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LRTP 2050 preliminary needs: MPO hears $600M+ roadway needs, limited funds and public outreach plan
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Summary
Consultant William Rolfe presented preliminary needs for the MPO’s 2050 LRTP, showing roadway capacity needs exceeding available funds (cost‑feasible list estimated at roughly $600 million for roadway projects), a revenue forecast, outreach schedule, and a request that board identify high‑priority projects for the cost‑feasible plan.
The MPO’s long-range transportation plan (LRTP) consultant presented a preliminary needs assessment March 31, telling the board the LRTP will guide project priorities, policy and public involvement through adoption targeted for October 2025.
William Rolfe described outreach already completed (three geographically dispersed workshops in February), upcoming consensus-building workshops (April 7 and May 15 plus additional May/August workshops), and the travel-demand model outputs used to identify congestion locations to 2050. The model assumes population growth of roughly 110,000 by 2050 and shows congestion concentrated on I‑75 river crossings, US‑41, and SR‑776. Rolfe highlighted high‑capacity roadway needs as a subset of the preliminary needs and said the cost‑feasible plan will be constrained by available revenue.
On revenues, Rolfe presented the state allocation available for prioritization (about $59 million) and local revenue sources including fuel tax, impact fees and local sales tax (presented on the record as approximately $546,000,000), leading to a county cost‑feasible capacity budget north of $600 million when combined with other sources. Board members pressed for clarified maps (one commissioner flagged mislabeled road names on the draft maps) and asked staff to coordinate further with county public works on plan alignment with the county 20‑year CNA. Commissioners also discussed the practical limits of available federal/state funds given rising construction inflation.
Staff said a draft cost‑feasible packet will be brought to the board at the August meeting for prioritization; the consultant advised that projects must appear on the preliminary needs map to be considered for the cost‑feasible list and urged board guidance on project prioritization in coming weeks.
