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Transportation Planning
Building the Roads Ahead
Pitt County works closely with state and regional partners to plan, coordinate, and improve transportation systems that connect residents, support economic growth, and enhance quality of life. Through long-range planning efforts, local studies, and state investment programs, these initiatives help guide roadway improvements, public transit expansion, bicycle and pedestrian access, and other multimodal infrastructure priorities across the County.
These plans ensure that Pitt County’s transportation system remains safe, efficient, and ready to meet the community’s future needs.
- Transportation Improvement Program Priorities
- 2005 Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update
- 2045 Comprehensive Transportation Plan
- Greenville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning
- Rural Planning Organization
Planning the Future of Transportation in Pitt County
The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a 10-year, state- and federally mandated plan that outlines the construction funding and scheduling of transportation projects across North Carolina. The STIP for Pitt County includes funding and project timelines for several transportation divisions, including:
- Aviation
- Bicycle and Pedestrian
- Enhancements
- Governor’s Highway Safety Program
- Highways
- Public Transportation
- Rail
To explore current and upcoming projects in Pitt County, including maps and detailed descriptions, visit the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s official website:
View the NCDOT State Transportation Improvement Program Now
Comprehensive Transportation Plan
The Comprehensive Transportation Plan evaluates current and future transportation needs across Pitt County and serves as an official guide for developing a coordinated, reliable, and cost-effective system. Covering the 2005–2030 planning period, it recommends improvements for all travel modes, including roadways, public transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and rail.
History of the Process
Pitt County Planning staff and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) began the planning process in January 2005. Two public meetings were held in March and July to review findings and gather input from residents. Following a public hearing on September 21, 2005, the Pitt County Planning Board unanimously recommended adoption. The Board of Commissioners approved the plan on October 17, 2005, with final endorsements from the Mid-East Rural Planning Organization and NCDOT.
Moving Pitt County Forward
Planning staff, in partnership with the Transportation Planning Division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the Greenville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and the Mid-East Rural Planning Organization (RPO), have updated the Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) for Pitt County. This long-range planning document helps guide transportation decisions for the next 25–30 years and is required by North Carolina General Statute 136-66.2.
A Steering Committee was established in September 2020 and included representatives from the County, municipalities, NCDOT, local transportation organizations, and other community stakeholders. The committee met 22 times to review data, provide feedback, and shape the plan’s direction. Public engagement was a key part of the process, over 1,800 residents participated in a public input survey in spring 2021. Two in-person workshops were held in fall 2022 at Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation and North Pitt High School, along with a virtual session for those unable to attend in person.
On January 22, 2024, the Steering Committee voted 18–1 to endorse the draft plan. The Pitt County Board of Commissioners adopted the plan on March 18, 2024. The Greenville Urban Area MPO and all Pitt County municipalities adopted the plan during March and April 2024, and the Mid-East RPO endorsed it on March 14, 2024. NCDOT is currently finalizing the appendices before official adoption by the North Carolina Board of Transportation.
View the Pitt County Comprehensive Transportation Plan Now
Planning the Future of Mobility in the Greenville Urban Area
The Greenville Urban Area MPOincludes the municipalities of Greenville, Winterville, Ayden, and Simpson, along with surrounding portions of Pitt County. This boundary is determined using population density data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2010, the population of the Greenville Urban Area was 142,747.
The Thoroughfare Plan Update was developed collaboratively by local governments, the Greenville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The plan combines the individual thoroughfare plans of Greenville, Winterville, Ayden, Simpson, and Pitt County into one coordinated urban area plan. It evaluates both current and future transportation needs for automobiles, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, and public transit.
Types of Thoroughfares
The plan identifies three main types of thoroughfares: major, minor, and freeways.
- Major Thoroughfares: Carry traffic across and through the urban area.
- Minor Thoroughfares: Connect neighborhoods and local roads to major thoroughfares.
- Freeways: High-capacity highways with controlled access at interchanges only.
Driving Regional Growth Through Collaboration
Pitt County partners with the Mid-East Rural Planning Organization, which serves areas within Pitt, Beaufort, and Martin counties, to coordinate rural transportation priorities with NCDOT. The RPO is an advisory forum that develops long-range, multimodal plans, gathers public input, and recommends projects for the State Transportation Improvement Program.