- NCDOT Chief Suggests A Revived I-77 Express P3 Could Include Additional Community Benefits
- MassDOT Unveils Designs For Cape Cod’s New Sagamore Bridge
- Musk’s Boring Company Prepares For $4 Billion Funding Round
- Several States Expand Use Of Cameras To Identify Work Zone Traffic Violations
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NCDOT Chief Suggests A Revived I-77 Express P3 Could Include Additional Community Benefits
In a meeting held on July 17 by Charlotte business leader Malcomb Coley, North Carolina DOT Secretary Daniel Johnson reportedly floated the idea of having a P3 partner build two grocery stores in existing food deserts to sweeten the deal if local governments agree to reinstate their support for the I-77 South Express Lanes. “Coley described the meeting as a listening session in which community members proposed greenways, bike lanes and recreation space for the west side if the toll lanes were built. He also said Johnson told [a group that the private toll lane developer could probably finance those things and also help pay for the new grocery stores,” WFAE News reports.
Two community groups already are trying to raise funds to build grocery stores. Such private enterprises could not be taxpayer-funded if the larger express lane project were to be financed solely by the state, Johnson reportedly said. As part of a P3 arrangement, however, toll payers would effectively be subsidizing the cost of the projects.
According to Coley, Johnson also suggested that a cap and stitch design for part of the highway would benefit the west side of the city by linking it to uptown.
A representative of the NAACP has reportedly expressed optimism that state officials are addressing concerns about the project through the initiatives discussed during the listening session. But opposition group Sustain Charlotte — whose representatives were not invited to the meeting — remain staunchly opposed to the project.
Meanwhile, Governor Josh Stein (D) continues to stay out of the fray over the controversy, despite some calls for him to weigh in more decisively on the matter, including potentially exercising his authority through a legislative loophole that could get local governments off the hook for a $60 million bill for design costs if they continue withholding their approval for the project they effectively canceled in May. The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization will revisit its official stance on the project in late September.
Charlotte NC Metro Region Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Express Lanes North Carolina North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) North Carolina Turnpike Authority P3 Privatization & Private OwnershipMassDOT Unveils Designs For Cape Cod’s New Sagamore Bridge
Massachusetts DOT has unveiled design renderings for a new bridge to replace the aging Sagamore Bridge, one of two critical spans linking Cape Cod to the mainland that are both in line for replacement. “The new renderings showcase key design features, including separate bridge spans to improve safety, a barrier-separated shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, upgraded roadway connections, and architectural features that reflect the character of the region,” the department said in a news release.
“Construction is expected to begin in spring 2028 following a Notice to Proceed in late 2027. All traffic is expected to be traveling on a new bridge by 2033, with final completion currently anticipated in 2036.” Two lanes in each direction are expected to remain open throughout construction. Advanced traffic monitoring will be used to limit the project’s impacts during peak travel times.
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)Musk’s Boring Company Prepares For $4 Billion Funding Round
“Elon Musk’s tunneling startup The Boring Company is in talks to raise a $4 billion funding round at a valuation of $20 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal,” TechCrunch reports. “The deal hasn’t closed and the terms could change, the WSJ says. At $20 billion, the valuation would be a significant increase from The Boring Company’s $5.7 billion valuation in 2022.”
TechCrunch notes that the company’s existing tunnel project in Las Vegas is clouded by serious worker injuries, plus hundreds of alleged environmental violations. The company is currently planning two more tunnel networks, in Nashville and Dubai, with additional projects pitched in Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Boring Company Company and Agency Financial Issues And Reports NevadaSeveral States Expand Use Of Cameras To Identify Work Zone Traffic Violations
“Several state departments of transportation are expanding their use of automated speed cameras in highway work zones across their respective regions to beef up protections for roadway workers and motorists alike,” AASHTO Journal reports. The article cites four examples:
- New York State DOT’s Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) five-year pilot, which began in 2021 and was expanded last year, has been adopted as part of the 2026 state budget. According to NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, the program already has slowed down work-zone speeds by 30 percent.
- Minnesota DOT this summer will start testing speed cameras at construction sites on I-35 and SR 65.
- Colorado DOT is set to issue $75 fines generated by its speed camera system where construction is ongoing at the I-25 / US 50B interchange outside Pueblo. The agency reported a 67 percent drop in “excessive speeding incidents” since activating the camera-based Colorado Speed Enforcement Program in three highway work zones one year ago.
- The Arkansas Highway Police, part of the state’s DOT, has started using camera technology in work zones to identify drivers illegally using handheld devices. “An officer must be present for a warning or ticket to be issued, Arkansas DOT emphasized, as they are not part of a ‘ticket-by-mail’ system.”
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