widen I-77
County Commissioner calls censured mayor’s behavior ‘traitorous’
June 11. ANALYSIS. By Dave Yochum. Cornelius Mayor Chuck Travis chose June 8, “Town Hall Day” in the NC State Capitol, to express his personal views on widening I-77 to NC Sen. Philip Berger, the man who has so much to do with the ebb and flow of legislation in Raleigh. It was a peculiar […]
Toll battle moves 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 […]
Toll cancellation bill debate in Capitol today
June 2. By Dave Vieser. House Bill 954, which calls for the cancellation of the I-77 toll lane project, passed the State House Transportation and Appropriations Committees by a verbal vote on Wednesday, and will now move on to the full House for debate this morning. However, the bill was advanced “without prejudice,” as opposed […]
Public hearing on 8.3 % tax increase is Monday evening
May 15. By Dave Vieser. The public will have a chance to comment on the proposed $21.88 million municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year at Monday’s Town Board meeting. It calls for 2 cent tax hike, which amounts to an 8.3 percent tax increase. Just as important, commissioners will consider approving a resolution in support of State […]
Demonstration set for Friday
April 25. The anti-toll group Cornelius resident Kurt Naas founded, Widen I-77, is looking for more financial support to appeal a court decision this past winter that went in favor of the NCDOT/Cintra toll deal. Meanwhile, the citizen group group is planning another demonstration on the Exit 28 bridge Friday at 5:30 pm. Legal counsel […]
Road ahead: More I-77 lane shifts
March 21. Motorists may have already seen the covered “lanes shift ahead” signs which I 77 Mobility Partner’s installed last week on the interstate north of Exit 28. It means that those dreaded shifts in the interstate lanes to allow construction crews more room to work will soon commence between Cornelius and Davidson, going across […]
LNTC Chairwoman: ‘We could have done more to educate elected officials’ on tolls
March 10. By Dave Vieser. The Lake Norman Regional Transportation Commission met last night for the first time since three of the four member towns voted to pull out of the commission as of June 30. With its future uncertain, Chairwoman Melinda Bales said the commissioners would meet soon with the four town’s elected officials to […]
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 […]
WidenI-77 questions financial safeguards if I-77 project fails
March 7. Widen I-77 will be present an analysis of the private tolling business model, including the planned I-77 project, this Thursday March 10 at Cornelius Town Hall. The presentation, which starts at 7 pm, will highlight common features of private toll road projects across the country. The group has not made a public presentation […]
Lower speed limit on 77 may be next bump in the road
Jan. 16. By Dave Vieser. With so much controversy around the I-77 toll lane project, one might have assumed that I-77 Mobility Partners and Cintra would have made every effort to get the project off to a sound start. However “sound” is an issue, along with safety, as crews shifted and narrowed travel lanes between Exits 23 […]
