The toll-lane widening project that began construction on I-77 north of Charlotte this week won’t be the only one in the Charlotte area. Next up are toll lanes on 17 miles of I-485 in south Charlotte, from I-77 to US 74.
The NCDOT hopes to sign a contract for the $200 million project in July. One toll lane is planned in both directions, as a way to guarantee travel times on the congested stretch. Construction would begin in 2017 and take a couple of years.
Opponents are continuing to fight the I-77 widening project in the Lake Norman area, even as construction begins.
The I-485 toll lane project would be different from I-77 in one key way: The DOT plans to operate the tolls itself. On I-77, a private company, I-77 Mobility Partners, is building and will operate toll lanes on 26 miles of the highway from I-277 to Mooresville.
The DOT also manages the tolls on the state’s first toll road, the Triangle Expressway, which opened in 2012.
Other toll lanes are planned in the future around Charlotte, including on US 74 from Conference Drive to I-485 in Matthews and on I-77 south of Charlotte.
More information about the I-485 project is on the NCDOT website, http://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-5507/