I-77 South Express Lanes

Summary

A proposal to add tolled express lanes along 11.2 miles of Interstate 77 between the South Carolina state line and I-277 in Charlotte. The plan also calls for rebuilt interchanges and bridges. Charlotte and CRTPO reinstated support for the public-private delivery process in September 2026 after NCDOT stopped work in May.

Current stage: Preliminary design or environmental review.

Current condition: Active.

Key Facts

Project Funding

Funding type: Public · Status: Changed

Timeline

1. 2026-09-23

   CRTPO reinstates P3 delivery resolution

   CRTPO reinstated its resolution requesting that NCDOT move forward with a public-private partnership delivery process for the I-77 South Express Lanes Project. The action cleared a major approval step, but did not establish a construction contract or construction start.

   Stage after event: Preliminary design or environmental review
2. 2026-09-21

   Charlotte reinstates support for P3 delivery

   Charlotte City Council voted to reinstate support for NCDOT's proposed public-private delivery process and authorized its CRTPO representative to vote for reinstatement at the regional planning organization's meeting.

3. 2026-07-07

   State law creates reconsideration window

   Session Law 2026-41 gave local governments that supported rescission 90 days to vote for reinstating the October 2024 resolution or face reimbursement and funding consequences. The law did not itself reinstate the project; CRTPO set a reconsideration vote for September 23.

4. 2026-05-20

   CRTPO withdraws support and work stops

   After Charlotte City Council withdrew support on May 11, CRTPO rescinded its October 2024 public-private delivery authorization on May 20. NCDOT stopped all work and began removing the project from the STIP because it considered that delivery method the only financially viable option.

5. 2026-02-04

   NCDOT selects lower-impact design concept

   NCDOT selected an elevated preliminary design near Uptown as the lower-impact concept after community engagement. The design remained about 10 to 15 percent complete and subject to environmental review and procurement refinement.

6. 2025-08-15

   NCDOT requests developer qualifications

   NCDOT issued a Request for Qualifications for the proposed public-private concession, beginning formal developer procurement while environmental review and preliminary design continued.

7. 2025-07-09

   State adopts project in 2026-2035 STIP

   The State Board of Transportation adopted the 2026-2035 STIP. It listed I-5718 at $4.313 billion in year-of-expenditure dollars, including planned 2029 right-of-way, utility, and construction phases. NCDOT described up to $600 million as the state contribution.

8. 2024-10-16

   CRTPO authorizes public-private delivery process

   CRTPO authorized NCDOT to proceed with a public-private delivery process and formed a working group with NCDOT to develop project priorities and procurement terms.

9. 2024-09

   Environmental and feasibility work advances

   NCDOT reported that an environmental assessment and traffic-and-revenue work were underway. Its comparative analysis found traditional toll delivery was not financially feasible under the assumptions studied, while public-private delivery was likely feasible.

   Stage after event: Preliminary design or environmental review
10. 2023-02

    CRTPO requests delivery comparison

    CRTPO directed NCDOT to compare a public-private partnership with a traditional public toll delivery through the North Carolina Turnpike Authority.

11. 2016

    Partial right-of-way funding enters STIP

    The project entered the 2016-2025 STIP with partial right-of-way acquisition funding. This limited phase funding did not provide enough money to deliver the full express-lane project.

    Stage after event: Funded or programmed
12. 2014

    CRTPO advances express-lane concept

    CRTPO included I-77 South express lanes in its 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and submitted the project for state prioritization in the 2016-2025 State Transportation Improvement Program process.

13. 2007

    Regional study identifies I-77 South corridor

    Charlotte-region transportation agencies launched the Fast Lanes Study. It identified I-77 from north of Gold Hill Road in South Carolina to I-277 in Charlotte as a corridor for further managed-lane study.

    Stage after event: Planning or feasibility

Geography

Map

ExactApproximate

Solid geometry is exact. Dotted geometry and dotted-outline markers are approximate. Multiple markers may show independently verified locations; they are not connected and do not establish a route or alignment.