RALEIGH – The N.C. Board of Transportation today adopted an updated long-range transportation plan to help guide the state’s future transportation investments.  Called the 2040 Plan, the document provides a 30-year transportation blueprint for the state.

While not project specific, the 2040 Plan stipulates that the N.C. Department of Transportation’s  highest priorities are ensuring safety, preserving existing transportation systems, and focusing on services and facilities with statewide significance.  The plan further calls for the state to invest in initiatives that promote economic opportunities and allow increased flexibility at the local level.

The plan identifies initiatives that would encourage stronger links between land use and transportation, increase opportunities to connect all forms of transportation, use technology to become more efficient, and explore new or expanded funding sources, recognizing that current funding sources will not provide enough revenue to fund transportation in the future.

NCDOT has worked over the past two years to develop the 2040 Plan.  This included identifying statewide transportation systems’ needs and working with local governments to identify local transportation needs.  It also included estimating the resources necessary to ensure that North Carolina’s transportation systems remain safe and are less congested, and freight keeps moving to enhance the state’s economy.  Development of the 2040 Plan included researching the funding available over the next 30 years, as well as potential funding sources to help meet the state’s needs.

As the plan was developed, NCDOT gathered input from citizens, business leaders, elected officials, transportation agencies and others.   A comprehensive public involvement plan was implemented, which included meetings with statewide organizations and federal, regional and state resource agencies; email connections with business, civic, citizen, cultural, educational and faith-based organizations; and three public surveys that asked for input at different stages of development.

The final 2040 Plan may be viewed online at www.ncdot.gov/performance/reform/2040Plan/ or via mobile phone at www.ncdot.gov/m.