Interesting development here with City Council rescinding support for the I-77 toll lane project. I wonder if theyâll find 4 more votes on the CRTPO to stop the project. It really seems like DOT didnât think this one through. I am not sure how I feel about it. The toll lanes on the north side are nice when I go that direction but I canât imagine having to use them every day, and it surely seems like a vast majority of people donât use them. It would probably be the same in the southern section but itâll be a double-decker monstrosity instead. There has to be a better way.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article315714047.html
I-77 North pisses me off. Itâs a parking lot with unused lanes because they are way too expensive.
Should never have been built as toll lanes.
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We live 5 hours away but will take alternate routes that add up to 30 minutes to avoid the Charlotte traffic. Last time we were in town for the spring practice the cost to go 1.5 miles from Huntersville to Cornelius was over $6.00. I am not paying that kind of $$$ as it is the principal of it with me now. Plus it is a Spanish company who built the lanes and not a US company. What a boondoggle.
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As someone that lives east of 77 at exit 28, those toll lanes are the Fâing worst. We have a transponder but only use it if we have 3 or more in the car for HOV in which case itâs free.
I visited Florida a lot growing up and as an adult and never thought their tolls were bad. This dynamic stuff on 77 is insane. End to end during rush hour, itâs gotta be pushing $40 or more. Iâm probably being too conservative.
We refuse to pay any tolls on it.
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Not a great solution, but I77 has to be expanded. The Ciy is going to lose the State money and opportunity if they donât act accordingly.
Nobody wants to pay tolls, but it is kinda like NIL, just the way it is now.
The idea is that people that use the road should pay for it. It is not going to get cheaper to build later. Charlotte is busting at the seams and something has to be done.
I know, not a popular opinion, but I am not a politician.
Iâm marginally okay with state owned toll lanes. They are, in theory, not profit focused, and this is reflected in the stark difference in toll costs between the 77 north toll lanes and the 485/Monroe bypass toll prices. State owned ones are also publicly owned so they could be repurposed to be general traffic lanes in the future (unlikely and laughable thought I know) while foreign owned toll lanes will never have the interests of the public in mind.
The I-77 toll lanes are owned by NCDOT.
If I remember correctly youâre in the same neighborhood as my parents. I use the lanes when I visit them because I canât spend2 hours driving there from south Charlotte. Typically we have all 3 of us in the car. I think last week it was almost $6 per exit. We had HOV switched on so didnât have to pay but thatâs ridiculous.
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But the money goes to Cintra.
How can they tell if you have 3 or more in the car?
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They take mandatory blood samples when you enter the car. Deposit them in the transponder 
I assume they are looking at heat signatures with their equipment. Transponder has a switch you have to flip well before merging to use it.
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clt says cintra matches your tag with the census data that you provide..another reason to avoid the census
Cameras at every exit and entry as well as spaced along the highway.
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Like @ninermac said, there are transponders with HOV switches. If you donât have a transponder with the switch, you can use the app or go online to your account and tell them youâll be HOV at least 15 minutes prior to entering the lanes. Thatâll mark your account for that trip.
They definitely have cameras everywhere. Not sure about the heat signature, but they definitely can tell. I accidentally left the HOV switch on one time and they sent me a letter accusing me of toll evasion and warning me that next time Iâd be fined or have my transponders revoked.
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CLT needs to be less worried about the census and more worried about data centers. Why do you think they suddenly need thousands of them??
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https://x.com/i/status/2056749482952307017
Not news, but maybe a few more details and pretty pictures.
Hereâs a passenger version:
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Where is Raleigh??? Thought they were so great, lol
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