[MattTuck]

Interesting.

North Carolina is a special case, as many areas were basically living in the 1800's as recently as the latter half of the last century. So their efforts to modernize and create an attractive place to move, do business, etc. may have led to over zealous paving.


I am also not sure what the real downside of dirt roads is in the South. Up here, dirt roads need to be basically repaired every year, and that is costly.
In the spring, the roads get totally torn up. It's a real mess.

Call me a cynic, but I bet a big part of the push has to do with the lobbying efforts of asphalt suppliers and the construction labor unions. I don't think paving makes sense for a road that only has several houses on it.