Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Advisory Committee elects 2016 officers

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) recently elected its officers for 2016. Carolina Beach Town Councilman Gary Doetsch was elected chair and Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams is vice chair.

“Former WMPO Chair Laura Padgett and Vice Chair Pat Batleman leave big shoes to fill, and we are grateful for their leadership over the past few years,” said Doetsch. “My only agenda as chair is to ensure that the transportation advisory committee continues to run in a fair, equitable manner which ensures that all viewpoints are heard and each member jurisdiction’s concerns are considered.”

“I am honored to serve with Chairman Doetsch and the WMPO staff,” said Williams. “Transportation networks and related concerns do not stop at municipal or county boundaries. Long-term transportation planning is a critical issue for our growing region, and I look forward to working with the other committee members over the next year.”

About the WMPO

The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1962 required that transportation projects in urbanized areas of 50,000 or greater in population be based on a continuing, comprehensive, urban transportation planning process undertaken cooperatively by the states and local governments. In an effort to complete this transportation planning process in an effective manner, the WMPO was created in 1982.  The WMPO is composed of officials from the City of Wilmington, New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties, each municipality in New Hanover County, the Towns of Leland, Belville and Navassa, the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority and the North Carolina Board of Transportation. The current WMPO planning area boundary encompasses 408.1 square miles. For more information, visit http://www.wmpo.org.