Press release from the N.C. Department of Transportation:
Area residents will get a chance to provide input on what transportation projects they would like to see included in the next North Carolina Department of Transportation’s 10-year transportation plan for 2023-2032.
With a goal of increasing safety, reducing congestion and promoting economic growth, NCDOT uses data and local input to determine which projects get funded in the 10-year plan based on a specific formula created by the Strategic Transportation Investments law. It allows NCDOT to use its funding more efficiently to enhance North Carolina’s infrastructure while supporting economic growth, job creation and a higher quality of life.
A statewide 30-day public comment period to submit project ideas will be held between Jan. 27 and Feb. 28. During this 30-day period, the public can send project suggestions in a short, interactive survey found on the 2023-2032 STIP web page.
Also during the 30-day period, there will be a three-day open house held at NCDOT Division 13 headquarters at 55 Orange Street in Asheville for in-person input about potential projects in Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties. Interested residents can attend the open house during regular business hours on Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 29-31, to get a chance to submit transportation project ideas and talk with NCDOT staff.
Residents who can’t attend the open house can still be part of the process by contacting Hannah Cook of the Division 13 office at hkcook@ncdot.gov; NCDOT Division 13, 55 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801; or (828) 250-3000 during the 30-day comment period.
Projects can be as large-scale as an interstate improvement or as small as a new turn lane or intersection improvement. Projects can be for any mode of transportation, including Highway, Aviation, Bicycle & Pedestrian, Ferry, Public Transportation, and Rail. Please note that the comment period is not for maintenance-related projects such as patching potholes, resurfacing, or ditches. NCDOT uses a different method to prioritize maintenance projects.
NCDOT Division 13 will also collect input from local transportation planning organizations and from its own staff as it puts together its list of potential projects. Project scores and a draft statewide mobility project list are expected to be released by March 2021. There will be another public comment period regarding regional impact projects in Spring 2021, with the same process taking place for division-level projects in Fall 2021.
The 2023-2032 draft STIP will be released in February 2022, with approval by the Board of Transportation in the summer. Projects scheduled in the first six years are considered committed, while projects in the final four years of the draft 10-year plan will be re-evaluated again as part of the next STIP development process. More information on the STIP development process can be found on the NCDOT STIP website.
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