Even if you put aside rising gas prices for the moment, car ownership in North Carolina has gotten a lot more expensive in recent years.

Why it matters: For the majority of us in the Triangle, a car is necessary for getting to work and picking up groceries, making the price of car ownership hard to avoid.

• Former Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin often cited the statistic that it cost a Raleigh resident around $10,000 a year to own a car when advocating for iniciatives like bus-rapid transit.

Driving the news: The average monthly car payment for a new vehicle in North Carolina is now $742, according to new data from car research site Edmunds.

• For a used car, the average monthly payment in the state is $590.

Zoom in: The higher monthly payments are being driven by several factors.

• But the two biggest are high sticker prices — with many popular models now thousands of dollars more than they were a few years ago — and higher interest rates, Axios reported.
• It doesn't stop there, though. Insurance premiums and repair costs are up 55% since the pandemic, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association.

The big picture: Add up gas prices, insurance, repairs and the sticker prices of cars and the cost of owning one is up 47% since 2020, according to Navy Federal Credit Union. That's faster than both inflation and wages have risen.

• It's causing more Americans to fall behind on their car payments or stay out of the market altogether. The average age of vehicles on the road hit a record high of 13 years last year.

Between the lines: And yet, demand for cars still appears strong.

• Inventory on used car lots fell to 40 days' supply in March, its lowest point this year, signaling healthy demand despite used cars hitting their highest prices in three years.
• Surveys show that American car buyers still view having a car as non-negotiable, with 71% of people saying they would sacrifice other budget items to maintain access to a car.

State of play: In reaction to rising costs, North Carolina moved to end emissions testing for cars in most counties — a request the EPA recently approved despite pushback from environmental groups.

• The EPA proposal would eliminate annual emissions inspections for drivers in Wake, Durham, Johnston and 16 other counties when they renew their registrations.

Share this story … Go deeper: Rising car expenses lead some Americans to depend on Uber and hope their old car keeps going. (New York Times)

👋 Mary Helen here. One of my favorite spots in the Triangle, Duke Gardens, recently completed a big addition, so I stopped by yesterday to check things out.

🥗 The latest: There's now a cafe at the entrance, plus new bathrooms and covered outdoor seating areas.

• The cafe sells espresso drinks, LocoPops popsicles, snacks and more filling lunch items like sandwiches and salads, all prepared offsite and sealed for allergy purposes. Eventually, they'll sell picnic basket packages, too.
• The new welcome center includes an art gallery, currently lined with nature-inspired paintings by benefactor Eleanor DeVries.

👰‍♀️ Between the lines: Weddings and other events are an important revenue stream for the gardens, which are free to visit.

• The $30 million construction project expands the gardens' hosting capacity for both indoor and outdoor events.
• It also changes the parking setup and makes planted areas more accessible to people who have trouble walking.

🤖 Fun fact: While there, I ran into Mowbi-Lawn Kenobi, the robot mowing the lawn now. He's cute.

🌱 What they're saying: Some of the newly planted items near the redone entrance are on the small side now, but just give them time, says horticulturist Branden Kowalysyn.

• "Open doesn't necessarily mean finished. It's a work-in-progress," he says. Gardening always is.

⛲️ The bottom line: The entrance is now a lot more picturesque, better matching the glory of the gardens within.

If you go: Duke Gardens is open daily 8am to sunset.

📈 Since 2020, Wendell has been the fastest-growing town in North Carolina, doubling its population from 9,841 people to 19,697. (News & Observer 🔒)

⚡️ A proposed budget framework for North Carolina would roll back some tax incentives for data centers. (WUNC)

🚘 The town of Pittsboro ended its contract with Flock Safety after residents raised concerns over license-plate-reading cameras. (WCHL)

A man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing death that occurred on the American Tobacco Trail. (WRAL)

🎡 Head to the fairgrounds for the Got to Be NC Festival.

🚶 Stroll through Downtown Cary Park this evening for a night market.

🖼️ Join tonight's Third Friday Art Walk in Durham.

🎨 Enjoy Artsplosure in downtown Raleigh on Saturday and Sunday.

🥁 Attend the 56th annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival in Durham on Saturday, featuring musical performances, vendors and food.

🚣‍♀️ Hit up Lake Wheeler to catch the ACC women's rowing championship, with races today and Saturday.

🪷 Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Saturday's Common Roots Festival in Durham.

🤘 Rock out at Walnut Creek Saturday night with Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy.

🎸 Keep rocking at the Bull City Metal Fest happening on Friday and Saturday at Stanczyks in downtown Durham.

🇬🇷 Immerse yourself in the culture of Greece on Saturday and Sunday at Durham's Greek Festival.