CHARLOTTE — The North Carolina Department of Transportation is opening a new center in Uptown Charlotte for people to learn more about the Interstate-77 South toll lanes project.
NCDOT says its Community Engagement Center will open on Monday, March 30. The center is located at 1023 W. Morehead St., Suite 150.
The facility is part of a broader initiative to collect feedback from residents as the department pauses advancement on the project.
Visitors can access the center by making virtual or in-person appointments online or by calling 1-800-254-0498. The facility will also accept drop-in visitors. Operating hours are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. State and federal holidays may impact these hours.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
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NCDOT also plans to provide updates through a dedicated project web page and email notifications.
Safety data provided by the department indicates that the I-77 South corridor is one of the most congested in North Carolina, and the area has a crash rate 2.8 times higher than the statewide average for urban interstates. On average, the corridor sees five crashes every day and five fatalities every year.
The I-77 South Express Lanes project was originally initiated following a request from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization. It is currently included in the 2026–2035 State Transportation Improvement Plan. The project aims to reduce congestion and improve travel reliability between the Brookshire Freeway and the South Carolina state line.
The project has faced significant opposition from residents in neighborhoods like Wilmore and McCrorey Heights, with many worried that the new lanes will affect green spaces and make the westside communities more disconnected from the city’s center.
The project is currently under state control after local leaders requested qualifications from developers. NCDOT has since paused advancement to gather more community input. Gov. Josh Stein expressed support for the decision to pause the project to hear from local residents.
(VIDEO: Charlotte City Council cancels I-77 toll lane project discussion)
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