A blueprint for the area’s transportation needs and proposed improvements in the next 25 years is now available for public viewing and feedback.

Beginning Thursday and continuing through April 27, the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), charged with this region’s transportation planning, will host a series of drop-in open houses at which the public can review the Cape Fear Transportation 2040 plan, ask questions and make comments. Involving the public in the planning process is a requirement of the plan.

“This draft metropolitan transportation plan looks 25 years into the future to address a broad spectrum of federal transportation requirements for the Wilmington MPO planning area,” MPO executive director Mike Kozlosky said in an email Wednesday. “The plan includes an examination and evaluation of potential roadway, freight/rail, mass transportation, ferry and water transportation, aviation, bicycle and pedestrian projects.”

The plan, which covers New Hanover County and portions of Pender and Brunswick counties, is fiscally restrained, meaning that it must identify revenues to fund the proposed projects. Plan elements range from enhancements to area bike and pedestrian trail systems to improvements at Wilmington International Airport, completion of the Interstate 140 bypass between U.S. 421 and U.S. 74/76 and partial funding of a Cape Fear River crossing for port traffic.

For details on proposed projects and a schedule of the open house events, click here.

Thursday’s open house is 1-3 p.m. at Wave Transit’s Forden Station, 505 Cando Road.