NCDOT announces $3.2B plan for elevated express lanes on I-77 in south Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced plans to build elevated express lanes on Interstate 77 in South Charlotte.

The project is expected to cost $3.2 billion, with construction slated to begin no earlier than 2030.

The decision follows more than two dozen small group meetings and two formal public meetings where residents expressed concerns about construction impacts on their neighborhoods.

Critics of the plan argue the new lanes may not do enough to alleviate traffic congestion for those living near the interstate.

The planned 11-mile stretch includes lanes that will pass over Morehead, 4th, Trade and 5th streets. While these specific sections will use the elevated design, the North Carolina Department of Transportation noted that much of the remaining project will expand horizontally. Officials stated the chosen route is the least impactful for the surrounding area.

Jeremy Hester, a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, expressed skepticism about the project’s benefit for average drivers.

Hester said he drove on Interstate 77 frequently during the summer and observed that existing express lanes often have little traffic because of the cost.

“Express lanes sound nice on paper – I can’t afford it. And everyone driving around me can’t afford it,” Hester said. He added that adding extra lanes does not alleviate congestion if drivers cannot afford to use them.

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Shannon Binns, director of Sustain Charlotte, said the state did not do enough to study alternative transit solutions.

Binns suggested the department should have considered dedicated bus lanes on interstate shoulders or burying some of the lanes rather than expanding vertically or horizontally.

“Simply put, moving people alone in their car is the most inefficient way to travel,” Binns said. “And in urban areas, by definition, things are close together. There’s not a lot of space. So you have to use the space efficiently.”

The I-77 project comes as other toll lanes in South Charlotte prepare to begin operations.

The Interstate 485 toll lanes, which run from I-77 to Independence Boulevard, are expected to open at the end of February. For the first year, pricing for those lanes will fluctuate based on the time and day.

“Two-tiered system”

Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham hosted a town hall regarding the expansion Thursday night. He said he had been working with NCDOT, but the announcement was released without warning.

As the meeting progressed, Graham attempted to maintain order as audience members began shouting and demanding the floor.

The disruptions continued until Graham eventually decided to cancel the gathering. He cited the crowd’s refusal to come to order as the reason for ending the meeting prematurely.

Even after the official proceedings ended, residents continued to express their frustrations. Taylor Marshall, a resident who opposes the toll lanes, argued that the project would create a “two-tiered system” on the highway.

“We are not just talking about creating more lanes, we are talking about creating toll lanes, a two-tiered system that only the people who have money can benefit from,” Marshall said.

Transportation officials stated they will continue to listen to the public and seek additional input as the project moves forward.

Residents at the meeting have called for the agency to cancel the toll project and find alternative methods to improve the interstate.

VIDEO >> The cost of saving time: Amid high prices, NCDOT says I-77 toll lanes are ‘effective’

The cost of saving time: Amid high prices, NCDOT says I-77 toll lanes are ‘effective’

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