Residents and some councilmembers press Charlotte leaders to pause I‑77 South toll‑lane plan

Dozens of Charlotte residents told the City Council on Feb. 23 that the proposed I‑77 South express toll‑lane project risks displacing Black neighborhoods, worsening air quality and locking the region into a costly, inequitable mobility model.

The public forum that dominated the meeting drew petitions, neighborhood leaders and advocacy groups — including Sustain Charlotte — asking the council to use its influence to pause the project so alternatives and community impacts can be studied. “That is not transparency. That is not partnership,” said Shannon Binns, founder of Sustain Charlotte, who submitted a petition she said included nearly 1,300 signatures.

Why it matters: Speakers warned the elevated toll‑lane design will disproportionately harm historically Black communities along the corridor and create a segregated, pay‑to‑use route that favors wealthier drivers. Shauna Bell of McCrory Heights cited a figure of $4.3 billion for the expansion and urged a publicly noticed pause and a more inclusive review process. Several speakers also cited the city’s adopted climate targets and questioned whether toll lanes align with the 2035…