Last Updated on October 18, 2022 11:21 am
NORTH WILKESBORO – The public is invited to learn more about the N.C. Department of Transportation’s draft 10-year transportation plan for 2024-2033, called the State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP.
Highway Division 11 will have office hours this week to collect comments and answer questions from the public about the funding and proposed construction schedule for any project in the draft 2024-2033 STIP. The division is responsible for roads and bridges in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties.
Sean Sizemore, the division’s senior planning engineer, will be available to the public to talk about the draft STIP from Oct. 17-21 during normal business hours at 801 Statesville Road. He also may be reached via (336) 903-9113 or sbsizemore@ncdot.gov.
People are encouraged to submit their comments about the draft STIP online and may participate in an online survey to indicate which projects matter most to them.
The department will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who want to provide input. Anyone requiring special services should contact Sizemore, who will help make arrangements.
The department initially unveiled its proposed funding and construction plan in May, then revised it in August to reflect new sources of revenue. The draft plan still adheres to the Strategic Transportation Investments law using the required data-driven process and input from local officials and the public.
Projects scheduled in the first five years are generally considered to be committed, while those on the latter half of the schedule are subject to be re-evaluated when the next STIP is developed.
The NCDOT plans to use public input and the requests of planning organizations from around the state to produce a final draft STIP that will state transportation officials will adopt next year. More information on the STIP process can be found on the NCDOT webpage.
