Carteret County adopts long-range comprehensive transportation plan

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 15 to adopt the county’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a high-level, needs-based roadmap developed with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and local towns.

Amanda Killian of NCDOT’s Transportation Planning Division told commissioners the plan is “a high level, long range, needs based plan” and emphasized it is conceptual: “This is just very early stage planning.” She said the draft maps and recommendations reflect steering-committee work, public input sessions held in May and earlier technical analysis, but that most projects listed are not yet funded.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about priorities, tolling and specific alignments. Vice Chairman Mansfield raised the idea of tolling a proposed Mid-Island bridge as a way to help fund construction; Patrick Flanagan, the county’s project lead, said the CTP can prompt feasibility studies that would analyze tolling, costs, environmental impacts and design alternatives before any move to seek funding.

The plan identifies bicycle and pedestrian corridors, facility-type maps that show future roadway classifications, and conceptual bypasses and widenings that county staff said were carried forward from earlier plans. Killian and staff repeatedly noted that detailed alignment, funding and environmental review would occur only if the county or NCDOT pursues specific projects.

Vice Chairman Mansfield moved to adopt the plan as presented, with comments to be passed along; Commissioner Quinn seconded the motion. The board approved the adoption by voice vote.

Next steps outlined by presenters include seeking endorsement from the DownEast planning organization and later consideration by the North Carolina Board of Transportation; staff said a user-friendly booklet and online materials will be posted for public review.