By CHUCK McSHANE
DavidsonNews.net

Representatives from the Lake Norman Transportation Commission and the citizens group Widen I-77 made their cases Friday for and against plans to widen I-77 using High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes at a forum at the Lake Norman Chamber in Cornelius. About 45 business owners, elected officials and area residents showed up for the Focus Friday event.

Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will hold a public information session about the contested I-77 high occupancy toll (HOT) lane project on Wednesday from 2:30 to 4pm at Huntersville Town Hall.

Read the full story

The N.C. Department of Transportation and the Town of Huntersville will hold a public meeting and workshop Wednesday afternoon in Huntersville on plans for widening I-77 north of Charlotte. Read the full story

Local officials and opponents of toll lanes on I-77 are continuing to battle it out this week over the N.C. DOT’s plans for widening the congested highway. A public forum on Friday at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce will include remarks by the leader of the anti-toll group Widen I-77 and the director of the Lake Norman Transportation Commission, which previously has endorsed the DOT plan.

Meanwhile, a group claiming to represent more than 60 property owners in the Northcross area, off I-77 Exit 25, issued a statement condemning the plan last week. Later, one of its leaders acknowledged that the statement only represented the views of the group’s five-person board, not individual members.

Also this week, state officials have posted a new website at http://fix77now.blogspot.com/ offering background information and documents about the I-77 HOT lanes project. Read the full story

Updated 11:50am
Cornelius and Davidson emergency units responded to a report of a wreck on I-77 southbound Thursday morning that brought traffic to a standstill at one point.

The wreck, which dispatchers initially reported as a rollover, happened around 9am.

One of the two lanes reopened around 9:15am, according to a radio report from Cornelius units on the scene.

It wasn’t known if anyone was hurt in the wreck. No further information was immediately available.

A passerby told us he saw two cars, a Mercedes that appeared to be totaled and a minivan. He said there did not appear to be any serious injuries.

Firefighters were busy Thursday morning. Earlier, both Cornelius and Davidson units were called to Davidson College’s Patterson Court for a report of smoke in a fraternity house.

Meanwhile, another wreck with injuries, involving a truck and a car, closed NC 150 in Mooresville Thursday morning. See more on the Mooresville Tribune website.

Consultant David Ungemah explains the economics of toll lanes at Cornelius Town Hall Wednesday night. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

CORNELIUS – Lake Norman area commuters are hoping that toll lanes will be the answer to traffic jams on I-77 north of Charlotte, helping to pay for widening the road earlier than planned. But an expert in so-called “managed lanes” told local officials Wednesday night toll lanes aren’t about that – they’re about guaranteeing a faster ride for those who choose to use the toll lanes.

“This is a game changing proposition for our highway capacity,” said David Ungemah, a toll-lanes expert with consulting firm Parsons Brinckerhoff. Read the full story

Updated 10:45am
Emergency units from Huntersville, Cornelius and North Meck Rescue responded to a four-vehicle wreck on I-77 southbound in Huntersville at midmorning on Wednesday. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Lake Norman area economic development leaders have joined the debate over how to widen I-77 north of Charlotte, saying they support the state DOT’s plan to complete the project using High Occupancy Toll lanes.

The chairman and director of the Lake Norman Regional Economic Development Corp. say it’s critical to widen I-77 as soon as possible. They say HOT lanes, also known as managed lanes, are the best way to get the job done. Read the full story

Cornelius Commissioners on Tuesday added their voices to those questioning the state’s plans to construct toll lanes to help pay for widening I-77 north of Charlotte. In a 4-0 vote, the board approved a resolution asking the Lake Norman Transportation Commission – a regional lobbying group that includes Cornelius – to study how the jammed interstate might be widened with general purpose lanes instead of tolls.

Read more and listen to an audio replay of the discussion on CorneliusNews.net