The future of transportation in North Carolina just got a significant boost, as the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation dishes out grants aimed at ushering in a new age of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). According to an official announcement by the NCDOT, five entities have been chosen to receive a share of $1 million in funding to integrate AAM technologies like electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft and drones into their local infrastructure plans.
In a move that marks a significant shift towards futuristic transport systems, the City of Greensboro, Town of Cary, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Mid-Carolina Council of Governments, and Forsyth County have all been granted financial support. These funds are destined to cover an array of planning activities—think transportation needs assessments, land-use mapping, strategies for integrating multiple modes of transit, and aligning existing policies and plans with this looming tech revolution.
Focused on more than just tech, these planning projects aim to syphon the wisdom of the community, tapping into public opinion and needs. “These planning projects are about helping communities take the first steps toward understanding how advanced air mobility can meet local needs,” Nick Short, director of the NCDOT Division of Aviation, explained in a statement obtained by the NCDOT’s news release. With this initiative, North Carolinians are not just passive observers but active participants in mapping out their transportation future…