Charlotte

[bob7374]

Looks like the opening of the I-485 Express Lanes is getting closer:
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2026/2026-02-23-i-485-lane-closures.aspx

[WashuOtaku]

Okay boys, the express lanes are now open. 

Updated the Wiki article and here is the reference used.

[Henry]

Okay boys, the express lanes are now open. 

Updated the Wiki article and here is the reference used.

I noted in the article that the inner loop express lanes will be $4.90 at most for a one-way trip, but the outer loop lanes will be $7.35 with a valid transponder. What is up with that?

[WashuOtaku]

Okay boys, the express lanes are now open. 

Updated the Wiki article and here is the reference used.

I noted in the article that the inner loop express lanes will be $4.90 at most for a one-way trip, but the outer loop lanes will be $7.35 with a valid transponder. What is up with that?

The tolls are different for inner and outer. There is considerable more traffic going outbound (afternoon) plus the direct exit to Johnston Road South (Ballantyne area), while the inbound does not have a direct exit.

I do have the references linked where I got the numbers. In a year, they will change the system to dynamic pricing, which I assume will be the usual minimum-maximum range.

[architect77]

Okay boys, the express lanes are now open. 

Updated the Wiki article and here is the reference used.

I noted in the article that the inner loop express lanes will be $4.90 at most for a one-way trip, but the outer loop lanes will be $7.35 with a valid transponder. What is up with that?

The tolls are different for inner and outer. There is considerable more traffic going outbound (afternoon) plus the direct exit to Johnston Road South (Ballantyne area), while the inbound does not have a direct exit.

I do have the references linked where I got the numbers. In a year, they will change the system to dynamic pricing, which I assume will be the usual minimum-maximum range.

So I always thought the genius of Express Lanes was that the dynamic pricing could guarantee a free flowing lane of 45mph minimum or faster, and that it would never succumb to gridlock or congestion. If the tolls had to had to rise to $100 per trip to keep too many from using the lane at once that threatened the 45mph speed then so be it.

I thought the sole purpose was guaranteeing the free flow of 45mph as an option for everyone during certain times when they needed to get somewhere predictably faster.

NCDOT should force Cintra to lower the Northern Express Lane tolls to the amount that they (the lanes) are fully utilized. From what people say they are not fully utilized and the prices can be $7 for 2 mile stretches which is absurd. Has Cintra chosen a moderate usage at high rates revenue model over a high utilization starting with lower rates (what it should be) revenue model?

[Plutonic Panda]

There should be a cap on how high the tolls can go. I don't care if the speed limit drops down to 3 miles an hour, there's no justification to force other commuters to sit in soul crushing traffic so the 1% of people that can afford to pay 100 fucking dollars can fly by them at 45 miles an hour. That's insanity.

[ElishaGOtis]

https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article315714047.html

Oh for goodness sake...

[wriddle082]

^ I really don't know what a good solution to this would be.  And don't say transit because the Lynx Blue Line runs less than a mile from most of this corridor.  The problem here is everyone who can't use transit.  Tractor trailers, dump trucks, work trucks of all shapes and sizes.  The people who make it possible for a society to one day become dependent on transit, they have to physically DRIVE to the construction sites with the tools and materials/construction supplies to get the work done so these mostly petulant and smug transit babies can live in peace and harmony not driving on I-77.  And these blue collar workers either can't afford to live in Charlotte or don't feel safe living in the areas they could afford, so they live in South Carolina or in Union County, NC and commute into Charlotte from there every day.  And those same blue collar workers put up with rich a$$holes in high end SUVs or sports cars/sedans commuting in from Ballantyne zipping in and out of traffic and causing accidents.

I may not live in Charlotte, but seeing that I've worked in most parts of the area for the past 15 years doing telecom work, I know the traffic patterns.  A lot of traffic converges on I-77 between I-485 and I-277.  It used to just be northbound in the mornings and southbound in the afternoons, but it's both ways now with folks going to either CLT or the Tyvola Rd/South Park area, or the numerous distro centers/warehouses near Westinghouse Blvd.  77 is bad.  Really bad.  I am definitely against ruining any more neighborhoods to fix this issue, if at all possible.  And seeing as how the 77 north toll lanes have been a pricing disaster from Day 1 of tolling, I'm completely against toll lanes, unless they find a way to toll all of them for a reasonable price during commuting times and not toll them during off-peak times.  They can do that with 77 north (eliminate the tolls during non-peak times).  Heck, NCDOT ought to do that with the new 485 toll lanes right now.  But Cintra is in it for the money for their shareholders (who probably don't live in the USA), so they could care less.

[ElishaGOtis]

^ I really don't know what a good solution to this would be.  And don't say transit because the Lynx Blue Line runs less than a mile from most of this corridor.  The problem here is everyone who can't use transit.  Tractor trailers, dump trucks, work trucks of all shapes and sizes.  The people who make it possible for a society to one day become dependent on transit, they have to physically DRIVE to the construction sites with the tools and materials/construction supplies to get the work done so these mostly petulant and smug transit babies can live in peace and harmony not driving on I-77.  And these blue collar workers either can't afford to live in Charlotte or don't feel safe living in the areas they could afford, so they live in South Carolina or in Union County, NC and commute into Charlotte from there every day.  And those same blue collar workers put up with rich a$$holes in high end SUVs or sports cars/sedans commuting in from Ballantyne zipping in and out of traffic and causing accidents.

I may not live in Charlotte, but seeing that I've worked in most parts of the area for the past 15 years doing telecom work, I know the traffic patterns.  A lot of traffic converges on I-77 between I-485 and I-277.  It used to just be northbound in the mornings and southbound in the afternoons, but it's both ways now with folks going to either CLT or the Tyvola Rd/South Park area, or the numerous distro centers/warehouses near Westinghouse Blvd.  77 is bad.  Really bad.  I am definitely against ruining any more neighborhoods to fix this issue, if at all possible.  And seeing as how the 77 north toll lanes have been a pricing disaster from Day 1 of tolling, I'm completely against toll lanes, unless they find a way to toll all of them for a reasonable price during commuting times and not toll them during off-peak times.  They can do that with 77 north (eliminate the tolls during non-peak times).  Heck, NCDOT ought to do that with the new 485 toll lanes right now.  But Cintra is in it for the money for their shareholders (who probably don't live in the USA), so they could care less.

Personally, I think there could be a transit-style alternative. I've always been a fan of combining express lanes with BRT like in Los Angeles and Minneapolis, rather than the "express bus" services seen by a few cities. Heck, maybe such an idea could have saved the express lanes in Jacksonville...

[nerdom]

I feel that 485 isn't utilized well enough as a bypass for thru travel. It's great for 77 and decent for connecting to 85N by continuing beyond the 77 interchange. What if 77 was tolled with a flat $2 or $3 fee from 485 to Brookshire? Just enough to discourage drivers to avoid while still being somewhat price sensitive. Money could be used fund tunnels/caps the city would want along the way to reduce impact on adjacent properties. Also, transit doesn't really go far enough south to help with 77 traffic. It's also not very convenient to access from 77. SC is huge contributor to the traffic on 77. Fort Mill and Rock Hill would need to have stops and RH is kind of pushing limits for length of light rail. Commuter rail would be best but, SC ain't going for that.

[bob7374]

NCDOT announcement regarding 6 proposals to reconnect the west side of Charlotte to the rest of the city currently separated due to I-77, as part of the upcoming I-77 South Express Lanes project. Planned 'summit' about the proposals has been canceled due to 'recent developments that may impact the project's funding':
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2026/2026-05-18-i-77-reconnecting-concepts.aspx

[fillup420]

NCDOT announcement regarding 6 proposals to reconnect the west side of Charlotte to the rest of the city currently separated due to I-77, as part of the upcoming I-77 South Express Lanes project. Planned 'summit' about the proposals has been canceled due to 'recent developments that may impact the project's funding':
https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2026/2026-05-18-i-77-reconnecting-concepts.aspx

The "recent developments" could be at least partly attributed to the widespread public opposition to this project. There was heavy opposition to the current toll lanes, but they were forced upon us anyway. Its now been proven with time that they do not help solve the traffic issue on I-77 between Charlotte and Mooresville. i can attest, from sitting in crawling traffic for several miles while the toll lanes remain mostly empty, that it doesn't work. Also, the nissan-altima-type folks love to just run over the plastic barriers separating the lanes, in between the toll gantries, so they dont get charged. This causes even more traffic with cars just whipping back into the free lanes.

The costs during peak hours are absurd. The MINIMUM price, as seen from street view, to go from 277 North to 85 North via the 77 toll lanes is $3.20, the max i have seen is $6.75. that is less than 3 miles of travel. absolutely insane, since its a vital link from "uptown" Charlotte to I-85. also, that movement always costs more than going further on the toll lanes to US 21. The dynamic pricing is purely profit-driven, and NCDOT is not the main beneficiary to those tolls, since Pat Mcrory basically sold the road to a foreign private developer.

The residents are right to resist this project. It just doesn't solve the problem its supposed to solve. It instead preys upon those who make a split-second decision when they see slow/stopped traffic ahead. Drivers have about 4 seconds to make that decision.

As a Charlotte native myself, I despise the entire toll lane project. There is a perfectly good rail line between Charlotte and Mooresville that could easily be upgraded to support commuter service. if the state put the same funding towards that, it would get commuters off the road, and the interstate could function more like its supposed to; serving long-distance travelers.

[Plutonic Panda]

That's fucking ridiculous. They need to build the toll lanes it would help.