Skip to main content

Charlotte's worst kept secret? Cintra behind I-77 unsolicited toll plans

Image
By

When I posted about NCDOT receiving unsolicited plans for toll-managed lanes along I-77 from the Berkshire Freeway to the South Carolina State Line, a few commenters in various forums said it was obvious who the "anonymous" bidder was.  It would be Cintra - the same firm that built the infamous I-77 Express Lanes north towards Lake Norman.

Well, they were right.  It was Cintra that submitted the proposal - and WCNC-TV in Charlotte was able to get a look at it.  

The CINTRA proposal would build 9.4 miles of toll lanes at the cost of $2.3 Billion (with a B).  This proposal would include two tolled express lanes.  Cintra would not add any general purpose lanes to Interstate 77 - something that was and continues to be a sticking point with North Mecklenburg residents.

The plan would be to start construction in 2024 and complete the project in 2029.  Of course, that is, if the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) approves and requests it.  The proposal would allow Cintra to collect tolls on the new managed lanes for the next 50 years.

The proposal, embedded below, does not provide full design or conceptual drawings of the highway.  But it does go into some general detail.  It would be a design-build project.  Also, basic concepts of the construction stages and process are included.

Conceptual Unsolicited Prop... by Hank Lee

Some highlights include:

  • The managed lanes would have direct interchange access to 5th Street and Woodlawn Road.
  • It appears there may be a direct connection with Interstate 485 - the proposal discusses "new connector bridges" that would provide "ingress/egress to the [managed lanes]."
  • Two railroad bridges would be replaced - which is easier said than done (just ask Durham and I-885.)
  • Irwin Creek would be relocated.
Finally, Cintra's proposal touts what they believe are benefits to NCDOT by going forward. 
  • A $2.3 Billion project off the state's books
  • An annual avoidance of $58 million in operation and maintenance costs during the toll lanes operation.
  • A $200 million concession payment from Cintra.
Sources:

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

May 2023 Ontario Trip (Part 3 of 3)

By
  Over the years, I have made plenty of trips to Ontario, crisscrossing the southern, central and eastern parts of the province. Living in Upstate New York, it's pretty easy to visit our neighbor to the north, or is that our neighbor to the west? Ottawa is one of my favorite cities to visit anywhere in the world, plus I've discovered the charm of Kingston, the waterfalls of Hamilton (which is on the same Niagara Escarpment that brings us Niagara Falls), the sheer beauty of the Bruce Peninsula, and more. But I hadn't explored much of Cottage Country. So I decided to change that, and what better time to go than over Memorial Day weekend, when the daylight is long and I have an extra day to explore. On the third and final day of my trip, I started in Huntsville and made my way through Muskoka District and Haliburton County, passing by many lakes along the way. I stopped in towns such as Dorset, Haliburton and Bancroft before making a beeline down to Belleville and then over th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Abandoned Fowler Avenue in Clovis, California

By
Originally Fowler Avenue in the city of Clovis had a brief discontinuation approaching Herndon Avenue.  Fowler Avenue traffic heading northbound was required to detour briefly onto westbound Herndon Avenue.  During 2001 this discontinuation was removed when Fowler Avenue was reconfigured to access the Sierra Freeway (California State Route 168) via an interchange.  This led to a segment of the original alignment of Fowler Avenue just south of Herndon Avenue to be abandoned.  Despite a shopping center opening over part of the original Fowler Avenue alignment in 2016 much of the abandoned roadway remains.   The history of the abandoned original alignment of Fowler Avenue in Clovis The original alignment of California State Route 168 departed downtown Clovis eastbound along Tollhouse Road.  This original alignment did not interact with Fowler Avenue at the Herndon Avenue intersection.  Fowler Avenue north of Tollhouse Road ran north to Herndon Avenue...
Post a Comment
Read more

California State Route 78

By
California State Route 78 is a 194-mile east/west State Highway located in southern California.  California State Route 78 begins at Interstate 5 in Oceanside of San Diego County and terminates at Interstate 10 near Blythe of Riverside County.  California State Route 78 between Interstate 5 and Interstate 15 is aligned on the Ronald Packard Parkway over the corridor traditionally known as the Anza Freeway.  California State Route 78 east of Interstate 15 climbs over mountain grades into the Sonoran Desert where it become a largely rural highway.  The blog cover photo above is California State Route 78 on Vista Avenue between Oceanside and Vista as seen in the 1955 California Highways & Public Works.   Part 1; the history of California State Route 78 Disclaimer; the pre-State Highway history and Glamis Road elements of this blog are sourced from newspaper references attributed to AAroads forum user rschen7754 .  User rschen7754 was the primary Wikip...
Post a Comment
Read more