What portion of the project will be finished in January?
Most of the new lanes in the Cornelius/Huntersville area will be completed and open by January but in areas closer to Charlotte, work remains. Detectors have been installed above the toll lanes to read license information on cars using the toll lanes. This information is conveyed by transponders in the car windows. Motorists with transponders will get a 35 percent discount on the regular toll rate which drivers who are billed through the mail must pay. There will be two toll lanes in each direction from Exit 28 south, and one toll lane in each direction between Exits 28 and 36.
How can motorists get a transponder?
At the Charlotte Customer Service Center, 8015 W. W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28216. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Email or phone options?
www.ncquickpass.com, or by call 877-769-7277 (1-877-7MY-PASS).
Will out-of-state EZ Pass get the same discount?
Yes, North Carolina currently accepts E-ZPass, E-ZPass Flex, SunPass and Peach Pass transponders as a method of payment on North Carolina toll roads, and they will also receive the 35 percent discount. Prior to traveling on North Carolina toll roads, customers should make sure their vehicle license plate is registered on their E-ZPass, E-ZPass Flex, SunPass or Peach Pass account to ensure compatibility.
How do the toll rates compare with those on the newly opened Monroe Bypass?
Customers with transponders will pay about 15 cents per mile on the 20 mile Monroe Expressway, resulting in a maximum toll of $3. Like the Triangle Expressway in the Raleigh area, toll rates on the Monroe Expressway are static, and will only increase on an annual basis beginning in 2020. In contrast, I 77 tolls will be determined by the distance traveled as well as the time of day and volume of traffic. According to projections provided by I 77 Mobility Partners, the highest transponder based toll for a peak hour trip from Exit 36 southward to uptown Charlotte would be approximately $6.95. This trip would cover a distance of 26 miles, resulting in a toll of approximately 27 cents per mile, almost double the toll on the Monroe Expressway. Motorists without transponders who are billed by mail will pay even more since they won’t be eligble for the 35 percent discount.
Where will the access lanes be for motorists in the toll lanes who wish to exit for the West Catawba Avenue/Exit 28?
Traveling Northbound to Exit 28, there is an exit-only lane that begins just north of the Westmoreland Road overpass. It’s about 3,500 feet south of the exit. Traveling Southbound to Exit 28, there is a merge lane that begins approximately 3,500 feet north of Exit 28.
How about Exit 25/Sam Furr Road?
Traveling Northbound to Exit 25, there is a merge lane that begins approximately 4,000 feet south of the exit ramp near the Stumptown Road overpass. Traveling Southbound to Exit 25, there is an exit-only lane that begins about 2,500 feet north of the exit ramp, or just south of Westmoreland.
There are overhead signs in advance of every point where motorists can exit I-77 Express or toll lanes, letting motorists know what main interchange will be available ahead.For example, leading up to the exit location that would need to be taken to access Sam Furr traveling southbound, motorists would see three signs starting at 1 mile before the actual access point exit.
