CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Officials say work on a $346 million toll-lanes project on an interstate loop road around North Carolinaโs biggest city is running well behind schedule.
State highway officials said during a recent public meeting of a North Carolina Turnpike Authority committee that the opening of those lanes on I-485, originally planned for fall of 2022, now faces a delay of up to two years, a news outlet reported
โWow!โ one committee member could be heard blurting out in the meeting.
The project will add an express toll lane in each direction for a stretch of the road and a general-purpose free lane along an often-bottlenecked stretch, a news outlet previously reported.
Former Cornelius Mayor Chuck Travis, a member of the authorityโs board of directors, warned that the delay could hurt the stateโs credibility down the road.
โTo go back to the public and tell them that weโre stalling this project for another 1 1/2 to 2 years in an area thatโs rapidly growing … for future projects, this has major impact as far as credibility as we build more projects across the state,โ he said.
A spokesman for the projectโs contractor didnโt respond to the news outletsโs request for comment.
