Mecklenburg County commissioners joined several local town boards Tuesday night in asking the North Carolina Department of Transportation to delay its deal with a private company to build and operate toll lanes in northern Mecklenburg and southern Iredell counties. On Wednesday, the state gave its answer: No. The state announced it has closed on the financing contract with a subsidiary of Cintra U.S.
That action comes one week ahead of the DOT’s scheduled contract closing.
"I'm actually shocked. To ignore the requests of five elected bodies to delay, and instead to accelerate the signing of the contract...is the single most insulting and arrogant act of governance I've seen in 18 years of politics," says Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett, the sponsor of Tuesday night’s resolution.
