When asked to reimagine I-77 South in Charlotte, urban designers pitch "lidding" the highway to free up high-value land around Uptown for parks, mixed-use development, and walking bridges.

Why it matters: The N.C. Department of Transportation is embarking on a controversial plan to widen the interstate with toll lanes, largely to drive economic growth. New visuals, submitted as part of a design charrette, help envision other possibilities, which supporters say offer more public benefits.

What they're saying: NCDOT has not listened to and incorporated the community's feedback enough, says Shannon Binns, CEO of Sustain Charlotte, which organized the charrette.

• "We wanted to show that we have good ideas in our community, if you ask the community what they want."

Driving the news: Sustain Charlotte's workshop, "Reimagining I-77 South: A Vision for Repairing and Reconnecting Charlotte," drew participants from preschoolers to professional designers from local firms LandDesign and Neighboring Concepts. Most ideas centered on freeway caps.

Reality check: It's unlikely NCDOT will scrap its toll lanes and pursue a cap on the existing freeway instead. That could cost hundreds of millions, not to mention the complex planning. And NCDOT has already rejected the idea of putting the toll lanes underground due to the price.

• The agency says the $600 million it's committed to the new I-77 lanes must be used for that project legally. It couldn't transfer funds to, say, public transit.
• NCDOT also claims the extra lanes are crucial for safety.

Yes, but: Some research suggests that road widening does not reduce congestion in the long-term, a phenomenon known as "induced demand."

• NCDOT is taking feedback at a community engagement center at 1023 W. Morehead St.

Zoom out: Though it'd likely take forceful political will, freeway caps with green spaces above are in the realm of possibility.

• Dallas, for example, opened the popular 5.4-acre Klyde Warren Park over Woodall Rodgers Freeway in 2012. It cost about $112 million through a public-private partnership.

Take a look at the I-77 designs

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. is rumored to be nearing a lease deal for about 200,000 square feet at 301 South College, formerly One Wells Fargo Center. (CBJ 🔒)

Mecklenburg County may be preparing legal action against developer Peebles Corporation for the failed Brooklyn Village project. The county manager said Tuesday that Peebles has not responded to a November letter accusing the developer of manufacturing "excuses in hopes of avoiding its contractual obligations." (WFAE)

One South has leased 15,619 square feet to Choreo, a national wealth management firm. Trinity Partners tells Axios it has signed 40,000-plus square feet of new and expanded leases following recent capital investments, including more than $9 million in amenity upgrades.

If you're on the hunt for a new job, here are 10 to get you started.

• Director of Operations at Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte
• Lower School Instructor, Kindergarten at Charlotte Country Day School
• Event Planner at Charlotte Country Club
• Financial Associate at Providence UMC
• Exhibit Designer at Discovery Place
• Facilities Manager at Charlotte Preparatory School
• Middle School, French Instructor at Charlotte Country Day School
• External Communications Manager at Little
• Finance & Budget Analyst II at University of North Carolina - Charlotte
• Legal Assistant at Gardner Skelton

Want more opportunities? Check out all openings on our Job Board.

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American consumers are holding it together despite surging energy prices, concerns about the job market and stock market volatility, according to Bank of America executives.

Why it matters: As one of the largest banks in the country, Charlotte-based BofA has a direct line of sight into the financial health of consumers.

The big picture: In a recent call with reporters, BofA CFO Alastair Borthwick said, "Our data continues to tell us that the American consumer remains resilient."

• Noting that the labor market remains steady, with unemployment currently at 4.3%, BofA CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC that "as long as that's true, the general economy, the general consumer will be in good shape."
• On the company's earnings call, he described the economy as "resilient ... even with all the uncertainty that you've all written about out there."

By the numbers: BofA customers spent 6% more via credit and debit cards in the first quarter than they did in the same period a year earlier, Moynihan said on the call.

• That included an increase in spending on discretionary categories like entertainment and travel, Moynihan noted, reflecting a degree of confidence in their financial standing.
• "We're in a period right now where unemployment is good. Home prices are good. Asset prices are good. Savings remain elevated," Borthwick told analysts.

Yes, but: Gasoline prices remain at a high for the year after the Iran war spiked oil prices.

• The average per gallon was $3.782 in Mecklenburg County, $3.824 in North Carolina and $4.076 nationally as of Friday, according to AAA.
• The state price is up from $2.864 a year ago and $3.559 a month ago.

The bottom line: Consumers aren't letting the energy prices get them down... yet.