About the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are federally designated local transportation planning agencies that are responsible for conducting regional transportation planning in a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive manner. The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is the MPO recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration for the Wilmington Urban Area. The MPO consists of representatives from the City of Wilmington (lead planning agency), Town of Wrightsville Beach, Town of Carolina Beach, Town of Kure Beach, Town of Belville, Town of Leland, Town of Navassa, New Hanover County, Brunswick County, Pender County, the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority and North Carolina Department of Transportation. The MPO’s planning area boundary encompassing all of New Hanover County and portions of Brunswick and Pender Counties and encompasses 494 square miles.

How Cape Fear Moving Forward 2045 Will Be Used

Cape Fear Moving Forward 2045 will be the plan used by federal, state and local governments to guide transportation projects and programs in our region over the next 25 years. This plan will address all modes of transportation to include: roadways, aviation, bicycle, pedestrian, rail, public transportation, and ferry. The creation of this plan is a requirement in order to secure federal transportation dollars for our region. Cape Fear Moving Forward 2045 will replace our current plan which will expire in 2020. View the previous plan Cape Fear Transportation 2040.

Role of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan

The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is a document required by FHWA and FTA to guide regional transportation priorities and actions, and ultimately used to develop the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (MTIPs)/Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs (STIPs) which program transportation funds within the MPO's boundary. MTPs have a minimum 20-year planning horizon and are intended to present a fiscally-constrained evaluation of projects and strategies within an MPO's boundary. MTPs must include a strong public involvement component to demonstrate that they serve the needs of the region.