Title
Metropolitan Planning Program Grant Municipal Agreement
Action
Action:
A. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Municipal Agreement with North Carolina Department of Transportation to support transit planning activities for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization,
B. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute Interlocal Agreements with Iredell County Area Transportation System, Union County Transportation System, and Mecklenburg Transportation System to support transit planning activities for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, and
C. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to execute Interlocal Agreements with Centralina Regional Council, Union County, and the Town of Cornelius to support transportation planning projects.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Monica Holmes, Planning, Design, and Development
Robert Cook, Planning, Design, and Development
Brent Cagle, CATS
Explanation
Actions A and B
§ The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the Fiscal 2026 Metropolitan Planning Grant to the City of Charlotte in July 2025.
§ The city receives the grant annually as the lead planning agency for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) and as the major fixed-route transit operator for the urban area.
§ The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) requires grant recipients enter into a new Municipal Agreement to receive the annual allocation.
§ The city is responsible for the deliverables outlined in this grant, including:
- The federally compliant travel demand model required for transportation planning and air quality conformity, and
- Updating the Transit Element of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, developing transit travel demand forecasts, conducting ridership surveys, and monitoring and updating the Transportation Improvement Program, as necessary, to advance projects and ensure compliance with federal regulations.
§ Funding was sub-allocated for local projects to Iredell County Area Transit System, Union County Transportation, and Mecklenburg Transportation System.
§ The total FTA planning budget for CRTPO is $1,278,184, of which $1,022,547 (80 percent) consists of federal funds, $127,818 (10 percent) consists of state funds, and $127,819 (10 percent) consists of local funds.
- Iredell County Area Transportation System will receive up to $91,710 for transit planning activities, including public transportation and public participation.
- Union County Transportation will receive up to $156,943 for transit planning activities, including data and planning support, public participation, and statewide and supplemental regional planning.
- Mecklenburg Transportation System will receive up to $74,250 for transit planning activities.
- The local match of $127,819 will be shared by the City of Charlotte ($91,941), Iredell County Area Transit System ($10,190), Mecklenburg Transportation System ($8,250), and Union County Transportation ($17,438).
Action C
§ Surface Transportation Block Grant-Direct Attributable (STBG-DA) are federal funds used to support CRTPO’s transportation planning activities.
§ The CRTPO sub-allocates some of its federal STBG-DA funds to its member jurisdictions to carry out local transportation planning activities:
- The Centralina Regional Council will receive up to $75,000 for the CONNECT Beyond Mobility Hub Guidebook.
- Union County will receive up to $160,000 for the Union County Critical Intersection Analysis.
- The Town of Cornelius will receive up to $120,000 for the Cornelius Bike/Ped Plan.
§ The required 20 percent match of federal funds is provided by the sponsoring jurisdiction. The local match for local transportation planning activities will be shared by all jurisdictions for Centralina Regional Council ($15,000).
Background
§ The CRTPO is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the Charlotte urbanized area. It provides long-range transportation planning services to Mecklenburg, Union, and Iredell counties. The city is CRTPO’s lead planning agency, and its staff is housed in the Planning, Design, and Development department.
Fiscal Note
Funding: General Grants Fund
Attachments
Attachment(s)
Resolutions