Transportation Planning Division (TPD)
Advancing NC’s Mobility Future

:

  • TPD Overview

    Long Range Transportation Planning - The Transportation Planning Division (TPD) at NCDOT focuses on long range transportation planning, travel demand modeling, and traffic forecasting to support the development of North Carolina transportation systems. This work is guided by an updated TPD Strategic Plan (May 2025)  that outlines key goals, objectives and actions to help TPD work closely with Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations (MPOs/RPOs) to advance innovative multimodal transportation systems in communities and regions across N.C. 

    Comprehensive Transportation Plans (CTP) - CTPs are needs-based long-range plans designed to identify multimodal transportation needs and develop proposed solutions for the next 25-30 years. These plans are developed through a collaborative process that brings together multidisciplinary agencies, local governments, and community stakeholders to ensure that both official insights and public input shape a sustainable transportation future.  

    The CTP Map is an interactive, AGOL-based tool that consolidates all Comprehensive Transportation Plans (CTPs) across North Carolina. It displays current CTPs and also highlights those that are in progress. This map serves as a dynamic resource for transportation planning, offering detailed insights into highway recommendations, future road types, public transit options, and more.​

    Traffic F​orecasting  - Traffic forecasting creates official reports on current and future vehicle traffic, supporting roadway improvement projects. These forecasts are essential for long-range planning, project programming, and final design, typically coming in two forms:

    1. Traffic Estimates: Offer general Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) for initial project development. ​For instance, one type of traffic estimate is the Express Design Traffic Volume (EDTV) estimate, which provides the input volume data for the Express Design Traffic Analysis (EDTA), covering current and design year traffic for proposed projects. 
    2. Project-Level Traffic Forecasts: Deliver detailed traffic statistics like AADT volumes, truck percentages, peak hour factors, and directional distribution, aiding design decisions for specific improvements.​
    ​The Traffic Forecasting Group (TFG) has developed a Traffic Forecasting Dashboard​ that allows the user to select forecasts that are within an MPO/RPO area and/or within an NCDOT Division. The dashboard contains recent traffic forecasts that have been developed in-house or through TFG’s tra​ffic forecasting consultants or are currently in progress. 

    Model Research and Development  - There are over 50 travel demand models in North Carolina, including statewide, regional, MPO, and small area models. With the exception of three regional models—Triangle, Piedmont Triad, and Metrolina—TPD maintains, manages, and provides technical support for all travel demand models in the state. These models have been extensively used for various analyses and studies, such as project prioritization, MTP and CTP development, air quality conformity analysis, traffic forecasting, and alternatives analysis.  NCDOT is in the process of transitioning from traditional urban area models to regional models that also include and serve rural areas. To address this, NCDOT, in collaboration with regional partners, aims to develop regional models covering the entire state by dividing it into 18 distinct regions. Substantial progress has already been made in this effort. The status of the regional models is available in the Interactive Travel Dem​and Model Map​ on the Model Research and Development page.​

​​

Announcements

  • TPD Strategic Plan

    Strategic Plan – a five-year plan to align TPD's core activities and deliverables with a revised mission, vision, values, and goals and in greater service of changing partner, stakeholder and public needs. The new Strategic Plan is an updated plan focusing TPD's delivery of​ high quality, timely plans, products, and services to inform project prioritization, programming, and NCDOT project delivery decisions. The adoption of this Strategic Plan will be followed by an implementation plan that will further detail recommended, achievable actions over the next 5 years.

    Strategic Plan​

  • Resilience Guidance

    The NCDOT – Transportation Planning Division (TPD) is pleased to announce the release of Comprehensive Transportation Planning (CTP) Resilience Guidance.  This guidance integrates resilience planning and vulnerability assessment into the CTP development process.  This guidance also uses and references other key resilience resources available at NCDOT/State of North Carolina, including the NCDOT Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP).  The RIP is focused on using systemic approaches to strengthen the resilience of North Carolina’s transportation network against floods, sea level rise and other natural hazards.
     
    This CTP Resilience Guidance is being implemented as a part of the Camden-Currituck-Pasquotank (CCP) Regional CTP which started on June 2025.​  Over the next 2 plus years this Guidance will be operationalized within the development of the CCP Regional CTP and staff will document lessons learned that will evolve and enhance the guidance for its use in other CTPs across the state. TPD will hold training on the enhanced guidance as we approach the end of the process in either late 2027 or early 2028.

    CTP Resilience Guidance​

  • Functional Classification

    ​A statewide functional classification review and update is underway by NCDOT and local transportation planning organizations and is due December 29, 2025. As a result of the decennial census, the U.S. Census Bureau issues urban area boundary maps. Transportation agencies review these census boundaries and either accept them as is or adjust them for transportation planning purposes. There is then a requirement to review and recommend any changes to assigned functional classifications for roadways that federal, state and local transportation entities own and operate. 

    Highway Functional Classification​

  • Toll Policy Handbook

    Toll Policy Handbook - The NC Toll Project Development Policy (Toll Policy), adopted by the NC Board of Transportation in February 2018, directs NCDOT to develop a transparent process to identify, evaluate, and prioritize toll candidate projects. To implement the Toll Policy, NCDOT developed the Toll Project Development Policy Handbook (Handbook) and the Financial Feasibility Screening Tool (Feasibility Tool). The purpose of the Handbook is to provide a “rule book" for Toll Policy implementation operationalized through a defined Pre-Submittal Assessment (PSA) for eligible toll candidate improvements. Eligible improvements for evaluation under the Handbook and Feasibility Tool include:

    • New alignment limited access highways with full control of access
    • Improvement of existing full access control highways by addition of priced managed lanes (or express lanes)
    • Conversion of other highways to tolled, full access highways and
    • New bridges or major bridge replacements

    The current Handbook is being updated with a revised version expected in fall 2026. An overview of the current NC Toll Policy can be found here: Current Handbook​​

  • Public Input

    NCDOT's collaboration with PublicInput.com began in 2017, aiming to streamline public engagement processes and broaden representation in decision-making. The software platform's centralized system allows for efficient collection and analysis of public input across a variety of channels, including online, over the phone, via email, and during public meetings. This data is crucial for developing comprehensive and metropolitan transportation plans and historically has been manually aggregated. NCDOT's expansion of the PublicInput.com license to MPOs and RPOs is part of its initiative to better leverage the platform's features and functionality, and gather feedback to inform long-term access decisions across the State of North Carolina. ​

  • Association of MPOs Institute Training Site

    The MPO Institute supports the evolving role of MPOs, addresses the need for MPO-centric training, and provides content to tackle the challenges posed by retirements and staff retention. The institute serves as a unique national training where courses are developed in coordination with MPO practitioners to ensure we cover not just requirements, but also real-life practice.

    ​Association of MPOs Institute Training Site​​

TPD Resources

Planning and Programming Resources

SIPS Resources

  • Key Dates

    ​PDF version - MPO/​RPO Important Dates July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 (FY26)​
    ​
    ​Date
    		 ​MPO Tasks
    		 ​RPO Tasks​
    July 1, 2025
    		​State FY 26 begins 
    		​State FY 26 begins 
    July 31, 2025
    		 Last date to submit 4th Quarter 5303 Claim (April 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025)

    IMD provides MPO 5303 planning funds allocations for FY 26 and application instructions ​
    		​​
    ​August 12, 2025
    4th Quarter (Final) invoice and work 
    summary due

    Annual performance report due for FY 25 
    (Submit this PDF separately)
    		​4th Quarter (Final) invoice and work 
    summary due

    Annual performance report due for FY 25
    (Submit this PDF separately)
    ​October 1, 2025
    		​Federal FY 26 begins
    		​Federal FY 26 begins​
    October 31, 2025
    		​1st Quarter 5303 Claim (July 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2025) due
    		​
    ​November 1, 2025
    MPO Evaluation Report due to 
    Transportation Oversight Committee (NCGS 
    136‐200.4)

    TPD provides MPO/RPO planning fund allocations for FY 27 
    		​



    TPD provides MPO/RPO planning fund allocations for FY 27 
    ​November 14, 2025
    		​1st Quarter invoice and work summary due ​
    1st Quarter invoice and work summary due ​
    January 1, 2026
    Reminder that TAC members must file their ethics info by April 15th
    Reminder that TAC members must file their ethics info by April 15th
    ​January 30, 2026
    ​

    		​2nd Quarter 5303 Claim (Oct 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025) due 

    Draft FY27 UPWP due
    		​

    ​February 10, 2026
    		​2nd Quarter invoice and work summary due
    		​2nd Quarter invoice and work summary due
    ​February 27, 2026
    		​Last day to have signed resolution to support 
    NCDOT’s safety targets (PM1) or otherwise 
    establish targets. 

    Indirect Cost Allocation Plan for FY 27 due 
    (for those MPO’s who choose to develop an Indirect Cost Allocation Plan) Note: indirect costs must be shown as a new row in UPWP expenditure table, for both STBG-DA and PL funds.​
    		​



    Draft PWP and Indirect Cost Allocation Plan 
    for FY 27 due

    ​March 27, 2026
    		​Last day to submit adopted FY 27 (U)PWP with resolution, 5‐year planning calendar, 
    and MPO self-certification of long range planning. Documents are to be submitted 
    with separate uploads for (U)PWP, self-certification, and 5‐year work plan.​
    		​

    ​March 29 (of applicable years)
    		​(From March 2022 and every 4 years after, set new targets, every 2 years only if State 
    adjusts targets) Bridge, Pavement, System Performance and CMAQ Measures due (180 days after State’s Oct 1st due date)​
    		​

    ​April 15, 2026
    		​Deadline for TAC members to file SEI and RED with NC Ethics commission​
    		​Deadline for TAC members to file SEI and RED with NC Ethics commission​
    ​April 17, 2026
    		​Last day to submit revisions to TPD for FY 26 (U)PWP with signatures
    		​

    ​April 29, 2026
    		​3rd Quarter 5303 Claim (January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026) due​
    		​

    ​May 8, 2026
    		​​Last day to submit adopted FY 27 PWP 
    ​May 12, 2026
    		​3rd Quarter invoice and work summary due 
    		​3rd Quarter invoice and work summary due 
    ​June 30, 2026
    		​TPD approves FY 27 (U)PWP
    		​Last day to submit revised FY 26 PWPs with signatures
    TPD approves FY 27 PWP
Was this page helpful?