Vision Zero
The Burlington - Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization, or (BGMPO), has taken a key step towards ensuring safer travel on North Carolina roads by becoming one of the state's Vision Zero communities. A vision zero community is a growing movement dedicated to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Vision zero communities prioritize safe mobility options such as walking, biking, and public transportation while mitigating the risks of driving. This move by the BGMPO reflects a concerted effort towards achieving zero deaths and severe injuries on North Carolina's roads. The BGMPO also hosted two supplemental planning strategic safety workshops recently as part of its on-going efforts. Such forward-looking planning has typically proven successful in many cities around the world and is likely to help contribute significantly to North Carolina's road safety improvement goals.
Transportation Conformity Determination Report
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are required to make a conformity determination on Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Plans in the Burlington - Graham region including any newly adopted or amended fiscally constrained Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs) and Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs).
Transportation-air quality conformity ("conformity") is a way to ensure that Federal investments for transportation activities are consistent with air quality goals. A conformity determination demonstrates that the total emissions projected for a plan or program are within the emissions limits established by the North Carolina Department of Transportation State Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality, and that transportation control measures – specific projects or programs enumerated in the SIP that are designed to improve air quality – are implemented in a timely fashion.
The Triangle region is required to demonstrate air quality conformity for the Triangle’s MTPs and TIPs. A portion of the Burlington – Graham MPO (BGMPO) that falls within the Triangle region boundary is currently designated as a “maintenance area” for the 8-hour ozone standard. The Research Triangle Region Conformity Determination Report outlines the details of the conformity analysis to the 1997 ozone standards for the Burlington – Graham region and BGMPO 2045 MTP and FY 2020 – 2029 TIP amendments.
Triangle Transportation Conformity Determination Report
NC 54 West Corridor Study
The NC 54 West Corridor Study is a project to better understand how the NC 54 corridor is utilized and document the unique resources along this historic route. The project is an in-depth review of the 20-mile portion of NC 54 from Carrboro to Graham.
NC 54 West Corridor Study
Piedmont Triad Freight Study
This study aims to understand the current movement of freight within and through the Triad. The background notes that the Triad is one of the world’s largest transportation and logistics clusters including I-85/I-40 being a major hub in both the North and South. Highest concentration of freight is in Guildford County followed by Forsyth and Alamance. This study mentions goals from the Piedmont Together Plan specifically ‘Maintain and enhance the region’s competitive edge as a freight transportation and logistics hub on the Eastern Seaboard.’ The freight facilities for BGMPO: Major Shipper (61%), Retail (28%), Distribution Center (8%), Intermodal Facility (3%). This accounts for 13% of the Triad’s freight. The study identifies long-term freight trends: increased freight flows as NC’s population increases; need for freight supporting policies and multimodal infrastructure investments to provide economic competitiveness.
Piedmont Together Comprehensive Regional Plan (2011)
Developed in partnership with the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) with a grant from HUD, this plan focuses on equitable prosperity for the Piedmont Triad region (including Alamance and Guilford counties). This plan provides succinct details on current and projected equity issues within this area as well as goals and objectives for addressing them. The major concern this plan notes is the correlation between commuting distance and percent of income spent on transportation. Within the transportation section, there are a series of important strategies including: identify a regional transportation network that connects urban centers to small towns; invest in multiple modes of transportation for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders as part of the roadway network.
Piedmont Together Comprehensive Regional Plan
Triad Regional ITS Strategic Deployment Plan
The Triad Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Strategic Deployment Plan examines how innovations in traffic management and communication can improve our transportation network. The planning study area includes five Metropolitan Planning Organizations, one Rural Planning Organization and 12 counties. The plan provides stakeholders within this study area the tools to identify, prioritize and implement ITS projects.
Triad Regional ITS Plan
Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan
This state-wide plan was developed and approved in 2017 in accordance with Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). It documents existing freight resources and identifies opportunities and challenges for meeting the growing freight demand in North Carolina. One of the outcomes of this plan is the Priority Freight Network—a designated subsystem of corridors capable of accommodating the majority of projected freight traffic in North Carolina.
Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan
Great Trails State Plan
This state-wide plan seeks to connect North Carolina through expanding existing greenways and trails across the state. Examples of trails to be integrated into this state-wide network include the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail, the East Coast Greenway, and the Carolina Thread Trail. A proposed draft network was released in 2020.
Great Trails State Plan
NC Moves 2050 Plan
This is a strategic, multimodal transportation plan aimed at shaping the future of transportation in North Carolina. It focuses on connecting future communities through a more responsive, diverse and inclusive transportation system that moves people and goods safely and efficiently. It examines the current transportation system, identifies growth opportunities, evaluates alternative scenarios, and recommends tailored priorities and solutions.
NC Moves 2050 Plan