Trent Woods joins the Craven County MPO—planning changes take effect July 1, 2026

Craven County says it has officially transitioned the regional transportation planning organization that includes Trent Woods—moving from the New Bern Area MPO setup to the Craven County Metropolitan Planning Organization structure effective July 1, 2026.

For residents and commuters, the practical change is about who runs the MPO planning workflow and where key meetings happen—especially through the MPO’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), described by the county as the policy and decision-making board.

What changed for Trent Woods

In a news release posted July 2, 2026, Craven County said the New Bern Area Metropolitan Planning Organization transitioned into the Craven County Metropolitan Planning Organization, with Craven County serving as the lead planning agency under the new structure. The county also said the MPO is now housed within the Craven County Transportation Department.

How the MPO’s committee process works (TAC vs. TCC)

Craven County describes two primary working bodies inside the MPO:

• Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC): the group focused on technical guidance, knowledge, and recommendations.
• Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC): the policy and decision-making board for the MPO.

The county’s MPO committees page says the TAC is comprised of elected officials from each town within Craven County plus a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Board of Transportation member.

For Trent Woods specifically, the TAC roster lists Town of Trent Woods Commissioner Dan Murphy as the municipality representative. The county also identifies Abigail McClay as the MPO Coordinator, a full-time County staff member who executes and monitors transportation planning.

Where residents can weigh in next

The next MPO Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting is scheduled for July 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM at the Riverfront Convention Center. The county’s committees page says TAC meetings are open to the public, with virtual attendance available and in-person attendance encouraged.

If you want Trent Woods issues reflected in the MPO’s policy discussions, this is the next concrete committee moment to watch and attend. (The MPO process is where planning priorities and recommendations are formed before they move to state and federal partners.)

The next MPO Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) meeting is listed as August 13 at 1:30 PM, and the county’s page also says TCC meetings are open to the public.

Bottom line for Trent Woods

The MPO transition doesn’t automatically approve any specific road or transit project. But it can affect the planning coordination chain—including how quickly issues get raised through the TAC/TCC workflow and how Trent Woods is represented in the county-led MPO structure.

With a TAC meeting scheduled for July 22, 2026, residents and commuters have a clear next step to make sure transportation concerns from Trent Woods are on the record.

By Brian Bateman, local-news editor and publisher

Sources

• Craven County news flash (July 2, 2026): MPO transition announcement