Transportation Planning in Onslow County occurs at many levels and involves coordination between Planning and Development Department staff and representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), City of Jacksonville, Eastern Carolina Council of Government, and other regional and local organizations to provide quality transportation services for Onslow County’s citizens.
Jacksonville Urban Area
The Jacksonville Urban Metropolitan Planning Organization (JUMPO) is responsible for transportation planning within the Jacksonville Urban Area boundary, which includes all incorporated areas of the City of Jacksonville and portions of Onslow County. JUMPO consists of representatives from the City of Jacksonville, Onslow County, NCDOT, and area military bases, with the City of Jacksonville designated as the Lead Planning Agency. JUMPO facilitates a regional, cooperative planning process that serves as the basis for the expenditure of all federal transportation funds in the area for improvements to the transportation network including streets, highways, bridges, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian paths. JUMPO is responsible for carrying out an annual work program which includes updating the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (a seven-year project programming schedule) and a Long-Range Transportation Plan (a minimum twenty-year forecast of projects and programs).
Onslow County
Comprehensive transportation planning at the county level is performed by NCDOT's Transportation Planning Branch. Onslow County does not yet have a comprehensive transportation plan but is currently the Transportation Planning Branch's first priority in our Rural Planning Organization to receive a comprehensive transportation plan.
Down East Region
The Down East Rural Planning Organization (RPO) serves Carteret, Craven, Jones, Onslow, and Pamlico Counties. It was formed in order to more effectively funnel transportation dollars to rural areas and engage the public in the transportation planning process. The Down East RPO is one of twenty such organizations in the state.
The Down East RPO has the following goals:
• To provide a forum for public participation in the rural transportation planning process and serve as a local link for residents of the region to communicate with NCDOT.
• To develop, prioritize, and promote proposed transportation projects which the RPO believes should be included in the State Transportation Improvement Program.
• To assist NCDOT in publicizing its programs and services and providing additional transportation-related information to local governments and other interested organizations and persons.
• To conduct transportation-related studies and surveys for local governments and other interested entities and organizations.
• To promote transportation as a regional issue requiring regional solutions.
State
Transportation planning for the State of North Carolina includes long-range, medium-range, and short-range planning.
Statewide Long-Range Plan
The Statewide Long-Range Plan, also known as the 2040 Plan, will serve as a blueprint for transportation planning and investment over the next three decades. The 2040 Plan focuses on the policies and programs that are needed to enhance safety, improve mobility and reduce congestion for North Carolinians, as well as addresses all types (modes) of transportation for which NCDOT has responsibility: highways, aviation, ferries, rail, bicycling, walking and public transit.
Program and Resource Plan
The Program and Resource Plan contains revenue projections and proposed funding allocations across all modes of transportation for Construction and Engineering, Maintenance, Operations and Administration for the year 2011 through 2020. Over this ten year period, NCDOT anticipates roughly $45 billion in transportation funding will be available. Nearly 60 percent of this amount is allocated for construction and engineering and approximately 30 percent is allocated for maintenance. The remainder will be split between operating the transportation network and administrative functions. NCDOT uses a data-driven strategic prioritization process to help identify the need and inclusion of projects in the 10-Year Plan. These candidate projects are scored and ranked through a process that takes place every two years.
Five-Year Work Program
NCDOT's 5-Year Work Program outlines specific funding levels for all NCDOT divisions. The Work Program differs from the STIP in that it includes all of the funds that NCDOT uses, not just those for capital improvements.
STIP
NCDOT's State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a federally mandated transportation planning document that details transportation improvements planned for the next seven years. NCDOT’s STIP is encompassed in its Program and Resource Plan and is updated every two years.
NCDOT organizes the STIP by highway divisions. Individual projects within Onslow County are listed under Division 3 beginning on page 92 of the document.