March 2025

Highlights from February 13, 2025, RTCC & RTAC Meetings

At the February 13th meeting, the TCC and TAC discussed the following:


  1. Preparation for FY 2026 Planning Work Program
  2. Review the 2024 Orange County Transportation Multimodal Plan
  3. STIP Update
  4. Prioritization 7.0 Update-Draft 2026-2035 STIP
  5. Prioritization 8.0 Update 
  6. Review TAC By-laws (TAC Only)


The TCC and TAC adopted their Consent Agendas unanimously.

The items were:

  • Approve October 10, 2024 Minutes
  • Endorse the 2024 Orange County Transportation Multimodal Plan
  • Adopt CPRPO’s New Submissions to NCDOT’s Prioritization X.0 Policy
  • Approve TCC member appointments to the Prioritization Subcommittee (TCC Only)


For more information on these items and other topics discussed at the meetings, please click on these links for the meeting slides:

RTCC

RTAC


Our next meeting, on April 10, 2025, will be online and in person at the McSwain Center Extension and Agriculture Center, 2420 Tramway Rd, Sanford, NC.

2026-2035 STIP Development - Draft STIP Released


​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​From NCDOT's website:


The N.C. Department of Transportation's long-range transportation plan – ​called the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) – identifies the construction funding and schedule for state transportation projects over a 10-year period. NCDOT updates the STIP approximately every two years.  


The Strategic Transportation Investments​​ law mandates ongoing evaluation and improvement to ensure that the process responds to North Carolina's diverse needs. This is accomplished by a prioritization work group consisting primarily of professional engineers and transportation planners. 


The data-driven process to update the STIP is called Strategic Prioritization​. The current cycle to update the STIP for the years 2026-2035 is called Prioritization 7.0 or P7.0. It started in the summer of 2023 when NCDOT divisions and local planning organizations gathered initial public input on projects, which were then submitted for evaluation and scoring.​​​



NCDOT has now released th2026-2035 Draft STIP​ and is taking public comments through April 4, 2025. See here for more information on how to submit public comments.



Education Wednesdays


CPRPO is posting monthly transportation education content on its website. It will range from brief reminders of current and recently updated laws to longer educational pieces about new innovative intersections and more.


Staff plans to highlight one here as well. See below for February's:

road-construction-timeline image



How a Road Gets Built



Years of extensive planning, study and work occur before the N.C. Department of Transportation ever begins building a roadway.


The in-depth, six-phased process begins with NCDOT assisting municipalities and regions to develop long-term plans that identify area transportation needs and priorities.


Once a project is programmed for funding, NCDOT initiates studies and the project enters into a development phase – a process that includes getting feedback from the public and analyzing how a proposed road might affect people living and working in the area as well as its impact on the environment.


Once development is complete and engineers have determined how and exactly where a road will be built, NCDOT typically begins acquiring any necessary property to accommodate the project and then awards a construction contract. During this time, existing utilities in conflict with the proposed design are moved.


Only then does construction begin.


Throughout the process, NCDOT’s Value Management Office ensures the department responsibly and efficiently uses resources and funding.

Grant Funding Opportunities





Upcoming Events


NCGIS Conference - March 19-21, 2025 in Winston-Salem

CPRPO RTCC Meeting - April 10, 2025 at 10:30 AM in Sanford

CPRPO RTAC Meeting - April 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM in Sanford

NCAMPO Conference - April 15-17, 2025 in Wilmington

CPRPO RTCC Meeting - June 12, 2025 at 10:30 AM in Pittsboro

CPRPO RTAC Meeting - June 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM in Pittsboro

Recent STIP Amendments


Staff updates a database of STIP projects to include recent changes. Several views are available: recent changes and also, a listing of all projects sorted by county. See here.

New Briefs



NCDOT Seeks Public Input on Draft 10-Year Transportation Plan - Jan. 31, 2025


More People Than Ever Travel NC By Train - Jan. 16, 2025



Flood Warning System Predicts Highway Flooding - Nov. 13, 2024




Partner

Newsletters


NCDOT Divisions 7 & 8 – Latest


National Center for Rural Road Safety Latest


IMD's Multimodal Message - December


Contact Us

 

Central Pines Rural Planning Organization (CPRPO)

4307 Emperor Blvd, Suite 110, Durham, NC 27703

◈Karyl Fuller, Principal Planner

kfuller@centralpinesnc.gov o(919) 558-9320

www.centralpinesrpo.org

 

Serving Chatham, Lee, Moore, and Orange Counties Since 2002