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Rural Consultation Practices
North Carolina: State Moving to Implement Study Recommendation

Rural regions in North Carolina recently received a boost in their plans to become participants in the state’s transportation planning process. A recent state report, mandated by the Board of Transportation Reform Bill, proposes a plan that would establish Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RPOs) throughout the state. The study, conducted by the North Carolina (NC) Board of Transportation, was delivered to the General Assembly in June 1999 where it awaits action.


Below are sample materials from the recently established RPO in the Kerr-Tar region (attachments are microsoft word documents):

• RPO Advisory Committee of Kerr-Tar COG
• RPO Coordinating Committee of Kerr-Tar COG
• RPO Work Program for Kerr-Tar COG

The Board of Transportation sets policy for the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and approves funding for aviation, public transportation, rail, bicycle, safety and highway maintenance and construction programs.

What emerged from the study was a unanimous recommendation that RPOs be established on a voluntary basis. The study also determined that RPOs would provide a “cooperative unified voice for rural entities to advocate for their funding and project needs, and to be meaningfully involved in integrating multi-modal transportation planning and the project programming process.” Essentially RPOs would establish a rural counterpart to the existing Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

The study examined and gathered extensive information from federal, state, local and other organizations concerned with various forms of transportation. Most of the information was gathered from an in-state survey and six regional focus groups held throughout the state. Some of the key recommendations include:

• RPO membership should be voluntary to provide a unified voice for the region.
• The RPO governing body should consist primarily of local government officials.
• RPOs should consist of multi-county areas, locally determined, with a minimum size criteria.
• RPOs should have dedicated transportation planning staff. Additional NCDOT staff will also be required to provide technical assistance.
• New state funding will need to be provided with mandatory local matching funds at an 80/20 state/local match.

The study determined that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should be used to establish an RPO. The local entities seeking to establish an RPO in their region would develop an MOU to be signed by all the local members, as well as by the NCDOT.

Participants in the study indicated that RPOs should not be a new layer of government. Of all the existing multi-county entities available for designation as an RPO, the strongest recommendation was for RPOs to be based at Councils of Government (COGs), with the same boundaries. If an RPO is formed in conjunction with a COG, study participants suggested, there should be an independent governing board reporting to the COG on an advisory basis.

The General Assembly is now deciding the fate of RPOs in the state. Richard Fender, Executive Director of the Region D COG, stated that “the North Carolina COGs are the regional vehicles of local government and are in an ideal position to efficiently and effectively coordinate transportation development needs. We have created a good working relationship with NCDOT and hope to legitimize the rural planning process through the passage of legislation during the next General Assembly session.”

For more information, contact Roger Sheats of the North Carolina DOT at (919)733-2520 or Paul Hughes of the Isothermal PDC at (828) 287-2281.


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