CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A mistake cost the Charlotte area millions in road money.

The federal government said local road leaders misread the rules, so the feds decided not to give the area $17.8 million it promised.

Huntersville planner and road expert Bill Coxe said, "It is disappointing. For those of us that didn't follow the legislation well enough, it's somewhat of a surprise."

Local road leaders were going to use that money for certain projects, mostly intersections and other small scale but important projects. Now they have to figure out which ones will miss out, which could take weeks.

Eyewitness News got the list of all the projects that could be in danger. Somewhere in the list are the ones about to become casualties. It could be John Street widening or the McKee Road bridge, both in the Matthews area where Susan Blair-Klutt lives.

"Would I like to see it done? Sure, who wouldn't? But I don't think it's going to happen. Not this year, not next year. Five years, maybe," she said.

Local road leaders said projects they wanted to do soon are safe. They think ones they wanted to do later are in trouble, but at least that gives them time to find other ways to pay for them.