The North Carolina Department of Transportation uses a transparent, systematic and data-driven process for prioritizing major transportation projects in the state. This process is known as Strategic Prioritization.

Every two years, Rural & Metropolitan Planning Organizations in North Carolina are allocated a specified number of project submittal slots for each of the following categories: Aviation, Bicycle & Pedestrian, Ferry, Highway, Public Transit, and Rail. Upon recommendations from their staff, The Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) of each respective RPO or MPO will approve which projects are submitted in each category.

Once projects are submitted by staff, they are evaluated and scored based on their merit through an analysis of the existing and future conditions, the benefits the project is expected to provide, the project's multi-modal characteristics, and how the project correlates with local priorities. A "quantitative" score is then produced by NCDOT and released to RPOs and MPOs. Similar to project submittal slot allocations, each RPO and MPO is given a calculated amount of "local input points" to place on projects that they believe are their highest priority. Highway Divisions are also allocated local input points, which may also be placed on projects. At the conclusion of this process, a final score is produced.

Projects that score high-enough will be inserted into the Draft State Transportation Improvement Program, a ten-year schedule for projects that will receive funding. Once the draft STIP is finalized, it is officially adopted by the North Carolina Board of Transportation.

The seventh cycle of Prioritization (Prioritization 7.0 or P7) is currently underway.