CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From South Charlotte to Huntersville, there's concern over bumper-to-bumper traffic that commuters say increases their ride by 30 minutes to an hour at peak travel times.
"It’s just a lot of traffic we’ve noticed, especially, the last couple of years," Gene Lakey said.
He lives near Charlotte Douglas International Airport and said getting into Uptown can be a challenge.
“Business travel times, try to avoid that or get ahead of it or, you know, delay and come after it," Lakey said.
WCNC Charlotte asked state and local transportation leaders what's being done to clear the congestion.
The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) said it has multiple road improvement projects underway, including the widening of Rea Road from I-485 to Williams Pond Lane and the extension of Bryant Farms Road first to Rea Road, and later, to Ardrey Kell Road.
With analysts estimating more than 113 people are moving into the Charlotte Region every day, Charlotte City Councilman and Transportation Committee Chair Ed Driggs said the council is looking toward a long-term solution that gets more people out of cars and into alternative forms of transportation.
"What we're doing in response to that is pursuing a very ambitious mobility plan in conjunction with Connect Beyond, a regional network, that would create new rail lines, improve the roads create greenways, sidewalks and bike paths, in order to make it easier for people to get from place to place.”
The $13.5 billion transportation plan relies on a one-cent sales tax referendum which first requires approval from the Republican-led General Assembly in Raleigh.
"Will the public accept a half-cent or a one-cent or a new revenue source, like a sales tax? It's got to be paid for somehow," Driggs said.
But it's not just the city at work.
Infrastructure projects are complex, involve multiple organizations and take years to complete, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
"Sometimes, it may not be expanding a road or a highway. It could be a smaller intersection project," Jen Thompson, an NCDOT spokesperson, said. "We try to utilize different tools and different designs to provide the maximum amount of safety to reduce crashes and to help people get around more safely and more efficiently."
NCDOT has several active projects underway and is hoping major changes to I-485 and I-77 will help improve traffic flow.
Right now, they're expanding I-485 and adding one paid express lane in each direction between I-77 and U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard). The project will also add one general-purpose lane in each direction along I-485 between Rea Road and Providence Road.
The changes are set to be completed by next winter.
The department and its partners are also looking to possibly do the same on part of I-77 coming into Charlotte from South Carolina by adding express lanes and expanding the interstate to help reduce traffic, according to Thompson.
As the city continues to grow, Charlotteans are just hoping for relief soon.
"Definitely, make life a bit easier and a little bit quicker being able to move to various places a little bit quicker, especially at peak traffic times," Lakey said.
As the NCDOT drafts its 10-year transportation plan for 2026-2035, the department is seeking public input on large-scale and small transportation projects of interest. To share your thoughts, visit NCDOT online.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.