Special to IFN
The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) has opened a public comment period for its draft 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) report and draft Air Quality Conformity Determination Report. The comment period will close on Tuesday, February 10.
The documents are posted on the CRTPO’s 2055 MTP website.
Residents may provide comments by survey, email, regular mail, and verbally during a CRTPO Board meeting:
♦ E-Mail: email@crtpo.org – Please include 2055 MTP in the subject line of your email.
♦ Mail: CRTPO, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth Street, 8th floor, Charlotte, NC 28202
♦ Verbal comments: Verbal comments can be provided during the January 21, February 18, and March 18 CRTPO Board meetings. Meetings are held at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth Street, room 267, Charlotte, beginning at 6 p.m. Those who wish to speak must sign up at least five minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
♦ Webinar: During the public comment period, the CRTPO will host an English-language webinar on January 13 and a Spanish-language webinar on January 20. Please register to join virtually.
♦ Pop-up Meetings: In addition, staff will promote the draft 2055 MTP at libraries, recreation centers, and other community spaces throughout the planning area, where residents can review physical copies of the plan and ask questions. Dates, times, and locations will be posted on the CRTPO website calendar as they are finalized. The CRTPO will also use social media and member jurisdiction facilities to encourage public review of the draft MTP and the draft air quality conformity determination report.
The MTP defines the policies, programs and projects to be implemented during the next 20 years in order to provide mobility choices to residents in the CRTPO’s planning area. The MTP contains recommendations for all modes of surface transportation: streets and roads; transit; and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The MTP also contains descriptions and assessments of conditions affecting the surface transportation of persons and/or the movement of freight in the CRTPO’s planning area. The air quality conformity determination report demonstrates that the total emissions projected for the MTP are within the emissions limits (“budgets”) established by the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality.
The CRTPO is scheduled to take action to approve the 2055 MTP, and make an air quality conformity determination on March 18.
The Program of Projects required by 49 USC 5307 is a subset of the Transportation Improvement Program and the public review and comment solicited for this Transportation Improvement Program is intended to include and satisfy the public review and comment required under 49 USC 5307 (c) (1) through (7) for Urbanized Area Formula Program for the public transit systems in the CRTPO planning area.
The CRTPO is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the Charlotte urban area, which includes Iredell, Mecklenburg, and the urban portion of Union County. More information is available on the CRTPO website at www.crtpo.org.