Charlotte City Council Members Advocate for Toll Lane Project Delay Amid Public Outcry
In response to widespread community disapproval, ten out of eleven Charlotte City Council members are advocating for a pause on the Interstate 77 toll lanes project. Mayor Vi Lyles has agreed to advance the council’s discussion on the controversial highway project to the city’s retreat scheduled for Monday, foregoing the initial plan of a March 5 meeting.
The City Council chamber was filled with toll lane opponents, who voiced their discontent with signs urging the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization to “STOP the I-77 Expansion now.” The crowd’s presence was strongly felt throughout the meeting.
Sean Langley, president of the McCrorey Heights neighborhood, succinctly summarized the opponents’ demands, stating, “Our ask tonight is very simple: Pause the project. Let’s have meaningful community engagement. But our ask tonight is to pause this project.”
During the gathering, approximately a dozen residents spoke out against the project, prompting nearly unanimous support for a pause from all council members except Ed Driggs. Driggs, who plays a key role in transportation decisions and was instrumental in the project’s initial approval in October 2024, stood alone in his dissent.
Renee Johnson, another council member, proposed signing a petition from her seat and urged the council to vote on pausing the project immediately. However, unanimous consent was required to expedite the agenda, and Driggs’ opposition prevented the vote.
To successfully halt the project, the council may need to take more decisive measures, such as compelling Driggs to propose a resolution to the CRTPO. This would require support from two or three additional local governments represented in the organization.
The current debate traces back to fall 2024 when Driggs garnered unanimous council support for the N.C. Department of Transportation’s collaboration with a private contractor for the toll lanes. Although some council members expressed reservations at the time, Driggs assured them that opportunities to reconsider the project would arise.
However, the approved resolution allowed CRTPO to change its stance only until the DOT issued a Request for Qualifications in August 2025. The subsequent release of detailed draft maps two months later ignited anger among west Charlotte residents.
In a Monday meeting, Council member Dimple Ajmera questioned, “Who tied our hands and why?” reflecting the ongoing frustration among both officials and residents.
While the majority of comments voiced opposition to the toll lanes, business community representatives, including Ann Brooks from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, were present. Brooks emphasized the importance of community feedback but stressed the necessity of advancing the $3.2 billion expansion.
