North Carolina officials detail safety and economic benefits of the proposed I-77 South toll lanes but community reactions remains mixed.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ North Carolina transportation leaders are continuing discussions about the proposed I-77 South toll lanes project, providing new details about safety concerns, design plans and what comes next.
During a meeting at the Community Engagement Center, NCDOT officials answered questions from residents and showcased updated renderings of the project, including elevated express lanes near locations such as Rayโs Splash Planet.
Officials said one of their main goals is helping the public better understand why they believe the project is needed.
โAnyone driving 77, you know there is a problem that can’t be ignored,โ Jen Goodwin with NCDOT said.
The agency says the 11-mile corridor where the toll lanes are proposed has a crash rate 2.8 times higher than comparable roadways across North Carolina. Officials estimate about five fatalities occur along the stretch each year.
NCDOT says the project would bring safety improvements, corridor upgrades, aesthetic enhancements and economic development opportunities.
Officials also addressed concerns about how the elevated lanes could impact Charlotteโs skyline โ an issue residents have repeatedly raised.
โAs has been mentioned, I think often times we hear all the negative voices that call into reference the challenges that they have, and what’s often left out is pragmatic folks who walk in to this center or show up to a neighborhood meeting and say if this helps me get a sidewalk in the neighborhood I am always trying to traverse and it’s dangerous? There is a benefit there for me,โ Federico Rios with the D. Wilson Agency, a firm hired by NCDOT, said.
Still, some concerns go beyond design.
For many residents, trust remains a major issue after criticism surrounding the I-77 North toll lanes project and questions about whether it effectively reduced congestion.
Officials say this proposal would include several differences.
โHere developers have had to agree to toll rate caps for this stretch of I-77 South so thatโs a really big difference in terms of people getting on the express lane and are not sit there when 2-3 cars drive by like you see on I-77, the second thing is low income discount program so anyone who is considered low income or on SNAP will have discounted tolls still need a transponder,โ DeAlva Arnold with the D. Wilson Agency said.
Pushback from residents and advocacy groups still remains.
โIt’s a false choice to present to committee and council to say the only way they can improve these bridges for safety is to add toll lanes to 77,โ Shannon Binns, founder of Sustain Charlotte, said. โThe neighborhood we’re working with have been clear from the beginning they do not want more toll lanes or toll lanes in their neighborhoods.”
Controversy surrounding the I-77 toll lane project stems from the potential destruction of neighborhoods and displacement of residents to accommodate the construction.ย
“We want to connect the neighborhoods that have been harmed for decades by building 77 where it is in the first place, and we want to see reconnection and that hasn’t changed,โ Binns said.
NCDOT says shortlisted developers are expected to be in Charlotte next week to meet with residents and city staff as discussions continue around the future of the project.
A โReconnecting the Corridorโ design summit is scheduled for May 19-20, followed by a community benefits fair and first draft request for proposals in June 2026. A community benefits summit is expected in July 2026, with a formal public hearing planned for September 2026.
Environmental decision documents and a Finding of No Significant Impact, or FONSI, are expected in April 2027.
Charlotte City Council is also expected to discuss the project Monday.
The Community Engagement Center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at 1023 W. Morehead St.
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