The regional board that killed the I-77 South toll lanes in May will vote again on September 23, this time under a state budget that gives the governments that opposed the project a choice: bring it back, or repay $64 million. The Charlotte Mercury has the full account of the July 15 meeting and where every jurisdiction stands. For Fourth Ward, at the uptown end of the corridor, here is what matters.
- The vote is set for September 23. There is no vote in August. The board will decide whether to reinstate the 2024 public-private partnership it rescinded in the spring.
- The state attached a price. The budget Gov. Josh Stein signed on July 7 gives the governments that voted to kill the project about 90 days, until roughly October 5, to reverse course. Those that do not owe the state the $64 million already spent on design, and see other road money frozen until they pay. A Republican state senator, Vickie Sawyer of Iredell, called it "a punitive measure."
- Charlotte is the biggest voice in the room. The city holds 31 of the board's roughly 73 weighted votes, more than any other member, which is why the board's vice chair asked Charlotte to report its position in August.
- The lines are moving. Cornelius has already voted to support bringing the lanes back. Mecklenburg County remains opposed. Charlotte says its position is unchanged but that there are conversations about "a path forward."
- The civic question underneath it. Residents who spoke against the project argued that the region already studied its options and voted, and that the state is now using money to overturn a local decision.
The board meets next on August 19, when Charlotte is expected to say where it stands. For the full breakdown of the budget provisions, the vote math, and every jurisdiction's position, read The Charlotte Mercury's coverage.