Graham was speaking at a reporters' roundtable last week, where he took questions on everything from public safety to speculation about a mayoral campaign (it's all still speculation). Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham says the North Carolina Department of Transportation still needs to "go back to the drawing board" on the I-77 South toll lanes, even after the agency revealed revisions to the maps.
"You guys just need to tear it up. Start from scratch," says Graham, who represents parts of Uptown and the West End.
Why it matters: NCDOT recently updated designs for the 11-mile project to better separate the highway from homes in McCrorey Heights, Biddleville, Lincoln Heights and the West End, using retaining walls and elevated lanes.
Some homes in Wilmore are still at risk of demolition.
What he's saying: "It's just an awful structure on the edge of our Uptown to have a three-story highway that disturbs the view," Graham says, "and more importantly, all the environmental concerns for the neighbors and the residents who have to live with the air pollution and the emissions."
Graham says he supports the Black Political Caucus' lawsuit, demanding that NCDOT complete a thorough review of the project and its environmental implications before moving forward, WBTV reported.
