General Statement of Duties

Performs difficult advanced professional planning work specializing in transportation and associated long-range planning for the Town.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

An employee in this class will plan, coordinate, manage and oversee multi-modal transportation and associated long-range planning activities; including, but not limited to, bikeways, land use, roadways, highways, railway, pedestrian walkways, public transit and coordinates assigned activities with other departments and outside agencies. The employee will apply specific focus towards transportation planning while incorporating and coordinating overall long-range land use planning goals. Work includes insuring that the design of specific land development and transportation projects are compatible with the development vision of the town and reviewing and recommending specific operational improvements to transportation systems.  

This position requires working with a wide variety of Town and regional boards and officials. Advanced knowledge of planning, working knowledge of transportation engineering, and skills in facilitation of meetings to obtain public input and consensus are also required.  The Transportation Planner works with the public on sensitive and emotional issues requiring judgment, firmness and tact.  Work is performed under general supervision and is evaluated through conferences, review of work results obtained, and overall acceptance of the programs by the Town’s citizens.

Duties and Responsibilities

Manage the development and implementation of transportation goals, objectives, policies and priorities.

Coordinates and/or conducts roadway and transit corridor analysis, identifies needs, creates scope of work, negotiates resource, hires consultants and manages studies including public involvement and study budget.

Responds to request for transportation and land use information from Town Board, co-workers, citizens, and others; provides graphic material, written studies, and oral presentations.

Provides transportation and land use related information to local governments, other organizations and the public, including GIS map analyses, travel models, corridor and intersection capacity analysis, budgets, planning work programs, etc.

Provides technical guidance and staff support to a wide variety of Town, regional and state committees dealing with transportation and land use issues including technical coordinating committees, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional transportation organizations; works with the community to identify issues and build consensus on plans and strategies; work with NCDOT staff, Town Board, and other outside agencies on transportation and land use issues.

Provides technical support to land development review process; ensures that sites are designed in context of long-term transportation system needs; negotiates with developers and design professionals to implement Town design vision and standards that support multi-modal transportation systems; develops alternative design principles and construction standards.   

Reviews the technical parameters of transportation impact analyses. 

Develops revenue resources; researches grant and other funding opportunities and writes grant applications; recommends/requests resources for transportation projects and operating budget needs.

Reviews transportation impacts of rezoning requests, recommends, and negotiates mitigation of impacts, ensures validity and interprets results of contracted impact analyses.

Maintains, updates, and implements the Town’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). Conducts other associated transportation and land use related studies and surveys.

Coordinates and facilitates meetings.

Makes informational presentations to the public, committees, and Town Board; prepares visual aids for presentation.

Serves as key staff liaison for regional and local transportation issues.  Coordinates with Planning and Community Development Director and staff to insure compatibility between transportation and land-use planning.

Collects and maintains long-range planning and transportation data for the Town; including, but not limited to, Census and population information, land use inventories, traffic counts, and coordinating data with adopted plans. 

Performs related duties as requested.

Minimum Education and Experience

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban and regional planning or related field and three to five years of related professional experience; preferably with a specialized focus on transportation; or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban and regional planning, or related field, and five to seven years of related professional experience, preferably in transportation planning; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirement

AICP Certification within 3 years of hire