Local municipalities could have to repay nearly $70 million to the state if the Interstate 77 South toll lane project is canceled.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation disclosed the figure ahead of an upcoming regional decision on the highway initiative's future.
The potential financial liability stems from a North Carolina state budget provision requiring any community that votes to cancel an approved state transportation project to reimburse state officials for sunk costs.
The department calculated the total based on expenditures incurred on the project between November 2018 and late August.
READ MORE: Local leaders demand financial transparency on I-77 South project cancellation
The North Carolina Department of Transportation detailed the expenses accrued between November 2018 and the end of August. The largest portion comes from individual contracts with private companies, totaling almost $60 million.
Legal fees account for nearly $5 million of the expenses. The list also includes smaller costs, such as just under $400 for lodging, just over $200 for meals, and just under $1,000 for office supplies.
Mayor Robert Burns of Monroe said his town plans to vote in support of bringing the project back during the regional vote.
Burns noted that potential repayment obligations influenced his position, though he believes the transportation initiative has merit on its own. "Monroe is not set up, we are not, to share in this cost," Burns said.
He emphasized the regional scope of the congestion issue. "This is a multi-city regional approach to alleviate that traffic. I believe it is a necessity for our region," Burns said.
He added that re-approving the project would allow local leaders to discuss potential options for building the lanes without tolls.
Opponents of the initiative have raised concerns about the financial cost and the project itself.
Shannon Binns, a representative with the advocacy group Sustain Charlotte, voiced strong opposition to bringing back the toll lanes.
Binns described the expenditure summary as vague and argued that local communities should not face financial penalties for previous decisions.
"Local taxpayers are being punished for a lawful decision that their elected representatives made after getting the information they needed to understand a project," Binns said.
Several members of the regional transportation board who oppose the project have raised questions regarding the cost accounting.
Board members noted that the department began tracking expenses starting in 2018, even though the funding mechanism for the project was not approved by the regional authority until 2024.
Local governments across the region are evaluating their positions ahead of the decision.
Davidson, Mint Hill and Charlotte remain undecided, with Davidson being the only municipality currently scheduled to hold a vote on Sept. 22.
Charlotte holds significant sway over the outcome, controlling 31 of the 74 votes on the regional planning board.
The town of Davidson is scheduled to vote on its position on Sept. 22.
The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization will hold its formal vote on whether to restore the toll lane project on Sept. 23.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.