Road continuing southwesterly until the intersection with State Road 1105 in the Town of Lumber Bridge.
(19)	The portion of State Road 1105 beginning in the Town of Lumber Bridge at the intersection with Cumberland Road continuing westerly until the intersection with Spring Hill Road in the Town of Red Springs.
(20)	The portion of State Road 1405 beginning in the Town of Wagram at the intersection with U.S. Highway 401 continuing westerly until the intersection with State Road 1319 in the unincorporated community of Laurel Hill.
(21)	The portion of State Road 1152 beginning in the unincorporated community of Laurel Hill at the intersection with U.S. Highway 74 continuing westerly until the South Carolina state line.

Appropriate funds for highway markers
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation the sum of eighty‑four thousand dollars ($84,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year in nonrecurring funds for the purpose of having manufactured 42 highway markers bearing the Lafayette Trail logo used by the American Friends of Lafayette.

sign locations and standards
SECTION 4.(a)  The Department of Transportation shall, in consultation with the American Friends of Lafayette, determine the exact location where the highway markers authorized in Section 3 of this act shall be erected. All highway markers authorized by this act shall be erected and maintained by the Department of Transportation.
SECTION 4.(b)  All highway markers designed, manufactured, and erected, as authorized in this act, shall conform with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, published by the United States Department of Transportation, and any supplement to that Manual adopted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Committee report
SECTION 5.  The Department of Transportation shall report to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee on the use of the funds appropriated in this act by March 1 of each year until the funds are spent or have reverted.

effective date
SECTION 6.  This act is effective when it becomes law.