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Highway Expansion Threatens Historic Charlotte Neighborhood
20 Feb
Summary
- NCDOT plans third highway expansion affecting McCrorey Heights.
- Historic Black neighborhood fears displacement and disruption.
- NCDOT proposes elevated lanes, citing traffic and growth needs.
McCrorey Heights, a historic African American neighborhood in Charlotte, is bracing for potential impacts from a proposed third highway expansion by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Residents, like neighborhood association president Sean Langley, express deep concern, recalling how past highway projects have negatively affected their community. Langley fears a historical pattern of displacement and disruption is set to continue.
NCDOT District 10 Engineer Felix Obregon explained that the Interstate 77 expansion project, which has been in planning for over a decade, aims to alleviate congestion for the 160,000 vehicles using the corridor daily. The proposed multi-billion-dollar project aims to add tolled express lanes from the South Carolina border to Uptown Charlotte. Obregon described the current design, featuring elevated lanes, as a compromise to significantly reduce impacts on McCrorey Heights and adjacent neighborhoods like Wesley Heights and Biddleville, as well as Pinewood Cemetery.
Despite NCDOT's assurances that no homes would be taken by eminent domain with the current elevated design, Langley remains skeptical. He cites ongoing concerns about air pollution, noise, and the potential disruption to residents' quality of life. There's also worry that toll lanes, which many McCrorey Heights residents may not use, could negatively impact property values and further isolate the neighborhood. NCDOT is exploring options for community benefits, including free access to express lanes for CATS buses, carpools, and low-income residents.
Alternative proposals, such as a tunnel project suggested by Sustain Charlotte and community members, have been rejected by NCDOT as unfeasible due to extreme costs and maintenance requirements. Instead, NCDOT is considering greenway projects to reconnect the neighborhood to Uptown. The $600 million project, funded partly by state dollars, is awaiting a private partner for the remainder of the funding and management. Construction is anticipated to begin in the early 2030s.
