North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Secretary Lyndo Tippett has presented the Draft 2006-2012 State Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to members of the North Carolina Board of Transportation.

The TIP serves as a seven-year blueprint for transportation projects throughout the state and is updated every two years.

The 2006-2012 Draft TIP includes 2,790 highway projects and more than 900 public transportation projects totaling nearly $11.4 billion.

This draft is a key step in a comprehensive, two-year planning process. The document is now available to the public, including citizens, businesses and government agencies, for a two-month comment period ending on June 3.

As part of the public input process, beginning in May NCDOT will hold a series of eight regional meetings across the state to seek comments from citizens and answer questions about the draft document. Citizens may also mail or e-mail comments to the department during this time.

The final 2006-2012 TIP will be presented to the Board of Transportation for approval on July 7.

The projects include:

• 147 projects to improve interstates across North Carolina, 395 projects to improve urban highways and 443 projects to improve rural highways through widening, pavement preservation and safety improvements such as rumble strips and paved shoulders to reduce run-off-road crashes;

• 1,217 bridge replacements throughout the state; and

• 147 projects to expand transportation options, including 69 bicycle and pedestrian projects, 65 passenger rail projects and 13 ferry projects.

In addition to the highway projects listed above, the 2006-2012 Draft TIP also includes more than 900 public transportation projects totaling approximately $2 billion to serve the elderly and disabled as well as provide transportation options for commuters. These projects include expanding services, replacing outdated equipment, general operating assistance, maintenance facilities and passenger amenities such as shelters and benches.

For more information, visit www.ncdot.org/~tip.

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