Project Overview
Planning and development are underway to improve U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) by widening the roadway to include additional express lanes and general-purpose lanes. The express lanes will be part of a network of express lanes in southeastern Charlotte and Matthews in Mecklenburg County.
Proposed work would widen U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) from west of Idlewild Road in Charlotte to I-485 in Matthews to provide an additional general-purpose lane (totaling three general purpose lanes), one express lane and one auxiliary lane in each direction.
The proposed project would improve traffic congestion and provide reliable travel times along the Independence Boulevard corridor. The planned improvements to U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) will give drivers the choice of paying a toll for a more reliable commute between I-277 in Charlotte and I-485 in Matthews.
The Charlotte region is growing and its population has increased substantially over the last 25 years. To accommodate the growth, the N.C. Department of Transportation is undertaking a series of express lane projects on I-485 and U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard), a multilane, median-divided route that serves as the main gateway to Uptown Charlotte from southeast Mecklenburg County and northwest Union County.
In addition to widening U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard), the proposed project includes improvements on routes parallel to U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard) to help minimize congestion during construction as well as after.
In coordination with this project, NCDOT is also proposing to add express lanes on U.S. 74 from I-277 to Idlewild Road. NCDOT is also working closely with the N.C. Turnpike Authority on both projects.