Cape Fear Rural Planning Organization unanimously adopts resolution requesting NCDOT conduct corridor study of I-74 / US-74 corridor in Brunswick, Columbus Counties

NORTHWEST, N.C. – The Cape Fear Rural Planning Organization (RPO) Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) unanimously adopted a resolution requesting that the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) conduct a corridor study of the I-74/US-74 corridor in Brunswick and Columbus Counties at its meeting on Friday, July 10. The RTAC has previously adopted resolutions encouraging the construction of I-74 to the Wilmington Bypass (I-140).

Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams, who serves as RTAC Chair for 2015, released the following statement after the unanimous vote: “Upgrading Highway 74 between Wilmington and Charlotte is critical to the long-term economic growth of southeastern North Carolina. Brunswick, Columbus and Pender Counties will benefit from increased connectivity between I-140 and Charlotte, which will also improve inland access to the Port of Wilmington. The members of the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee strongly encourage the N.C. Department of Transportation to conduct a corridor study of the I-74/US-74 corridor in Brunswick and Columbus Counties.”

The Cape Fear Area RPO covers Brunswick, Columbus and Pender Counties and serves as the intergovernmental organization for local elected officials, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and residents of the region to work cooperatively to address transportation issues. The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) is the RPO’s policy board. The RTAC is made up of elected officials from Brunswick, Columbus and Pender Counties. For more information, please visit http://www.CapeFearRPO.org. Administrative support for the Cape Fear RPO is provided by the Cape Fear Council of Governments (COG).

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation website, in 2000 the State of North Carolina recognized the need for more coordinated transportation planning in rural North Carolina areas not within a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) by enacting Chapter 136, Article 17, Section 136-210-213 of the General Statutes. This provided for the development of Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RPOs). There are 20 Rural Planning Organizations in the State.

Although organized and tasked in a manner very similar to MPO’s, RPOs are grounded in state law rather than federal, and are intended to address and improve rural area transportation planning processes. RPOs assist the North Carolina Department of Transportation by carrying the following four core duties:

• Develop, in cooperation with the NCDOT, comprehensive transportation plans.
• Provide a forum for public participation in the transportation planning process.
• Develop and prioritize suggestions for projects that the organization believes should be included in the State’s Transportation Improvement Program.
• Provide transportation-related information to local governments and other interested organizations and persons.

FULL TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION:

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING NCDOT TO STUDY THE
I-74/US-74 CORRIDOR IN BRUNSWICK AND COLUMBUS COUNTIES

WHEREAS, the Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO) was established to facilitate the coordination of transportation planning efforts between the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and local officials in the Cape Fear RPO planning boundary; and

WHEREAS,  the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) is the duly established transportation planning policy board for the Cape Fear RPO; and

WHEREAS, the US-74/I-74 corridor is identified as Corridor “H/U” in NCDOT’s Strategic Transportation Corridors Network, the core network of multimodal transportation corridors moving large volumes of people and freight throughout the state and connecting centers of economic activity considered to be of statewide and regional significance; and

WHEREAS, Governor McCrory’s 25-Year Vision for North Carolina: Mapping Our Future identifies the improvement of US-74 to interstate standards from Charlotte to Wilmington as a needed infrastructure solution; and

WHEREAS, Governor Easley’s Logistics Task Force Final Report recommended upgrading I-74 from Charlotte to Wilmington, including: (1) Upgrade all of US 74/76 to interstate standard; (2) Completion of the Monroe Bypass; (3) Reroute I-74 design (from the Green Swamp route) to connect to the I-140 bypass; and (4) US 74/76 short-term improvements (right of way/access management/grade separations); and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Maritime Strategy identifies the US-74 corridor as a key route to enhance freight mobility for waterborne truck freight; and

WHEREAS, the NCDOT 2040 Plan identifies the upgrade of I-74 from Wilmington to Charlotte as a transportation priority for the Port of Wilmington; and

WHEREAS, the Cape Fear RPO Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (in 2003 and again in 2013) and the Wilmington MPO Transportation Advisory Committee (in 2013) each adopted resolutions encouraging the construction of I-74 to the Wilmington Bypass (I-140).

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the Cape Fear RPO Rural Transportation Advisory Committee hereby requests NCDOT conduct a corridor study of the I-74/US-74 corridor in Brunswick and Columbus Counties.

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization’s Rural Transportation Advisory Committee on July 10, 2015.