Watch Sustain Charlotte’s Remarks to City Council About I-77 Toll Lanes

On Monday, February 23, Sustain Charlotte Founder and Executive Director Shannon Binns was one of several community members who spoke up against a planned I-77 South toll lane project at a Charlotte City Council meeting. Watch Shannon’s remarks below — or read them after the video. And learn more about what happened at the meeting here.

Good evening mayor and Council.

My name is Shannon Binns, founder of Sustain Charlotte. I’m here tonight to speak in strong opposition to the proposed I-77 South toll lane project — on behalf of Sustain Charlotte and 24 other community-based organizations.

Please stand if you are here as part of those organizations.

Look around this room. These are your constituents. They are here because they feel unheard. And tonight, I am submitting a petition signed by nearly 1,300 residents from all across our city – in every district – who feel the same way.

Last week, at the CRTPO meeting, Commissioner Altman called this process what it appears to be: a bait and switch.

In October 2024, you, City Council, were told you would have a meaningful opportunity to vote on this project again in the future. To change your mind if you didn’t like where it was headed. That opportunity never came. The state moved forward. Preliminary road designs had that existed since October 2024 were not shared with elected officials or the public until just three months ago. And only after NCDOT has secured the assurances that support would not be withdrawn once procurement began.

That is not transparency. That is not partnership. And it is not how public trust is built.

Meanwhile, cities across America are removing the freeways that divided their communities. Charlotte is being asked to add four more lanes — lanes many working families cannot afford to use — at the expense of air quality, equity, and long-term cohesion.

The people in this room — and the 1,300 whose names I submit tonight — are not asking for another conversation.

Whether or not you believe you have formal authority, you have influence. That means using every tool at your disposal to demand a pause and defend the interests of this city. That is the responsibility we entrusted to you.

Thank you.