Monroe City Council voted Wednesday morning to reverse course and restore its support for toll lanes on Interstate 77 south of uptown Charlotte.
The move comes as Republican state lawmakers push Charlotte and other municipalities to repay more than $60 million spent designing the toll lanes unless they agree to again support the privately run project.
Monroe City Council members said they are concerned the state could withhold transportation funding from municipalities that do not back the plan. They warned the city could lose more than $133 million, much of it tied to funding for Monroe’s airport.
Council member David Dotson said last month’s vote by the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization to rescind support for the project did not adequately involve smaller municipalities.
“That vote could cost us $133.6 million, without any input from the staff that I’m aware of, or any input from us as elected officials for the city of Monroe,” Dotson said.
The regional planning organization is set to meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss the toll lanes. With Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and Davidson still opposed, Monroe’s decision alone is not enough to restore support for the project.