NC transportation secretary sees no reason to cancel I-77 toll lanes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina’s transportation secretary said Friday that the bankruptcy of a toll road in Texas, built by a subsidiary of the same company building toll lanes on Interstate 77 north of Charlotte, offers no legal reason to cancel the local project.

“Not in any way that I see, no,” said NCDOT Secretary Nick Tennyson.

Tennyson was in Charlotte speaking to a transportation forum but spent a lot of his time talking about the ongoing controversy over toll lanes on I-77.

He’s been ordered to fly to Texas on Monday to talk with that state’s Department of Transportation about what happened on the toll project there.

“I’m expecting to have a candid DOT-to-DOT conversation about the Texas experience,” he said.

The bankruptcy by a subsidiary of Cintra has energized toll lane opponents in north Mecklenburg County, who’ve increased their calls for Gov. Pat McCrory to cancel the state’s contract on the project.

Tennyson said Friday he still supports the plan to build optional toll lanes for 26 miles from Charlotte to Mooresville but he admits the bankruptcy in Texas leaves North Carolina with a public relations problem.

“Look, it’s a toxic word.  But it’s overblown,” Tennyson said.

I-77’s toll lanes have proved to be politically explosive for Tennyson’s boss, McCrory. He has been hounded for months by toll lane opponents calling for him to cancel the state contract.

McCrory said Friday that he too believes the state's contract is sound but he didn't close the door on changes. 
I still need reassurance that this company can indeed fulfill its responsibility," McCrory said, referring to Cintra.

McCrory isn’t the only one waiting for a report from Tennyson’s trip to Texas. So is Ned Curran, who chairs the powerful North Carolina Board of Transportation.

“When you see something like this it’s a good idea to go back and check everything out,” Curran said.

Tennyson said he sees little reason for the governor to consider canceling the state’s contract with Cintra but knows his trip to Texas is a delicate assignment.

“There is incredibly heightened sensitivity to the issue,” he said. “So, that’s why this is necessary. We need to say we understand this is a sensitive question and we’re going to go resolve it.”

Tennyson expects to spend Monday in Texas. He said it could be several weeks before he sends a report to the governor.

Cox Media Group