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WINSTON-SALEM — Local residents will have a month-long window to share what transportation projects they think should be included in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s 10-year transportation plan for 2023-32.

NCDOT uses data and local input to determine which projects get funded in the 10-year plan based on a specific formula created by the Strategic Transportation Investments law, with a goal of increasing safety, reducing congestion and promoting economic growth. The formula allows NCDOT to use its funding more efficiently to enhance North Carolina’s infrastructure, supporting job creation and a higher quality of life.

A statewide 30-day public comment period to submit project ideas will be held between Jan. 27 and Feb. 28. During this time, the public can send project suggestions in a short, interactive survey found on the 2023-32 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) website.

There will also be a three-day open house held at NCDOT Division 9 headquarters at 375 Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem for in-person input about potential projects in Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Rowan and Stokes counties. Interested residents can drop by during regular business hours on Feb. 3-5 to submit project ideas and talk with NCDOT staff.
Residents who can’t make the open house can still be part of the process by contacting Fred Haith of the Division 9 office at fdhaith1@ncdot.gov; NCDOT Division 9, 375 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27127; or 336-747-7800 during the 30-day comment period.

Projects can be as large-scale as an interstate improvement or as small as a new turn lane or intersection improvement. They can be for any mode of transportation, including highway, aviation, bicycle and pedestrian, ferry, public transportation and rail. Please note that the comment period is not for maintenance-related projects such as patching potholes, resurfacing or ditches. NCDOT uses a different method to prioritize maintenance projects.

NCDOT Division 9 will also collect input from local transportation planning organizations and from its own staff as it puts together its list of potential projects. Project scores and a draft statewide mobility project list are expected to be released by March 2021. There will also be public comment periods for regional impact projects in spring 2021 and for division level projects in fall 2021.

The 2023-32 draft STIP will be released in February 2022 and approved by the board of transportation in the summer. Projects scheduled in the first six years of the plan are considered committed, while projects in the final four years will be re-evaluated as part of the next STIP development process. More information on the STIP development process can be found on the NCDOT STIP website.