The following article appeared in the March 23, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C. Sign up for free!
Twice as many drivers as expected are using the new I-485 toll lanes, NCDOT says
In south Mecklenburg, 18 miles of I-485 now have toll lanes. (Photo: Tony Mecia/The Charlotte Ledger)
Interstate 485’s new toll lanes, an 18-mile stretch in south Mecklenburg County that opened to drivers on Feb. 28, are already being used more than the N.C. Department of Transportation initially expected.
Since the express lanes opened about three weeks ago, there’s been an average of 18,000 total transactions and 7,500 unique vehicles during the weekday, according to the N.C. Turnpike Authority, the department within NCDOT that oversees toll-funded transportation projects. Those numbers drop over the weekend to an average of about 5,000 total transactions and 2,700 unique vehicles.
A spokesperson told The Ledger the figures are double the agency’s initial projections.
Right now, pricing is based on the time of day and the day of the week:
A calculator on NCDOT’s website suggests a commuter driving from Johnston Road (Ballantyne) to one end of the express lane (N.C. 49) in the 5 p.m. hour on a Wednesday would expect to pay a toll of $3.20 (or $1.60 if you have an NC Quick Pass).
But a Matthews resident trying to get to their Ballantyne office could expect to pay a bit more. Traveling from the start of the express lane (I-485 Inner) to just before Johnston Road in the 8 a.m. hour on Wednesday has an estimated toll of $5.80 (or $2.90 for NC Quick Pass holders).
Eventually, express lanes will use dynamic pricing, which means that toll prices will fluctuate based on factors like the number of drivers in the express lanes and average speeds. Drivers will be notified about what they will pay on toll pricing signs prior to entering the express lanes.
When asked when dynamic pricing is expected to begin, the spokesperson for the N.C. Turnpike Authority said: “We’ll be happy to provide a timeframe of switching to dynamic pricing when we have an update.”
The $346M I-485 express lane project began construction in 2019. Like many major construction projects, it faced multiple delays before opening last month. —Ashley Fahey