In 2007, the city of Charlotte partnered with the N.C. Department of Transportation, the S.C. Department of Transportation, the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, or CRTPO, and other local and regional agencies to initiate the “Fast Lanes Study.”
This study examined existing and planned major highways throughout a 10-county area and identified corridors that could benefit most from express lanes to help manage congestion during peak travel periods. The initial findings identified I-77 from north of Gold Hill Road (in South Carolina) to I-277 (Belk Freeway) as one of several corridors for further study for managed lanes.
Per state law, toll projects in North Carolina must be requested and approved by the local planning organization. This project was submitted to state prioritization by CRTPO in 2014. Additionally, the proposed I-77 South Express Lane Project was included in the CRTPO 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which was adopted in April 2022. The project is also included in the current 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program.
In February 2023, the CRTPO board approved a motion for the NCDOT to perform a comparative analysis of a potential Public-Private Partnership (P3) delivery approach versus a traditional public option delivered through the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, including evaluations of risk, financial feasibility, benefit-cost, and value for money.
The
comparative analysis findings were presented to CRTPO in August 2024, stating a traditional toll delivery approach is not currently financially feasible due to project cost escalations and less funding capacity. The analysis also found the P3 toll delivery approach is likely financially feasible, significantly reducing the funding gap by transferring financial risks to the developer while allowing the project to move forward with less public funding.
In October 2024, the CRTPO board voted for NCDOT to continue with a public-private partnership (P3) delivery process. A working group made up of CRTPO board members and NCDOT staff was created to discuss project objectives and identify potential key terms prior to a future Request for Qualifications (RFQ). A developer will be selected through an open and competitive bid process.