§ 136-211. Department authorized to establish Rural Transportation Planning Organizations. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 136‑211.  Departmentauthorized to establish Rural Transportation Planning Organizations.

(a)        Authorization. –The Department of Transportation is authorized to form Rural TransportationPlanning Organizations.

(b)        Area Represented. –Rural Transportation Planning Organizations shall include representatives fromcontiguous areas in three to fifteen counties, with a total population of theentire area represented of at least 50,000 persons according to the latestpopulation estimate of the Office of State Planning. Noncontiguous countiesadjacent to the same Metropolitan Planning Organization may form a RuralTransportation Planning Organization. Areas already included in a MetropolitanPlanning Organization shall not be included in the area represented by a RuralTransportation Planning Organization.

(c)        Membership. – TheRural Transportation Planning Organization shall consist of local electedofficials or their designees and representatives of local transportationsystems in the area as agreed to by all parties in a memorandum ofunderstanding.

(d)        Formation;Memorandum of Understanding. – The Department shall notify local electedofficials and representatives of local transportation systems around the Stateof the opportunity to form Rural Transportation Planning Organizations. TheDepartment shall work cooperatively with interested local elected officials,their designees, and representatives of local transportation systems to developa proposed area, membership, functions, and responsibilities of a RuralTransportation Planning Organization. The agreement of all parties shall beincluded in a memorandum of understanding approved by the membership of aproposed Rural Transportation Planning Organization and the Secretary of theDepartment of Transportation. (2000‑123, s. 2; 2002‑170, s. 2.)