I-77 Toll Lanes

The city of Charlotte may have to repay the DOT more than $60 million in design costs if it rejects the I-77 toll lanes.

NC Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson on Tuesday sent a letter pledging $300 million in community benefits to west Charlotte if the Interstate 77 toll lanes are built.

The N.C. Department of Transportation is offering a sweeping community benefits package that could total as much as $300 million as it seeks support for the proposed Interstate 77 toll lanes project, which would run from south of uptown Charlotte to the South Carolina border.

The CMS Board of Education says it expects to reveal the results of an investigation into Superintendent Crystal Hill before school starts. Darline Graham Nordone and Ralph Norman are among those vying for Lindsey Graham’s seat in the U.S. Senate, and Duke Energy has reached a settlement on its rate of return.

N.C. Department of Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson met with some community leaders last week. He wants local governments to back the I-77 toll lanes again.

The county is set to vote on whether to reverse its rejection of the I-77 toll lane project, and we’ll see which way he’s leaning. Plus, the state finally has a budget — after a long delay — and we’ll look at how the county dealt with the uncertainty surrounding it. We’ll also get into data centers, finances, the immigration crackdown and more with Mecklenburg County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell.

Charlotte City Council is looking for ways to address teen takeovers and may implement a stricter curfew. There's a new wrinkle in the I-77 toll lane saga. South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister has been appointed to fill his seat in Congress, and a parasitic illness has arrived in North Carolina.

Charlotte and other local governments have 90 days to reverse course on the controversial project or risk repaying the state $64 million.

Local leaders reconsidering how to address traffic congestion along Interstate 77 south will revisit the proposed toll lanes project after the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization voted Wednesday night to place it back on its agenda.

On the next Charlotte Talks local news roundup, North Carolina’s budget passes and is signed, sealed and delivered. We dive into the details. Heat continues to plague much of the country including our state where heat indices soared to triple digits, leading to power outages. Plus, a new state law eliminates mandatory parking minimums for the majority of new developments. We examine the possible impact.