Spartanburg area residents have a formal opportunity to help shape how the region moves for the next quarter century. The Spartanburg Area Transportation Study (SPATS) Metropolitan Planning Organization is gathering community input on the 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), with two public information meetings already held and a comment period running through May 22, 2026. The process directly affects road, transit, and active transportation planning across Spartanburg County for the next 24 years.
SPATS, which functions as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Spartanburg urbanized area, develops the Long-Range Transportation Plan as required by federal law. The 2050 LRTP will guide decisions about which transportation projects — roads, bridges, transit service, bike and pedestrian infrastructure — receive federal and state funding across the MPO planning area. Decisions embedded in the LRTP ultimately determine which corridors get upgraded, where new capacity is added, and how transportation investments align with land use and economic development priorities.
The SPATS MPO held two public input meetings in May to gather initial community feedback. The first meeting was held on Wednesday, May 6, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Cleveland Park Event Center (Lower Level) at 141 North Cleveland Park Drive in Spartanburg. The second meeting was held on Thursday, May 7, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Boiling Springs Community Park Building at 182 Rainbow Lake Road in Boiling Springs. Both meetings offered residents the chance to review proposed project maps, scenario analyses, and background materials before providing input.
Residents who were unable to attend either meeting in person can still participate through May 22, 2026, using an online survey available in both English and Spanish. The English survey is accessible at metroquestsurvey.com/rs8o8a and the Spanish version at metroquestsurvey.com/mt2w2k. Meeting materials are also available online at the SPATS MPO website at spatsmpo.com/310/2050-Long-Range-Transportation-Plan-Upda for any residents who want to review the technical background before completing the survey.
The LRTP process occurs on a multi-year cycle and represents one of the most consequential pieces of regional planning that affects Spartanburg County. The current network — including the I-85 and I-26 interchange near downtown Spartanburg, the I-585 connector, and key arterials like Asheville Highway and Boiling Springs Road — was shaped in part by previous long-range plans. The 2050 LRTP will reflect population growth projections, freight movement patterns driven by the county’s major manufacturing and logistics employers, and emerging transportation priorities including electric vehicle infrastructure and active transportation connectivity.
Spartanburg County is among the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina, with recent growth concentrated in communities along the I-85 corridor and in the Boiling Springs and Duncan areas. That growth puts additional pressure on the regional transportation network and makes the 2050 planning cycle especially consequential. Residents who want their priorities — whether that means faster I-85 improvements, safer pedestrian crossings near schools, or expanded transit coverage — reflected in the plan should submit their input before the May 22 deadline.
