State paying $100,000 to review controversial I-77 project

By Joe Bruno

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As construction continues on Interstate 77, the state is paying $100,000 to see how much it would cost to stop the controversial project.

The Philadelphia-based Mercator Advisors presented its plan to the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization Wednesday night.

“What we have to do is flush out the particular things that are a concern to the public,” said Jim Taylor, who is leading the review of the project for Mercator.

LINK: Public comments are being accepted by Mercator

Anti-toll activists have questioned whether the investigation will be biased because Mercator previously worked with Cintra, the company building the I-77 toll lanes, on a project in Texas in 2004.

Taylor said he wasn't working with Mercator at the time and their previous involvement with Cintra won't play any role into the investigation.

”There's nothing that arises from an assignment 13 years ago that should give anyone concern that our current recommendations are biased in anyway,” Taylor said.

For the next few months his group will be investigating how much it will cost to cancel, modify or purchase the contract.

The group cited U.S. Route 460 as an example of a cancellation, the Elizabeth River tunnel as an example of a modification and the 91 Express Lanes as an example of a purchased project.

Taylor dismissed concerns about Mercator’s connection with advising public-private partnerships (P3s) saying it amounts to about 5 percent of the company’s business.

Mercator will be presenting its findings at the end of the summer but ultimately it will be up to Gov. Roy Cooper and his NCDOT team to make the final call on the future of I-77 tolls

The comments will be presented to the NC Turnpike Authority Board on May 4 and to CRTPO on May 17.

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