I-485 and I-77. Photo American Society of Civil Engineers/NC Section

April 8. By Dave Yochum. The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) wants input on potential transportation projects in the next 30 years to be included in the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), a 30-year document that is updated every five years.

Because it is fiscally restrained, the CRTPO also has to do an estimation of funding sources based on past experience, according to CRTPO Chair Dr. Mike Miltich, who is also a member of the Cornelius Town Board.

Once projects are included in the MTP, the Metropolitan Planning Organization evaluates and submits a list of those projects to the state to be scored.

MILTICH

“Scoring utilizes criteria such as congestion relief and safety. The top scoring projects then make their way into the TIP, a five-year document updated every two years,” Miltich says.

That guides NCDOT funding across the state.

Not mentioned is the Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP).

“Think of this as a wish list of any and all projects for an area,” Miltich said.

A project has to be included in the CTP before it can be included in the MTP to be taken up by the CRTPO and the MPO not to mention the NCDOT.

It’s that simple.

Meanwhile, Beyond 77 is a study designed to help address and create long-term transportation solutions within the I-77 corridor.

The Beyond77 planning team has developed more than 170 potential solutions for the I-77 Corridor.

CRTPO is asking participants to weigh in on transportation solutions and funding.

To participate in their survey, click here.

CRTPO and the Beyond 77 team will host two virtual public meetings to review the collected data and share information with respect to the remainder of the study:

April 21, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
May 13, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

If this isn’t perfectly clear, the Beyond77 team is ready to translate into 10 languages, ranging from Gujarati to Tagalog.