FAYETTEVILLE – People are 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 6, which is based in Fayetteville, will have office hours to answer questions and collect comments 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 Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Robeson and Harnett counties.
Darius Sturdivant, the division's planning engineer, will be available to the public to talk about the draft STIP from Oct. 3-7 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at 558 Gillespie St., Fayetteville. He also may be reached via 910-364-0600 or ddsturdivant@ncdot.gov. (Note: He will forward any questions or concerns about specific project proposals to the appropriate design team or project development manager.)
Alternatively, people may 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 Sturdivant, 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.