PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPEN ON draft 2011-2017 Priority Needs List
Public Hearing scheduled for November 20

The public is invited to review the draft 2011-2017 Priority Needs List (PNL) for the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization (FBRMPO). The PNL is a prioritized list of transportation projects developed by the MPO for the NC Department of Transportation to assist them in developing their proposed transportation improvement plan for the area.  The comment period ends Thursday, November 20^th, 2008. 

The draft PNL is available for review at local libraries, on the internet at www.fbrmpo.org or www.landofsky.org, or by contacting the French Broad River MPO or its member governments. Please note that the document includes multiple worksheets, which can be accessed via tabs along the bottom of the page. Use the arrows on the bottom left of the page to scroll through all of the worksheet tabs. Suggestions, comments or questions about the priority needs list may be submitted in writing to the French Broad River MPO at the Land of Sky Regional Council, 339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, NC  28806, or by e-mail to mpo@landofsky.org.

There will be a public hearing on the draft PNL at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, November 20^th, at the FBRMPO Transportation Advisory Committee meeting in the conference room of the Land of Sky Regional Council, 339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, NC 28806.  Accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities, who are dependent on public transportation that does not serve the meeting location, or who need a translator in order to participate.  Please request such accommodations as soon as possible, but at least 48 hours in advance.  

The French Broad River MPO is a partnership between local and state government to make decisions aobut transportation planning in urbanized areas and to meet planning requirements established by federal authorizing legislation for transportation funding.  The French Broad River MPO works cooperatively with the NCDOT to develop transportation plans, travel models, transit plans, and bicycle and pedestrian plans. The MPO also works with the state on funding issues for transportation improvements, project planning issues, and issues such as environmental impacts and air quality, and with local governments to coordinate land use and transportation planning.  Local governments belonging to the MPO are Buncombe, Haywood and Henderson Counties, and Asheville, Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Canton, Clyde, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Hendersonville, Laurel Park, Maggie Valley, Mills River, Montreat, Waynesville, Weaverville, and Woodfin.

In addition to the priority needs list, the MPO produces a Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP), which is a seven year schedule of transportation projects for the planning area. The MPO also produces a Long Range Transportation Plan, which presents a 25-year plan for transportation improvements in the area, and cooperates with the NC Department of Transportation on a jointly developed long range comprehensive transportation plan. These documents can be accessed online at www.fbrmpo.org or by contacting the MPO.

For more information or to request assistance, please call the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization at (828) 251-6622.   [Posted October 27, 2008]