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CRTPO

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Charlotte Urbanized Area.  Federal legislation requires Urbanized Areas with populations larger than 50,000 to have an MPO, whose primary function is to carry out the transportation planning process among the member jurisdictions within its established planning area boundary.  Due to the growth of the Charlotte Urbanized Area, and the subsequent expansion of the MPO planning area boundary, the CRTPO was established in place of the former Mecklenburg-Union MPO.

More information about the membership, governance, and structure of the CRTPO, as well as the establishment of the Urbanized Area, can be found by exploring the other web pages in the About Us section of this website.

Mission & Vision

Mission

The CRTPO provides leadership and collaboration with member communities and partners in developing our region’s transportation system.

Vision

A connected and equitable transportation system that provides mobility choices for the region.

Goals 

CRTPO’s goals are broad statements of what CRTPO will do to make the vision a reality. The goals are aligned with the mission and taken together, they outline the overall strategic direction for CRTPO.

Goal 1: Leadership

Lead on Regional Mobility Issues.

Goal 2: Communication

Proactively engage the public to increase awareness of regional transportation issues.

Goal 3: Collaboration

Foster a culture of collaboration with partners.

Goal 4: Membership

Encourage members’ participation in CRTPO’s planning and decision-making process.

Goal 5: Operations

Continuously improve internal operations to fulfill CRTPO’s Mission and Vision.

Goal 6: Funding

Expand regional transportation funding.

Who we are

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) consists of voting representatives from Iredell County, Mooresville, Statesville, and Troutman in Iredell County. Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mecklenburg County, Mint Hill, and Pineville in Mecklenburg County.  Fairview, Indian Trail, Marshville,  Marvin,  Mineral Springs, Monroe, Stallings, Union County, Waxhaw, Weddington, Wesley Chapel, and Wingate each have voting representatives from Union County. The North Carolina Board of Transportation is also a voting member.  Non-voting members on the Board are from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission, the Union County Planning Board, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, and the US Department of Transportation.

It is the CRTPO’s responsibility to coordinate transportation policy for local governmental jurisdictions within the Charlotte Urbanized Area.*

The CRTPO, in cooperation with the State, develops transportation plans and programs for the urbanized area. Plans that will:

  1. Assist governing bodies and official agencies in determining courses of action and in formulating attainable capital improvement programs in anticipation of community needs; and,
  2. Guide private individuals and groups in planning their decisions which can be important factors in the pattern of future development and redevelopment of the area.

What we do

The CRTPO has the primary responsibility for resident input into the federally mandated continuing, coordinated, and comprehensive (3C) transportation planning process.  During transportation plan reevaluation, resident involvement in the planning process is encouraged for reanalysis of goals and objectives and plan formation.  Additional duties and responsibilities of CRTPO are as follows:

  1. Carry out the urban transportation planning process and develop the planning work programs, transportation plan, and transportation improvement program.
  2. Ensure that the transportation planning process and the plans and improvement projects emerging from that process are consistent with the policies and desires of local government.
  3. Serve as a forum for the resolution of conflicts that arise during the course of developing the Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program.
  4. Establish goals and objectives for the transportation planning process reflective of and responsive to comprehensive plans.
  5. Annually review and approve the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Transportation Plan, and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
  6. Review, approve, and endorse amendments to the UPWP, the Transportation Plan, and the TIP.
  7. Inform the governing Boards of the status and requirements of the transportation planning process; assist in the dissemination and clarification of the decisions, inclinations, and policies of these Boards; and ensure meaningful stakeholder participation in the transportation planning process.
  1. Review, approve, and endorse changes to the Federal-Aid Urban Area System and Boundary.
  2. Review, approve, and endorse a Prospectus for transportation planning that defines work tasks and responsibilities for the various agencies participating in the transportation planning process.
  3. Review and approve related air quality planning.
  4. Review and approve energy conservation planning and energy contingency planning.
  5. Responsible for the distribution of funds distributed to MPO’s under the provisions of current federal transportation legislation – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21).
  6. Responsible for any other duties identified as necessary to further facilitate the transportation planning process.

* The Charlotte Urbanized Area includes Charlotte, and the remainder of Mecklenburg County plus that area beyond the existing urbanized area boundary of Iredell, Mecklenburg, and Union counties that is expected to become urban within a twenty-year planning period.