A 'dangerous' precedent: North Carolina successfully pressures communities into voting for toll roads

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization voted to build toll roads on I-77 on Sept. 23, prompting Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox and Matthews Mayor John Higdon to resign from the organization. Both mayors said the project would not bring congestion relief. 

Spectrum News reports:

“These toll lanes do not meaningfully address congestion, our No. 1 concern,” Matthews Mayor John Higdon said. “We are being asked to sacrifice neighborhoods, accept state interference and set a dangerous statewide precedent for a project that doesn't even solve the problem it claims to address. Congestion relief is the reason this conversation started and yet the solution being forced upon us cannot deliver it.”

The CRTPO initially rescinded its support of the project four months ago, fearing the construction would negatively impact historically Black neighborhoods. However, state lawmakers ruled that all communities opposed to the project would have to repay the North Carolina Department of Transportation nearly $70 million. "Every community that voted to pull their support of the project in May changed their votes to avoid being penalized," Chloe Salsameda writes for Spectrum News.