Metropolitan Planning Organization Support
The Triangle region contains two Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) - the Capital Area MPO (NC CAMPO), which covers all of Wake County and portions of Granville, Franklin, Johnston, and Harnett counties, and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO (DCHC MPO), which covers all of Durham County and portions of Orange and Chatham counties. These two MPOs are responsible for decision making about long-range transportation planning and transportation project funding within their respective areas.
Focus of Work
Triangle J COG provides technical support to our region’s MPOs, particularly on regional issues that transcend MPO boundaries. The focus of the Urban Mobility & Transportation Program is:
- Triangle Region Air Quality Conformity
- The Research Triangle Region's Metropolitan Transportation Plan
- Joint MPO Executive Committee & Policy Board Meetings
- CommunityViz Scenario Development & Growth Allocation
- Transportation Modeling & Data
- Socio-Economic Data & Forecasting
A more detailed catalog of the Urban Mobility & Transportation Program focus is below.
Triangle Region Air Quality Conformity
Air Quality Conformity
The Triangle region is required by 40 CFR 51 and 93 to make a conformity determination on any newly adopted or amended fiscally constrained metropolitan transportation plan and TIP. In addition, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), specifically, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), must make a conformity determination on MPO Plans in the Triangle region and the related TIPs in all non-attainment and maintenance areas.
Triangle J COG staff support both the Capital Area MPO and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO in preparing Air Quality Determination analyses and reports to demonstrate conformity between the adopted MTP and TIP for air quality.
For more information see the Capital Area MPO website and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO website.
Air Quality Determinations in 2022
Air Quality Determinations in 2020
2020-2029 Transportation Improvement Program and 2045 Amendments (for the Capital Area MPO) - October 2020
Air Quality Determinations in 2019
2020-2029 Transportation Improvement Program and 2045 MTP Amendments (for DCHC MPO) - December 2019)
2045 MTP Amendments and 2018-2027 TIP Conformity Determination - August 2019
The Research Triangle Region’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
Development of the 2050 Joint Metropolitan Transportation Plan
With support from TJCOG staff, the Capital Area and the Durham-Chapel Hill Carrboro MPOs are coordinating to develop the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for the Triangle region. The MTP is a long-range plan for transportation improvements across the region. It will include roadway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation projects to be implemented through the year 2050.
More information can be found on the Capital Area MPO website and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO website.
2050 MTP Development Process
The MTP takes approximately 18 months to update, and generally occurs every 4-5 years. The following outlines the steps in the update process.
Connect 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
With support from TJCOG staff, the Capital Area and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPOs coordinated to develop the 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for the Triangle region. Adopted in 2018, the MTP is the long-range plan for transportation improvements across the region. It includes roadway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, and other transportation projects to be implemented through the year 2045.
More information can be found on the Capital Area MPO website and Durham-Chapel-Hill MPO website.
Adopted Final Report
Connect 2045: The Research Triangle Region's Metropolitan Transportation Plan
2045 MTP Development Process
The MTP takes approximately 18 months to update, and generally occurs every 4-5 years. The following outlines the steps in the 2045 update process.
Imagine 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan
The 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (2040 LRTP) lists future highway, bus transit, light rail, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation projects to be implemented through the year 2040, while the Air Quality Analysis and Conformity Determination Report (AQ Report) determines whether the plan meets federal air quality regulations. Triangle J COG staff supported the Capital Area MPO and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO in their preparation of the 2040 MTP, as well as the population and employment forecast and 2040 MTP amendment (September 2015).
For more information see the Capital Area MPO website and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO website.
Joint MPO Executive Committee & Policy Board Meetings
CommunityViz Scenario Development & Growth Allocation
CommunityViz for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
CommunityViz is a tool to understand growth capacities and allocate future growth. With 5 basic inputs, it can be used to create future development scenarios and help understand their relative impacts.
For more information on CommunityViz, including Development Scenario and Growth Allocation for the Joint Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs), see the CommunityViz Page.
Transportation Modeling & Data
Employment Analyst for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
The Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT), transit operators, consultants, and many other transportation agencies use the Triangle Regional Model (TRM) to forecast traffic, transit ridership, and detailed trip data. Although the model Service Bureau at N.C. State University is responsible for the internal functioning of the TRM, local planners are responsible for the equally important task of creating three sets of model input data.
Triangle J COG staff supports these local planner in the reviewing, updating, editing, and publishing of employment points for 2020 (base year), employment counts, employment type, and location changes.
2050 MTP Employment Analyst Documents
Employment Analyst Strategies PowerPoint
Example Employer Information Request Letter
Contact bearden@tjcog.org for link to a recording of the Employment Analyst Training, conducted on July 16, 2020.
Socio-Economic Data & Forecasting
Socio-Economic Guide Totals for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan
One of the initial critical steps in developing a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is to forecast the amount, type and location of population and jobs for the time frame of the plan, known as Socio-Economic (SE) Guide Totals. Triangle J COG staff is supporting both the Capital Area MPO and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO in the development of the SE Guide Totals for the 2050 MTP.
Based on an understanding of community plans and data from local jurisdictions, the NC Office of State Planning, the U.S. Census Bureau and independent forecasters, estimates of “base year” (2016) and “plan year” (2050) population and jobs were developed by local planners for each of the 1,701 small zones (called Traffic Analysis Zones or TAZs) that make up the area covered by our region’s transportation model.
The SE Guide Totals are broken into 1) Population Guide Totals, 2) Employment Guide Totals, and 3) Household Guide Totals. As part of the development process, both MPO Executive Boards will review and approve the socio-economic data and totals for use in the 2050 MTP.
For more information see the Capital Area MPO website and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO website.