NCDOT awards 2022 multimodal planning grants

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) awarded grants to 10 municipalities from across the state to assist them with bicycle, pedestrian and transit planning.

The NCDOT Multimodal Planning Grant program, now in its 20th year, helps North Carolina communities develop a comprehensive strategy for expanding bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities, as well as improve the safety of the state’s transportation network for all users.

Grant recipients this year include:

• The City of Belmont (multimodal network plan)
• The Town of Wallace (joint bicycle/pedestrian plan)
• The Town of Wrightsville Beach (join bicycle/pedestrian plan)
• The Town of Weldon (joint bicycle/pedestrian plan)
• The Town of Wilson’s Mill (joint bicycle/pedestrian plan)
• The Town of Elon (multimodal network plan)
• The City of Graham (pedestrian plan update)
• The Town of Indian Trail (pedestrian plan)
• The Town of Oakboro (joint bicycle/pedestrian plan)
• The City of Conover (joint bicycle/pedestrian plan update)

The planning grant initiative is jointly sponsored by NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division and the Transportation Planning Division. To date, approximately $8 million has been awarded for 254 plans in 248 municipalities and six counties through this grant program.

Within the last decade, these plans have generated about 250 projects that were submitted for funding in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which are evaluated through the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) program using a data-driven approach.

Plans funded are not for one specific project but represent a comprehensive strategy for expanding bicycle, pedestrian and transit opportunities within a given municipality. These plans address facilities, programs and policies that encourage safe walking and bicycling and transit accessibility.