NCDOT
I-77 Advisory meeting moved to May 10
The next meeting of the I-77 Advisory Group, originally scheduled for April 30, has been moved to Thursday May 10, from 1-3 pm. It will be held at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce in Cornelius. DOT Secretary James Trogdon was recently requested to make a presentation to the state legislature on April 30, according to […]
Was possibility of cancelling I-77 contract falsely reassuring?
Feb. 15. By Dave Yochum. ANALYSIS. The second meeting of the I-77 Advisory Group got under way with former Chamber Chair Mike Russell announcing that there were emergency exits on either side of a packed meeting room. “Just don’t take 77,” Chamber CEO Bill Russell interjected. It was a touch of dark humor at the […]
Toll lane advisors will look at I-77 options, including ‘complete and delete’
By Dave Vieser and Dave Yochum. Just when it seemed as if the state has hemmed and hawed as much as it can on the I-77 toll lane debacle, the NCDOT is putting together a new advisory group “to learn the advantages, disadvantages, costs and timelines” of the options presented this fall by Mercator Advisors, […]
NC Trans secretary picks Mercator Advisors to review I-77 contract
March 31. A company that was part of a team led by Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras and Zachry Construction Corp.—to develop the first phase of the Trans-Texas Corridor—has been selected to review the I-77 Express Lanes contract. NC Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon said Mercator Advisors will conduct an in-depth, outside review. Mercator has not been involved in the $650 […]
Cooper hires legal team to protect vote; N. Meck bailed on McCrory
Nov. 10. Roy Cooper has hired a legal team to protect the results of the gubernatorial election which has him ahead of Pat McCrory by 4,979 votes, with 100 percent of the precincts reporting. McCrory has not conceded. The team will be led by election-protection attorneys Marc Elias and Kevin Hamilton of Perkins Coie, and Edwin Speas […]
Mayor Travis issues statement on meeting with Sen. Berger
June 11. In a prepared statement, Cornelius Mayor Chuck Travis defended his visit to Sen. Philip Berger, along with Davidson Mayor John Woods, in support of the controversial Public Private Partnership that is building toll lanes on I-77 between Charlotte and Lake Norman. Here are his comments: “On Wednesday, June 8th, 2016, at 5:15pm, I attended […]
2 N. Meck mayors split from business community on I-77
June 9. By Dave Yochum. In defiance of the Cornelius Town Board, Mayor Chuck Travis has met with NC Sen. Philip Berger in Raleigh to argue in favor of the Public Private Partnership that is building toll lanes between Lake Norman and Charlotte. Travis, who lobbied against HB-954—the anti-toll legislation that passed overwhelmingly in the NC House June 2—met with […]
Toll battle shifts to NC Senate
June 6. ANALYSIS. By Dave Vieser. What happened last week with House Bill 954, which calls for the cancelation of the I-77 toll lane contract, was nothing short of amazing. The legislation was initially given virtually no chance of passing when it was first introduced. Then as troubling details about the Cintra toll lane contract […]
Citizen Kurt: WidenI-77 organizer wows top politicians
March 10. By Dave Yochum. Speaking to a packed house—150 citizens and elected officials at Cornelius Town Hall—anti-toll leader Kurt Naas started by thanking people for attending a dry information session on Cintra finances, the bankruptcy in Texas and the pricing plan for tolls between Charlotte and Lake Norman. The one-hour presentation by the founder […]
WidenI-77 anti-toll meeting tonight
March 10. With Cintra’s sale of an equity stake in the I-77 toll lane project and the recent bankruptcy of Cintra’s SR 130 toll road in Texas, Widen I-77 is holding a discussion meeting at Cornelius Town Hall at 7 pm tonight. The group will present an analysis of the private tolling business model, including […]