Transportation leaders will vote Thursday on relieving traffic jams on one of the busiest roads in the state.

A plan was written to add two extra lanes, one on each side, to Interstate 485 in Ballantyne and south Charlotte to be used as HOV or toll lanes in the future.

Those in charge of the plan also want to add two lanes in the middle to be used in the future.

Leaders now need to find some extra money to make this plan come to life.  The expanded project would cost $132 million, which is $38 million more than is currently budgeted.

Officials said building the extra lanes now will actually save taxpayers money in the long run. It will also prevent drivers from having to deal with construction headaches twice.

"You're only getting out there and working once and construction prices are less now than they would be in a few years," said Bill Coxe, from the transportation group.

Leaders will also vote on extending the project to Rea Road. 

This expanded project will cost about $38 million more than originally planned. 

To keep it on schedule, other projects may have to be delayed, including widening Catawba Avenue in Cornelius.

Transportation leaders have said they don’t want to delay other projects and they will try to find the money elsewhere.

Their top focus is to alleviate the congestion on I-485.

The group meeting Thursday will include engineers and professional planners. They will pass their recommendation on to the full regional transportation group.

Leaders will also discuss and make a recommendation to widen I-485 from Rea Road to Independence Boulevard to eight lanes as part of a long-range plan.

Drivers welcome the idea

For drivers who regularly travel I-485, it's sometimes hard for them to plan their schedules.

"Sometimes it will take me 30 minutes, other times an hour," said Larry Smith.

Smith said that relief cannot come soon enough. He owns a town car company and refuses calls that take him on I-485 during rush hour.

But word of a massive widening project gives Smith some hope.

"That's very good news," he said.

While leaders hope to do the project at once, they admit the cost may be a hard sell because it will cost more money now -- up to $38 million dollars more.

The hope is that money from the state can help. If not, a worst-case scenario list has been made.

That list would put ten other projects on hold so I-485 could be completed. For example, work on sections of Independence, Catawba Avenue and Old Monroe Road would be delayed for two years.

"It's unfortunate. I wish we had money to do them both," said Ed Kitchen, a driver.

The hope is that because these projects are 5 to 10 years down the road, the money would be found somewhere else in the meantime.

Transportation leaders want to make sure the I-485 project is done well and immediately.

"The goal is that when you are out there on I-485 to be able to do what needs to be done for the longer term," Coxe.

The committee that met Thursday will pass recommendations on to the full transportation group.

They will vote June 20. After that, they will just be waiting to see what funding comes from the state.

NCDOT has proposed the following projects to be delayed as a "worst-case" scenario:

Paving - 1-year delays:

I-77 from MM 13 to MM 24 (from 2019 to 2020) - $8.2 million

I-77 from SC state line to MM 9.9 (from 2019 to 2019) - $6.3 million

I-485 from MM 43 to MM 51 (from 2019 to 2020) - $7.9 million

Paving - 2-year delays:

I-85 from MM 29.8 to MM 36 (from 2017 to 2019) - $6.6 million

I-85 from MM 36 to MM 42 (from 2018 to 2020) - $8.9 million

I-485 from I-77 to MM 3 (from 2018 to 2020) - $3.2 million

Paving - 3-year delay:

I-485 from MM 37 to MM 40 (from 2017 to 2020) - $4.5 million

Widening delays:

W. Catawba Ave. from Jetton Road to NC 73 (from 2018 to 2019) - $7.5 million

Old Monroe Road from I-485 to Indian Trail Road (from 2017 to 2018) - $16.9 million

Independence Blvd. from Idlewild Road to Sardis Road North (From 2020 to 2022) - $128 million