Jan. 30, 2018

Toni Tupponce and Candice Rorie presented an explanation of the way metropolitan Charlotte plans the placement and building of its many transportation projects.

The discussion focused on how to ensure that residents know enough about how decision are made that they can be heard when the decisions are being made – which often is years or decades before the bulldozers begin to move.

The visuals from the presentation – slides, brochures and websites – focus more on the details of transportation projects already on the table.

Rorie is a transportation planning engineer on the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization staff. The CRTPO is a federally mandated and financed group housed in the Charlotte Planning Department. Tupponce is consultant hired by CRTPO to boost the organization’s outreach to minority communities.

District 4 City Council member Greg Phipps, who was not present but has been known to watch the livestream of earlier Forum meetings, wrote in while the Forum was in progress that he was a member of the Transportation Planning Organization.

“People can engage through attendance at various informational meetings held throughout the community. Ask for the schedule for these meetings. I know there is one coming up soon at Greenville Memorial AME Zion in Hidden Valley. They can make comments on all planned activities.”

In the video below, the presentation begins at minute  8:55. The Q&A begins at minute 33:50.

Below the video are the slides that were displayed on the wall between the presenters. The slides may also be downloaded here.

Below the slides are the eight pages of a brochure that lists projects already scheduled. “Scheduled” does not necessarily mean “funded.” The brochure is here.

During her presentation, Rorie mentioned the Virtual Charlotte website where, for example, a resident can determine whether a particular road’s maintenance is the responsibility of the city, the state or the federal government. That website is here.