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MPO outlines transportation priorities, project delays and bike‑ped funding for Burke County
Summary
Avery Ritchie of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments reviewed metropolitan planning organization responsibilities, project prioritization, and current funded projects; the board accepted the transportation update 5–0.
Avery Ritchie, who represents the Greater Hickory metropolitan planning organization at the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, briefed the Burke County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 17 about regional transportation planning, project prioritization and funded projects for the county.
Ritchie described the MPO’s role as federally required planning and programming for regions above 50,000 population, noted that the MPO operates under a “continuing, cooperative and comprehensive” (3‑C) planning process and explained the multi‑tiered state prioritization system that routes projects into statewide mobility, regional impact and division needs tiers. “We try to make sure it’s a continuing cooperative and comprehensive process,” Ritchie said.
He told commissioners that the 2024–2033 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is in draft and subject to change; several projects affecting Burke County remain in the program but others have been delayed or shifted. Key points included: Exit 118 interchange work (right‑of‑way and construction dates remain, construction moved to 2030 in the draft), a portion of Malcolm Boulevard/Conley Springs bridge construction delayed to 2026, and a US 321 segment bidding schedule pushed from 2026 to 2027. Ritchie said the MPO submitted 21 projects in the most recent prioritization round but that statewide funding made successful placements scarce.
Ritchie also reviewed discretionary funding the MPO receives as a Transportation Management Area, noting the locally administered projects program has funded four standalone bicycle and pedestrian projects in the region and that the MPO generally administers grant applications and project administration for smaller municipal projects. He encouraged municipalities to include bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities in locally adopted plans so DOT can consider funding construction if feasible.
Burke County has two flex transit routes and a microtransit service region; Ritchie said transit hours and same‑day curb‑to‑curb service are being developed and that a Morganton rail crossing safety project is the county’s only committed rail project in the current STIP.
The board voted 5–0 to accept the transportation report as presented. Ritchie said the draft STIP will continue to evolve before the Board of Transportation’s anticipated July adoption and urged local officials to coordinate on project submissions and planning.
