FAQs

The RPO has many fast-growing communities. Click here to view 2000-2005 population growth by community in the region.

What Is a Rural Planning Organization?

RPOs (Rural Planning Organizations) are voluntary associations of local governments that combine to provide a cooperative unified voice to advocate for funding and projects, and a forum for dialogue with the NCDOT for integrated multi-modal transportation planning in their area. There are 20 RPOs in North Carolina, and together they cover all portions of North Carolina not part of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). MPOs serve areas considered by the Census Bureau to be “urban”, and have a core population of at least 50,000. RPOs were created to provide similar expertise and coordination for rural areas, and help synthesize and communicate their local transportation needs to the NCDOT, as well as providing a forum to distribute information back to member governments.

How did RPOs form?

The North Carolina General Assembly in 2000 instructed the NCDOT to develop a plan to establish Rural Planning Organizations as a counterpart to Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The General Assembly wanted local governments to have a unified voice to present their transportation issues to the NCDOT, and facilitate the distribution of transportation-related information from the NCDOT to local governments. The Lake Norman RPO was formed in 2002 to fulfill the General Assembly mandate.

What activities is an RPO responsible for performing?

Below are the four main duties of the Lake Norman RPO:

1. Develop long-range transportation plan for all modes of travel within the study area.

2. Serve as a forum to solicit input from citizens and member government officials about local and regional transportation needs and distribute information about resources available to help meet those needs.

3. Present prioritized transportation project lists to the NCDOT for implementation.

4. Provide transportation expertise and advice to member governments and other interested parties.

The The Lake Norman RPO also conducts transportation-related studies for member governments, as well as undertake regional and statewide transportation-related tasks, such as air quality conformity and NCDOT-sponsored initiatives.


	When Does the RPO Meet? The RPO meets every other month, with the specific date and location set at the previous meeting.


	Want to be on the RPO Mailing List? Click here to send an email asking to be alerted to upcoming meetings!

1300 Baxter Street

PO Box 35008