ACTIVE
CRTPO Lead Initiatives

How do we go beyond I-77?
As the main artery running through Charlotte, the 68-mile stretch of interstate between Statesville, NC and Rock Hill, SC serves a large community. The I-77 corridor is greater than just the interstate itself. It is a network of connections that allows us to mobilize our lives every day. That’s why we’ll ask you to think beyond when participating in our planning process over the next two years.
Our goal? Compose a plan and solutions that provide you with the transportation options you need. You’ll help determine whether we connect main thoroughfares bordering the highway, add stops to bus routes, focus on LYNX light rail, or build more bike and pedestrian lanes.




The 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
The Metropolitan Transportation Plan, or MTP, is a plan that documents the region’s vision for the future and establishes goals, objectives, and transportation priorities over the next 20+ years to help achieve that vision. This plan considers all surface transportation modes (driving, bicycling, walking, riding transit, and freight movement) while also thinking about impacts to the environment, the economy, public health, and overall quality of life. It also identifies ways to fund needed projects, prioritizes how funding is spent, and establishes metrics to measure if we are moving in the right direction.
Transportation Project Process




Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are responsible for several plans and programs per federal and state regulations. Each plan or program serves a specific purpose and guides the MPO’s transportation planning activities. The plans and programs contain pertinent information related, but not limited, to projects, funding, air quality, and public involvement. Each plan or program’s respective webpage provides more detailed information.
CTP
Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP)
30-Year Plan Horizon
- Not fiscally constrained
- No air quality conformity
- Public involvement
- Projects not prioritized
- Adopted by the Board of Transportation
MTP
Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
20-year plan horizon
- Fiscally constrained
- Air quality conformity
- Public involvement
- Projects prioritized
- Adopted by CRTPO
- Not adopted by the Board of Transportation
TIP
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
5-year plan horizon
- Fiscally Constrained
- Air quality conformity
- Public involvement
- Projects prioritized
- Adopted by CRTPO
- Adopted by the Board of Transportation
SPOT
Strategic Prioritization
NCDOT Strategic Planning Office of Transportation (SPOT)
- Public involvement
- Adopted by MPO
- Projects ranked quantitatively
- Local input points assigned




Projects, Plans, & Programs Pages
Comprehensive Transportation Plan
The Comprehensive Transportation Plan or CTP is a long range plan, that was developed and is continually updated through a collaborative process among residents and CRTPO town and city officials to envision future transportation needs. It contains big ideas for what is possible and is all encompassing and comprehensive.
Congestion Management Process
MPOs with a population exceeding 200,000 in population are required to carry out congestion management processes, or CMPs. CMPs is described in Federal law, and are intended to examine the sources of congestion, evaluate alternative strategies for alleviating congestion, and monitor the performance of these strategies.
Discretionary Funds Program
The Charlotte Regional Transportation Organization (CRTPO) receives direct attributable funds, also known as discretionary funds or grants, to be allocated to member jurisdictions for specific projects on a competitive basis. Project selection is guided by the CRTPO Board-approved Discretionary Funds Policy Guide.
Metropolitan Transportation Plan
The CRTPO is responsible for maintaining a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for its entire planning area, which outlines its goals and objectives, as well as addresses transportation related issues and impacts a 20-year minimum horizon. The MTP is federally-mandated and complies with the Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning regulations issued by the US Department of Transportation.
Transportation Improvement Program
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) identifies the transportation projects and strategies that CRTPO and NCDOT plan to undertake over the next ten years. All projects receiving federal funding must be in the TIP. The TIP is the region’s way of allocating its transportation resources among the various capital and operating needs of the area, based on a clear set of short-term transportation priorities.
Performance-Based Planning & Programming
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have established a Transportation Performance Management (TPM) framework, which includes seven national goals and a set of rulemakings to help agencies implement PBPP. Each rulemaking pertains to a particular area of transportation and lays out the goals, measures, and data to be used in setting targets.
Unified Planning Work Program
The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is adopted annually in accordance with joint Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration (FHWA/FTA) transportation planning guidelines. The UPWP describes the planning activities that are anticipated for the coming fiscal year and documents the allocation of state and federal funds associated with each planning activity.
Transportation Projects
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) identifies the transportation projects and strategies that CRTPO and NCDOT plan to undertake over the next ten years. All projects receiving federal funding must be in the CRTPO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Please visit the online CRTPO 2018-2027 TIP Database for a full listing of Urban, Rural, Interstate, and Bridge TIP projects. Click the link to view the NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Program documents (STIP).
Member Jurisdiction Project Pages
Provided below are links to websites of agencies within the CRTPO’s planning area. Additional projects and information may be included on the websites of CRTPO member jurisdictions.