Charlotte opposition puts I-77 South express-lanes proposal before regional decision

Charlotte City Council’s May 11 withdrawal of support for the proposed I-77 South Express Lanes project has put the highway plan on course for a regional transportation decision, without resolving whether the project will advance.

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization is expected to vote after the city’s action, according to the latest reporting. That reporting also said local governments could face a penalty if the project does not continue, though the available information does not specify the amount or terms of any potential penalty.

The proposal has not been approved, financed or placed under construction. It remains in the community-engagement and procurement stages led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Proposed corridor and project stage

NCDOT’s proposal covers 11 miles of express lanes on I-77 South, running from the Brookshire Freeway to the South Carolina line. The corridor is part of the Charlotte-area transportation system and would be a toll-road project if it moves ahead.

In a March 2 announcement, NCDOT said it would expand its community listening period and establish an engagement center for the I-77 South Express Lanes project. The department described the work as a highway-infrastructure proposal that would proceed through community engagement and procurement steps.

Procurement activity has begun but no developer has been selected. NCDOT identified four shortlisted developers in February, including Cintra. Being shortlisted is not an award, and the available information does not establish a construction schedule, project cost or funding sources.

City action precedes regional vote

Charlotte City Council voted May 11 to withdraw support for the project, according to reporting cited in the July 30 update. The city’s position has become central to the pending regional discussion, but the available reporting does not establish that Charlotte alone can end the proposal.

No date for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization’s next vote, or a final outcome, was available in the source material. The organization’s decision is the next identified step for a project that could affect highway capacity, tolling and transportation obligations across the Charlotte region.

Poll shows divided local opinion

An Axios poll released July 30 found that about half of Charlotte respondents supported the toll project. The survey included 370 registered Charlotte voters and was conducted July 15 through July 18.

The poll measures opinion among the Charlotte voters surveyed, not a regional referendum. It does not determine the regional transportation organization’s decision or establish support across all surrounding local governments.