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Mid Carolina RPO asks Sampson County to use regional planning body to prioritize Highway 24 and other projects
Summary
A Mid Carolina Regional Council representative described the Rural Planning Organization’s role in long-range transportation planning and urged Sampson County to use the RPO to compete for state funding, highlighting Highway 24 as a priority.
Alyssa Garcia of the Mid Carolina Regional Council briefed the Sampson County Board of Commissioners on the Mid Carolina Rural Planning Organization (RPO) and how it serves Sampson and neighboring counties in transportation planning.
Garcia said the RPO, created by state legislation around 2000, helps develop long-range transportation plans, provides a public forum for project input, and packages local projects for state funding. She told commissioners the process for major projects can take decades and that the RPO works to make regional projects competitive in North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) funding rounds.
Why it matters: Garcia emphasized that federal funding uncertainty makes state and local prioritization more competitive, and that regional coordination — via the RPO’s Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) and Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) — raises the chance a project will score well and receive funding.
Garcia highlighted Highway 24 as an example of a project the RPO has prioritized. She said the TAC has split the Highway 24 work into smaller segments to reduce individual project costs and increase competitive scoring. Garcia said the RPO also coordinated with neighboring jurisdictions and DOT to bundle needs and improve scoring at the state level.
Commissioners asked about timelines and completion dates for segments of Highway 24. Garcia replied that funding decisions determine the schedule and that, because the work is part of an existing project, it stands a better chance of receiving funds; she said exact completion dates are not yet known. Garcia described NCDOT’s project-scoring system as quantitative and multi-factor (safety, connectivity, regional benefit) and said prioritized projects will be submitted next year for state scoring and selection.
Garcia closed by offering the RPO as a resource for local governments and residents to exchange maps, discuss project ideas, and coordinate with NCDOT.
Ending: Garcia said the RPO is working to rebuild participation across the region and will continue outreach through trainings and newsletters; she invited county staff and commissioners to bring project ideas to the RPO for possible inclusion in future funding cycles.
