Asheville Reporter

A public comment period regarding North Carolina’s 10-year transportation plan and possible projects will be held through Feb. 28. Residents from several counties, including Buncombe, are encouraged to share their suggestions. 

Local input along with data is used by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to decide which projects should be funded. The Strategic Transportation Investment law created a specific formula to calculate the data and local input.

Topics up for discussion can be projects about any mode of transportation, including rail, highway, aviation and public transportation. Project suggestions, both big and small, can be submitted by completing a survey that can be accessed online.

Work like patching potholes, filling ditches or resurfacing will not be considered. Those are maintenance projects and are prioritized by NCDOT in a different way. 

Local transportation planning groups and NCDOT Division 13 staff will also provide input as NCDOT compiles its list of possible projects. A preliminary draft of a mobility project list and project rankings will be announced by March. 

An additional comment period will follow in the spring. Division-level projects will be tackled in the fall, following the same process.   

An open house was recently held at the NCDOT Division 13 headquarters, but residents can still offer input by emailing Hannah Cook at hcook@ncdot.gov or calling 828-250-3000. Mailed correspondence may be sent to NCDOT Division 13, 55 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801.