Transportation Planning Group Adopts Rural Transportation Legislative Priorities

The Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO) Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) unanimously adopted its rural transportation legislative goals at its October 10, 2024 meeting. The legislative agenda was developed at the request of Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams, who serves as RTAC chair, and unanimously approved on a motion from Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte. A letter from Chairman Williams outlining the priorities will be sent to Brunswick County’s legislative delegation, N.C. Department of Transportation board members who represent the area, and members of transportation-related legislative committees.

“Transportation infrastructure is critically important to our region, and as areas in our state west of I-95 become increasingly urbanized, it is important for those of us who live in eastern North Carolina to make our voices heard,” said Williams. “One size does not fit all, and these legislative priorities reflect the unique needs of our growing coastal region.”

The adopted legislative priorities are:

• To seek legislative changes to include evacuation routes as a safety scoring factor in the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) prioritization law.
• To seek increased funding for maintaining drainage ditches for which NCDOT is responsible in Counties subject to the N.C. Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA).
• To ensure that NCDOT has a strong emergency reserve fund to complete repairs following natural or other disasters – especially those without a federal disaster declaration (e.g., Potential Tropical Cyclone 8) – without depleting funds for projects in development or under construction.
• To request that the North Carolina General Assembly reject proposals which would transfer responsibility for the state’s road system to local governments.
• To request that the North Carolina General Assembly reject proposals which would weaken or dismantle municipal Powell Bill street maintenance funding.

The Cape Fear RPO, which covers rural portions of Brunswick and Pender Counties and all of Columbus County, 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 rural transportation issues.  The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) is the RPO’s advisory board and is comprised of elected officials from Brunswick, Columbus and Pender Counties.

Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO) has successfully submitted a number of key projects that were later funded through the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Prioritization Process, including widening Highway 211 from Southport to Midway Road. According to information provided by NCDOT, this is the largest transportation contract awarded in Brunswick County history. Other Brunswick County priorities the RPO has submitted to NCDOT include widening Midway Road, upgrading U.S. 74/76, converting the intersection of U.S. 74/76 and Maco Road to a grade-separated interchange, upgrades to Highway 87 in Boiling Spring Lakes, and various improvements to the Southport-Ft. Fisher ferry route.

According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, 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 18 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 out 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.

Administrative support for the Cape Fear RPO is provided by the Cape Fear Council of Governments (COG).