According to The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1962 areas considered by the Federal Census to be urban in nature with a population of at least 50,000 must have a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (“3C”) transportation planning process. In order to receive funding from the federal government in the state of North Carolina, this process is carried out by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO). Members from each of the MPOs make up the North Carolina Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (NCAMPO). Currently, there are 20 MPOs in North Carolina.
North Carolina MPO information
North Carolina MPO planning area map
| MPO | Lead Planning Agency | Area (Sq. Miles) | 2010 Census Pop. | 2020 Census Pop. | Designation Year | Executive Director or Other Contact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington-Graham MPO | Burlington | 454 | 161,793 | 187,251 | 1973 | Eliud De Jesus |
| 2 | Cabarrus-Rowan MPO | Concord | 888 | 316,446 | 372,679 | 1980 | Phil Conrad |
| 3 | Capital Area MPO | Cary | 1,905 | 1,074,421 | 1,400,396 | 1964 | Chris Lukasina |
| 4 | Charlotte Regional TPO | Charlotte | 1,559 | 1,262,842 | 1,523,089 | 1979 | Robert Cook |
| 5 | Fayetteville Area MPO | Cumberland County | 1,030 | 372,020 | 442,334 | 1974 | Hank Graham |
| 6 | French Broad River MPO (Asheville) | Land of Sky Council of Governments | 1,104 | 396,844 | 432,482 | 1970 | Tristan Winkler |
| 7 | Gaston Cleveland Lincoln MPO | Gastonia | 1,137 | 382,238 | 414,225 | 1974 | Tori Dellinger |
| 8 | Goldsboro Urban Area MPO | Goldsboro | 269 | 92,964 | 89,982 | 1982 | C. Roy Publico |
| 9 | Grand Strand Transportation Study (Myrtle Beach-Georgetown, SC-NC) | Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments | 840 | 257,836 | 383,509 | 1992 | Mark Hoeweler |
| 10 | Greater Hickory MPO | Western Piedmont Council of Governments | 1,668 | 365,692 | 365,310 | 1982 | Averi Ritchie |
| 11 | Greensboro Urban Area MPO | Greensboro | 556 | 369,340 | 409,193 | 1960 | Jeffery Rashko |
| 12 | Greenville Urban Area MPO | Greenville | 189 | 133,867 | 138,192 | 1992 | Eliud De Jesus |
| 13 | High Point Urban Area MPO | High Point | 682 | 283,295 | 296,387 | 1980 | Andrew Edmonds |
| 14 | Jacksonville Urban Area MPO | Jacksonville | 816 | 139,973 | 204,046 | 1980 | Anthony Prinz |
| 15 | New Bern Area MPO | New Bern | 154 | 56,746 | 59,312 | 2013 | Deanna Trebil |
| 16 | Rocky Mount Urban Area MPO | Rocky Mount | 219 | 85,319 | 81,828 | 1992 | Jordan Reedy |
| 17 | Sandhills MPO (SMPO) | Pinehurst | 159 | 60,610 | 2023 | Scott Walston | |
| 18 | Triangle West MPO | Durham | 537 | 397,312 | 475,487 | 1980 | Doug Plachcinski |
| 19 | Wilmington Urban Area MPO | Wilmington | 494 | 253,045 | 297,183 | 1978 | Mike Kozlosky |
| 20 | Winston-Salem Area TPO | Winston-Salem | 578 | 408,541 | 443,376 | 1974 | Hunter Staszak |