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City Council hears from toll lane supporters, opponents with key vote looming
By Steve Harrison
August 24, 2026 at 7:37 PM EDT
Less than a month before a critical vote on the proposed Interstate 77 toll lanes, Charlotte City Council last night heard from both sides of the debate during its public forum.
The city of Charlotte has more than 40% of the weighted vote on the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization. That board will decide Sept. 23 whether to bring the toll lanes back or reaffirm its May decision to withdraw support for the controversial $4 billion project.
Robert McCutcheon of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance pointed to the state’s pledge to spend up to $300 million to improve connections between the west side and uptown.
“The debate over I-77 has too often become about winners and losers,” he said. “But what if Charlotte can do something bigger? What if we can reduce congestion for hundreds of thousands of people and reconnect communities divided for generations?”
Others, including the Rev. Janet Garner-Mullins, urged council members not to change their minds.
“The question before you is simple. What has changed? The concerns raised by residents have not changed, and the burdens that toll roads place on families have not changed,” she said. “What’s changed is the pressure on local governments to revisit decisions already reached through public engagement and careful deliberation.”
The General Assembly wants the city and other local governments to pay $60 million in design costs if the toll lanes aren’t brought back.
The city of Charlotte has more than 40% of the weighted vote on the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization. That board will decide Sept. 23 whether to bring the toll lanes back or reaffirm its May decision to withdraw support for the controversial $4 billion project.
Robert McCutcheon of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance pointed to the state’s pledge to spend up to $300 million to improve connections between the west side and uptown.
“The debate over I-77 has too often become about winners and losers,” he said. “But what if Charlotte can do something bigger? What if we can reduce congestion for hundreds of thousands of people and reconnect communities divided for generations?”
Others, including the Rev. Janet Garner-Mullins, urged council members not to change their minds.
“The question before you is simple. What has changed? The concerns raised by residents have not changed, and the burdens that toll roads place on families have not changed,” she said. “What’s changed is the pressure on local governments to revisit decisions already reached through public engagement and careful deliberation.”
The General Assembly wants the city and other local governments to pay $60 million in design costs if the toll lanes aren’t brought back.