First Posted: 11/18/2014

CHARLOTTE (AP) — While controversy has swirled about toll lanes for Interstate 77 north of Charlotte, the N.C. Department of Transportation is working on a plan to set up toll lanes on one of the city’s major city thoroughfares by the end of 2016.

The Charlotte Observer reports the department plans to bring toll lanes to Independence Boulevard. NCDOT would use variable pricing in an effort to maintain a speed of 45 mph. If more people want to use the lanes, the price of the high-occupancy toll lanes would increase.

Lanes would be built on an existing busway from Interstate 277 to Albemarle Road and then continue to Wallace Lane as part of a widening project currently underway on U.S. 74.

Because a busway already exists, the state estimates the toll-lane conversion can be done relatively inexpensively, for $13 million.

“It’s basically a retrofit,” said Scott Cole, deputy division engineer with NCDOT.

Although the idea of placing tolls on Independence has been mentioned for years, there has been no widespread opposition as there has been to the toll for I-77.

“We haven’t had a lot of resistance” from residents, Cole said. “We are looking to embark on a public information effort and a public outreach effort early next year.”

Construction on the I-77 project is expected to start next July and be completed by late 2018.