The North Carolina Department of Transportation is opening a new community engagement center in Charlotte as it tries to rebuild trust around the controversial I-77 South Express Lanes project.

The new center will open Monday, March 30, at 10 a.m. at 1023 W. Morehead Street, Suite 150, inside the project corridor. Mayor Vi Lyles and Charlotte City Council members are expected to attend, and Lyles is set to give welcoming remarks.

The move comes after months of backlash from residents, especially in historically Black neighborhoods along the corridor. Many neighbors have raised concerns about transparency, long-term impacts, and NCDOT’s decision to move forward with the project’s elevated double-decker design.

That design has become the most debated part of the plan. Instead of widening outward in some areas, NCDOT wants to place express lanes above the existing interstate. The agency says that option is the “least impactful” and would better avoid damage to places like Frazier Park, Pinewood Cemetery, and McCrorey Heights.

Still, double-deck highways have a complicated history in the United States. Similar elevated freeway projects once expanded capacity in cities like Houston, Seattle, and San Francisco. However, some later drew criticism over safety, neighborhood damage, and failure to fix congestion long term.

NCDOT says Charlotte’s project is different. Officials say the design is still in an early stage, with engineering only about 10 to 15 percent complete, and they insist community input will continue shaping the final outcome.

The new community engagement center is meant to give residents direct access to project information, staff, and decision-makers. The site will host community events, provide milestone updates, and offer general information. Appointments can be scheduled online here or by phone at 1-800-254-0498. Residents can also stop in without an appointment.

The center’s regular hours will be:

• Monday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sunday: Closed

For Charlotte, the new center signals that NCDOT knows this project cannot move forward quietly.

Charlotte just broke its all-time high temperature record for March 27, making today the hottest March 27 in the city’s recorded history.

At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the temperature reached 86 degrees Thursday afternoon, according to National Weather Service observations. That broke the previous March 27 record of 85 degrees, which was set in 1950.

The record fell after a rapid warmup through the day. Charlotte started the morning in the low 70s, then climbed into the 80s by early afternoon before reaching the new record high.

Charlotte’s March climate records date back to 1879, giving Thursday’s heat extra significance. In nearly a century and a half of records, the city had never recorded a hotter March 27.

What makes the spike even more dramatic is how quickly temperatures are expected to fall. After hitting the mid-80s Thursday, Charlotte is forecast to cool into the low 60s on Saturday with sunshine, wind, and a much drier air mass.

The forecast also includes an elevated fire threat Saturday because of gusty winds and very low humidity.

For Charlotte, the day was a reminder of how fast spring weather can swing in the Carolinas. One day set a heat record, and the next will feel much closer to late winter than early summer.

Capital Group, one of the world’s largest active asset managers with $3.4 trillion in assets, is bringing a major East Coast operations hub to Charlotte, a project expected to create 600 jobs, generate more than $116 million in annual payroll, and drive an estimated $5.2 billion in economic impact across North Carolina.

“Charlotte stood out as a natural fit for Capital Group’s next phase of growth,” said Capital Group COO Rob Klausner in a press release. “North Carolina’s strong financial services ecosystem, growing talent base and long-term outlook align closely with our priorities as a firm. This investment strengthens our operating resilience, supports better outcomes for our clients, and reflects our commitment to building careers and community alongside our associates in Charlotte.”

The privately owned company, headquartered in Los Angeles, has more than 90 years of investment management experience. Founded in 1931, Capital Group is known for its early stewardship of one of the country’s first mutual funds, the Investment Company of America.

The Charlotte hub will support the company’s growth across the U.S. and around the world. It also adds another major financial name to Charlotte’s expanding business and banking sector.

The project is being supported in part by a Job Development Investment Grant, or JDIG, approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. The agreement allows for potential reimbursements of up to $17.17 million over 12 years, but only if the company meets verified job creation and investment targets.

State officials said the project includes a planned $60 million capital investment. They also said the return on public dollars is projected at 341 percent, meaning the state expects to receive $4.41 in revenue for every dollar of potential cost.

Because the project is landing in Mecklenburg County, a Tier 3 county under North Carolina’s economic system, the agreement will also direct $5.72 million into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. That fund helps rural communities pay for infrastructure upgrades needed to attract future employers.

The Mecklenburg County Natural Resources staff has just announced they will be setting the McDowell Nature Preserve on fire today at around noon as part of a controlled burn.

The county sent out an alert noting that smoke will be seen around Charlotte today between 12-3 pm:

“Mecklenburg County Natural Resources staff are conducting a controlled burn today beginning around noon at McDowell Nature Preserve. Smoke will affect air quality in the downwind area for 2-3 hours. To reduce your exposure to smoke, stay indoors or avoid areas of heavy smoke.”

For more information on controlled burns click here.

The Charlotte metro continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the country, and new Census Bureau data shows the region remains near the top nationally.

The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro ranked seventh in the nation for population growth over a five-year period, according to new Census estimates. The bureau tracks 387 metro areas nationwide.

The momentum is still going. Between 2023 and 2024, the Charlotte metro ranked 11th nationally in numeric growth and added more than 61,000 residents.

The new figures also reflect a wider national trend. Census said metro areas collectively added nearly 3.2 million people between 2023 and 2024, and about 86% of Americans now live in a metro area.

Charlotte’s growth also fits the broader Sunbelt pattern. Census said several fast-growing metros in the South and West posted some of the nation’s biggest gains, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington.

For Charlotte, the continued growth means more demand for housing, roads, schools, and infrastructure. At the same time, it also means a larger workforce, a stronger economy, and more momentum for one of the fastest-growing major metros in the Carolinas.