Following the Charlotte City Council’s Sept. 21 vote to restore its support for the Interstate 77 South Express Lanes project, the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) voted on Sept. 23 to reinstate its endorsement of the project. The vote clears a significant hurdle for the proposed improvement of approximately 11 miles of I-77 between Uptown Charlotte and the South Carolina line.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance commends Charlotte City Council and the CRTPO for reaffirming their support and recognizing the importance of moving this critical regional infrastructure project forward.
The I-77 South project has been nearly two decades in the making. The corridor was first identified for potential express lanes through a regional Fast Lanes Study in 2007, and CRTPO formally submitted the project for state prioritization in 2014. Since then, the project has remained a regional transportation priority through multiple planning, funding, and development stages, reflecting the long-term need for improvements along this key corridor. That need remains as important today as it was when the project was first identified. I-77 South connects communities, residents, and businesses. The project provides an opportunity to improve mobility and address congestion.
The project is also an opportunity to make significant investments in the communities along the corridor. The $300 million community benefits package represents a meaningful commitment to addressing long-standing infrastructure needs and reconnecting neighborhoods affected by the highway. Proposed investments in the memorandum of agreement between the city and the North Carolina Department of Transportation include pedestrian and bicycle improvements, recreation and public spaces, neighborhood connections, and other community priorities. Ensuring these investments remain a core part of the project will help deliver lasting benefits to the communities surrounding I-77 South.
Charlotte’s growth demands continued investment in the infrastructure that connects our communities. With local and regional support restored, the I-77 South project can continue advancing toward construction, improving mobility and connections along one of the region’s most important transportation corridors and supporting the region’s growth for decades to come.
