Prioritization 8.0 will play a key role in the development of the 2028-2037 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) and Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Mid-East RPO formed a Prioritization 8.0 Subcommittee in March 2025. This subcommittee, which consists of TCC representatives from each of the RPO's three counties, and staff from NCDOT, is currently working with RPO staff on the development of the Mid-East RPO's Prioritization 8.0 Project Submittal List. Below is a summary of completed and upcoming milestones related to P8.0.

Completed:

March 2025: MERPO P8.0 Subcommittee was formed by the TCC and TAC.

March-June 2025: RPO staff, in coordination with the P8.0 Subcommittee, developed the draft project submittal list.

July 2025: The NC Board of Transportation adopted the Statewide Prioritization Workgroup's recommendations for P8.0.

July 2025: The Mid-East RPO TCC & TAC voted to preliminarily approve the draft P8.0 project submittal list.

August 2025: A three-week (August 1-22) period was held for TCC and TAC members to provide feedback on the draft P8.0 project submittal list.

August-September 2025: RPO staff and the Prioritization 8.0 Subcommittee will reviewed feedback and used it to develop the final draft project submittal list.

September 2025: The TCC and TAC voted to adopt the Prioritization 8.0 Project Submittal List at their 9-11-2025 joint meeting.

September 2025: RPO staff submitted the adopted list of projects to NCDOT.

Upcoming:

Fall 2025: RPO staff will begin working with the Prioritization 8.0 Subcommittee on the development of MERPO's Local Input Point Assignment Methodology for P8.0.