Charlotte votes to revive I-77 South toll lane project

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday to support the Interstate 77 South toll lane expansion project, reversing its previous stance.

The decision allows the city to avoid paying back an estimated $69 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation while securing $300 million in promised community benefits.

The expansion project targets an 11-mile stretch of highway from the South Carolina border to the Brookshire Freeway exit.

The effort aims to ease congestion and reduce crashes along a corridor that has a crash rate 2.5 times higher than the statewide average for urban interstates.

Charlotte is the latest municipality to flip its position, aligning with other local governments ahead of a regional transportation board decision.

The contentious vote followed a meeting that lasted little over 3 hours, beginning with 2 hours of public comment where dozens of citizens spoke on both sides of the issue.

Tensions flared during the council’s hourlong debate, leading police to escort several audience members opposing the tolls out of the chamber for shouting and chanting.

To ensure the delivery of the $300 million in community benefits promised by state officials, the council approved a memorandum of understanding that legally binds the state. The state transportation secretary is scheduled to sign the agreement.

Charlotte City Council Member Malcolm Graham, a Democrat representing District 2, spoke in favor of the project, pointing to both infrastructure improvements and neighborhood investment.

“Tonight, we took a giant step forward to solving two problems at the same time. One, really advancing I-77 as a community priority, ensuring the highway is safe and secure for all our residents and at the same time making a major investment in historically underutilized communities,” Graham said.

Other officials urged caution regarding the state’s promises. Charlotte City Council Member Victoria Watlington, an at-large Democrat, expressed skepticism about moving forward.

“Trust is built on what a partner delivers, and many understandably want a longer track record before we go down that path again,” Watlington said.

First brought up in 2007, the toll project currently has approximately 15% of its design work completed, leaving room for modifications if planning moves forward.

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization is scheduled to vote Wednesday on reinstating project funding.

With Charlotte joining Huntersville, Cornelius and Monroe in flipping support, the simple majority required to reinstate the project has already been reached.

If funding is approved, the design process for the toll lanes will officially restart.

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