New Ad to Stop I-77 Toll Project

Charlotte could play a big part in whether or not the I-77 toll lane construction continues.

Monday, Charlotte City Council members will meet and take a vote.   City Councils vote will direct Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles.

She is the city’s delegate on the Charlotte Regional Transportation planning organization.

That’s the group that will ultimately decide if the project lives or dies.

Construction on the I-77 toll lanes are underway but the project could still be stopped.

Governor Pat McCrory sent a letter to the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization asking for another vote to clearly state whether it will keep their current strategy, or vote on a new regional transportation plan.

McCrory says backing out of the current plan could be costly.  With a 100-million-dollar penalty according to NCDOT.

Charlotte City Council will review everything in a meeting on Monday.

Widen I 77 filed a lawsuit to try and stop the tolls.  They will have a hearing Friday at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse to lay out their case.

“Once the toll lanes are built there can be no additional widening of I-77 lanes for fifty years, so this is not just today but a disaster for three generations,” says Kurt Naas with WidenI77.org

Opponents of the plan have taken out this ad in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer.   Asking drivers to contact Charlotte City Council and voice their outrage over the plan.

State Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson told WCCB News in November it’s not as easy as it sounds.

“It won’t be simply throwing a switch and going to a different project.  There is a process and right now we got a contract in place that will offer a 26 mile solution in three years and those who want to stop it need to understand the rest of the region, all of us, are going to be asking what’s next?” says Tennyson.