Anti-toll lanes group presents findings after Texas trip

CORNELIUS, N.C. — A group that's been fighting the controversial Interstate 77 toll lanes project shared its research Thursday night on private toll road projects across the country.

The group Widen I-77 presented its findings from an independent trip to Texas to look at how toll roads operate.

Opponents of the plan for tolls on Interstate 77 are stepping up their fight after Cintra, the company contracted for the project, filed for bankruptcy in Texas last month.

Nick Tennyson, the head of the NCDOT, is reevaluating the toll lanes being built after Gov. McCrory sent him to Texas to find out why a similar project there failed.

It could be weeks until we hear what Tennyson found out, but the group fighting the project gave an evaluation of the project.

Widen I-77 has been fighting the toll lane project for years.

Once complete, the lanes will stretch for 26 miles from uptown Charlotte to Mooresville. Critics say the project is bad the local economy, doesn't solve the congestion problem and would make it harder for the state to add more lanes in the future.

According to a recent public policy poll, more than 80 percent of Lake Norman residents are against the project and Channel 9 found out that even if taxpayers don't use the lanes, the project still may cost them money.

Last week, Channel 9 reporter Joe Bruno uncovered that the state struck a deal with the I-77 Mobility Partners to pay up to $12 million per year if the project isn't making enough money.

Bruno also obtained a report that shows the developer is expecting to make $5.1 million in 2018 when the project opens. In 2019, that number jumps to $24.6 million and in 2020 it goes even higher to $34.5 million.

Toll critics say it will be nearly impossible for the project to make anywhere close to that because of all the backlash. The tolls have not been set, but NCDOT officials said they will likely be between 14 and 40 cents per mile.

Cox Media Group