Message from the Chair
The ECRPO strives to promote the interests of the four county region in all things related to transportation. We have developed this website in an effort to provide our citizens with as much information on our transportation planning process as possible. If you do not find the information you are looking for on this site please contact me or Alex Rickard, ECRPO Planner and we will be glad to assist you.
Sincerely,
Bennie Heath
Greene County Commissioner
ECRPO TAC Chair
What is a RPO?
A Rural Planning Organization (RPO) is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. In 2002, the North Carolian General Assembly passed legislation establishing the rural planning organizations. The General Assembly created RPOs to ensure that the rural portions of the state were included in the transportation processes.
What does a RPO do?
Each RPO in the state has four core duties or responsibilites laid out by the NC General Assembly. They are:
- Develop, in cooperation with the Department (NCDOT), long-range, local and regional multimodal transportation plans;
- Provide a forum for public participation in the transportation planning process;
- Develop and prioritize sugestions for transportation projects the organization believes should be included in the State’s Transportation Improvement Program (STIP);
- Provide transportation-related information to local governments and other interested organizations and persons.
Who is in the RPO?
The ECRPO includes Duplin, Greene, Lenoir, and Wayne Counties. The municipalities in each of these counties are invited to participate in the transportation planning process through the RPO. All local governments within these four counties are eligible to participate and vote on transportation issues except those already participating in the Goldsboro MPO.
How is the RPO structured?
The RPO is comprised of two committees (TAC & TCC) and the Lead Planning Agency.
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How is the RPO funded?
The RPO is funded through a combination of state and local funds. 80% of the RPO annual budget is provided by NCDOT. The remaining 20% local match is collected from participating local governments. Each RPO decides how it will allocate the 20% local match. The ECRPO splits the 20% local match evenly between the four participating counties.
Looking for more information on RPOs? Try these useful sites.
Please feel free to contact our ECRPO staff if you have questions or cannot find the information you’re looking for.