How North Carolina’s Integrated Mobility Division Improved Travel and Safety in 2025
Key Highlights
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The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) gave out more than 9,300 free bicycle helmets this year, bringing the five-year total to over 84,650 and helping kids ride more safely.
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During Hurricane Helene and beyond, IMD improved travel across the state, evacuating more than 2,000 residents, opening the Triad-Danville Connector, and restoring intercity bus service to Asheville and Chapel Hill, which has served over 3,500 riders.
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IMD also focused on long-term planning and better connections, funding 15 multimodal projects, adding six new microtransit routes, and distributing $115 million in state and federal funds to support transit services in all 100 counties.
In 2025, getting around North Carolina became easier — and safer.
From launching new bus routes to handing out thousands of free bicycle helmets to kids, the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division (IMD) worked to make travel more accessible for everyone across the state.
The division distributed more than 9,300 free bicycle helmets to kids this year through 111 organizations, bringing the five-year total to over 84,650 helmets.
Beyond everyday improvements, IMD played a key role during emergencies. When Hurricane Helene hit, the division teamed up with 17 public transportation agencies to evacuate more than 2,000 residents and made over 500 trips delivering essential supplies to communities in Western North Carolina.
Besides responding to emergencies, IMD worked to make everyday travel easier. In January, the Triad-Danville Connector opened, giving people a new way to travel between North Carolina and Virginia. The division also brought back intercity bus service to Asheville and Chapel Hill, which has served over 3,500 riders since August, making it easier for students and residents in rural areas to get around.
Safety and convenience were also priorities. IMD worked with local partners to improve bus stops, focusing on safer locations and better connections to major universities.
Focusing on the future, IMD’s Multimodal Planning Grant Program supported 15 projects in 2025, including, for the first time, three at colleges and universities. These grants help communities create safer, better-connected networks for walking, biking, and public transit.
Along with these projects, the division expanded microtransit services with help from the MEE-NC grant, launching six new routes and extending two existing ones to cover more areas. In total, IMD distributed $115 million in state and federal funds to support transit services and improve access across all 100 counties.
“2025 was a year of progress and partnership,” said IMD Director Brennon Fuqua in a press release. “This division looks forward to building on this momentum in 2026, ensuring mobility for everyone, everywhere statewide.”
Source: NCDOT