Five million dollars in funding was added to the budget to extend T.W. Alexander from Highway 70 to Leesville Road. Instead of going through the state Department of Transportation for approval, Sen. Vernon Malone, D-Wake, added the funding to the budget at the last minute.
Some lawmakers said it is not fair to other counties waiting their turn for precious DOT funds.
"This is not one of the projects at this time, and therefore the funding for this road will dip into the funding for roads that have been established," said Sen. Jeanne Lucas, D-Durham.
"Everybody did everything by the process that'd be one thing, but everybody doesn't and I'm quite comfortable with what I've done," Malone said.
On Monday, an effort in a Senate committee to remove the funding failed.
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