Janet D’Ignazio will discuss the state Department of Transportation decision-making process at 7:30 p.m. on May 10 in the Sylva Town Hall.

D’Ignazio, currently a senior research fellow with the Center for Transportation and the Environment at N.C. State, was previously the chief planning and environmental officer with the state DOT.

Her work led to a $9.2 billion multi-modal transportation improvement program (TIP) to guide investment in the state’s transportation infrastructure. The “multi-modal” approach includes a combination of road, transit, transportation demand management (carpooling, flexible work hours, etc.) and access management strategies that diminish traffic congestion.

D’Ignazio’ designed the presentation, she said, “because the overall decision-making process for transportation improvements is so long and so complicated that many people don’t understand how it all fits together.”

D’Ignazio advocates for a planning process that engages communities, the public and officials in a way that balances community needs while protecting the environment and addressing transportation needs.

The presentation is sponsored by the Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance, the Town of Webster Planning Board, and the Southwestern Rural Planning Organization.

The Jackson County Smart Roads Alliance is a citizen- based organization that has addressed transportation issues since 2001, especially the use of alternative approaches for relieving traffic congestion on NC 107.