Long Range Transportation Plan

The Winston-Salem Urban Area 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is a comprehensive plan for the total transportation system encompassing each mode: transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, airport and streets and highways. The LRTP must be fiscally constrained and meet air quality conformity standards for the 2030 horizon year. The LRTP shares population and employment growth assumptions and transportation modeling projections with the Regional Transportation Plan.

Public Involvement

At each step in the transportation planning process there are opportunities for public involvement. Citizens were involved in establishing Goals and Objects for the LRTP, a Citizens Advisory Council met to review and make recommendations on the land use and transportation assumptions for the Regional Transportation Plan and public review of the existing and proposed LRTP was incorporated into the update. As transportation alternatives are proposed, community meetings and open houses are held to gather public input. The Winston-Salem Department of Transportation web site provides a forum for information and feedback.

Transportation Plan Goals

To establish Goals and Objectives for the Plan, 6,000 surveys were sent randomly to citizens of Forsyth County. The information obtained from the surveys was tabulated; developed into the following general Goals for the LRTP; and adopted in October 1994 by the Transportation Advisory Committee. The 2030 LRTP uses the City-County Legacy Comprehensive Plan as a guide in the update of transportation Goals and Objectives.

Streets and Highways: Develop an efficient street and highway network which meets the short and long term needs and aspirations of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Public Transportation: Promote a safe, efficient and diverse public transportation system accessible to all segments of the urban area.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation: Develop a transportation system which allows for and encourages the use of walking and bicycling as viable, ecologically sound alternatives to motor vehicles.
Rail and Air Transportation: Maximize rail and air travel and transport opportunities.
The Environment: Develop a transportation system which preserves and enhances the natural and built environments.
Financial: Coordinate all transportation modes to make the most efficient use of limited public resources.

The Transportation Plan is not the Thoroughfare Plan

The Thoroughfare Plan is the street and highway system component of the LRTP which goes beyond the planning horizon of 2030. The Thoroughfare Plan makes area-wide recommendations for new streets and highways as well as improvements to existing roads based on traffic modeling data. The first Thoroughfare Plan for the Winston-Salem Urban Area was adopted in 1968. An update of the Thoroughfare Plan for all of Forsyth County was done in 1987, in conjunction with Vision 2005 - A Comprehensive Plan for Forsyth County. The Thoroughfare Plan was reviewed during the Legacy Comprehensive Plan process and LRTP update and a major revision was undertaken in 2001. Public meetings and hearings in each municipality were held in the Fall of 2001 and Winter of 2002. The final plan was adopted by the North Carolina Board of Transportation in June of 2002.

The 2030 Street and Highway Plan [PDF/3,537kB/18pages] coincides with the Thoroughfare Plan. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.