136-214. Matching funds for federal State Planning and Research Program Grants.
The Department of Transportation shall annually allocate funds to qualifying Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Rural Transportation Planning Organizations to be used to fund a portion of the local match required for federal State Planning and Research Program funds under 23 U.S.C. 505. A Metropolitan Planning Organization is only eligible for funding under this section if it has a population of 500,000 or less, as determined by the most recent census. The funds shall be allocated as follows:
(1) For a Metropolitan Planning Organization or Rural Transportation Planning Organization that includes at least one representative from a development tier one area, as determined under G.S. 143B-437.08, the Department shall allocate an amount equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of the total local match required.
(2) For a Metropolitan Planning Organization or Rural Transportation Planning Organization that does not qualify under subdivision (1) of this section, but includes at least one representative from a development tier two area, as determined under G.S. 143B-437.08, the Department shall allocate an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total local match required.
(3) The Department shall not allocate any funds under this section to a Metropolitan Planning Organization or Rural Transportation Planning Organization that does not qualify under this section.