The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Division of Aviation recently awarded five municipalities and regional planning organizations $1 million in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Planning Grants.
“These planning projects are about helping communities take the first steps toward understanding how advanced air mobility can meet local needs,” Nick Short, NCDOT Division of Aviation director, said. “We’re excited to be part of the groundwork that will help communities plan and prepare for the opportunities this technology brings.”
Funding will support planning activities such as feasibility studies, land-use and infrastructure planning, multimodal integration strategies, policy and regulatory alignment, and transportation needs assessments.
The five projects were selected because they incorporate cutting-edge AAM technologies through a partnership with NCDOT Aviation. Awardees are the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Forsyth County, the city of Greensboro, the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments and the town of Cary.
The grant program helps communities prepare for new technologies and their safe and efficient integration into existing transportation networks.
Public engagement is a large aspect of the program. The agency wants to ensure residents have a voice in shaping how AAM services could benefit their communities. The feedback allows for a
groundwork for infrastructure that directly aligns with local needs and priorities.