CHARLOTTE – The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and N.C. Turnpike Authority (NCTA) invite the public to learn more about the I-77 South Express Lanes project during two public meetings this week. On behalf of the region, NCDOT is delivering the project to improve 11 miles of Interstate 77 from the South Carolina state line to I-277/N.C. 16 (Brookshire Freeway) in uptown Charlotte.
- Wednesday, Nov. 12
- 4–7 p.m.
- Innovation Center, Johnson C. Smith University, Room 322
- 100 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte
- Thursday, Nov. 13
- 4–7 p.m.
- Silver Mount Baptist Church
- 501 W. Arrowood Road, Charlotte
The purpose of these public meetings is to collect feedback from the community and adjust preliminary designs to deliver the best version of the project that minimizes impacts to the environment and communities. No final decisions have been made in terms of design or property impacts. The maps shown on the project website and at the public meetings are preliminary concepts.
The southern 11-mile stretch of I-77 has not been widened since the 1990s and the population of the Charlotte region has grown by nearly 20% since 2010. More than 160,000 vehicles use this section of I-77 every day, and crash rates are two-and-a-half times higher than the statewide average. As safety is NCDOT’s top priority, doing nothing is not an option on this corridor. Without these improvements, congestion and safety conditions will continue to worsen as the region grows to more than 4 million residents by 2050.
Per state law, toll projects in North Carolina must be approved by the local planning organization. CRTPO first submitted this project to NCDOT for prioritization in 2014. This project is listed as ‘I-5718’ in NCDOT’s 2026-2035 State Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP.
In October 2024, CRTPO requested NCDOT move forward with a Public Private Partnership (P3) delivery process and created a working group in partnership with the Department to identify project priorities and develop key contract terms.
Project priorities established by the working group include:
- Optimize utilization of express lanes and general-purpose lanes with toll rate caps
- Encourage a competitive procurement process
- Increase transparency during all project phases
- Provide transit benefits
The purpose of the project is to manage congestion by providing an option for a reliable travel time along I-77 by implementing managed lanes consistent with recommendations from the 2007
Fast Lanes Study and CRTPO’s 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Management Plan, and to improve traffic operations by increasing travel speed and throughput along I-77.
The planned improvements to the I-77 South corridor include:
- Widening 11 miles of I-77 to add two express lanes in each direction
- Building direct connectors to the express lanes
- Rebuilding bridges and interchanges in the project corridor
- Creating access points to enter the express lanes
- Building sidewalks, bike lanes and shared-use paths
Since January, NCDOT has presented information about the I-77 South Express Lanes project at 25 small group meetings in local communities, reaching more than 800 people.
As the design process continues, NCDOT is required to follow federal policies that require the project team to consider, examine and minimize impacts to the natural and human environment as much as possible. The team also must consider historic properties and landmarks, cemeteries and other factors when designing a project. The same information will be presented at both meetings.
NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in these meetings. Anyone requiring special services should contact Emily Richards at (919) 707-6014 or edrichards1@ncdot.gov so arrangements can be made.
People who speak Spanish and have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.