WALLACE

Nov 16. By Dave Yochum. Sen. Jeff Tarte over the weekend said there was no forward motion in getting a Temporary Restraining Order in time to stop construction of the I-77 toll lanes which begins at 10 pm.

Tarte huddled with other members of the I-77 Business Plan—a group of key anti-toll business and political leaders—and two attorneys after the Panthers game Sunday.

I-77 Business Plan members include former Lake Norman Chamber Chairman John Hettwer, Aquesta Insurance President Denis Bilodeau, race team executive Greg Wallace, Emergency Call to Action organizer Mac McAlpine, WidenI-77 founder Kurt Naas, Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett, and the chamber chair and CEO, respectively, Mike Russell and Bill Russell.

MCALPINE

In order to bring a TRO the four legislators and/or Business Plan members would have to file suit. The only suit at the moment is one brought by WidenI-77.org, so a TRO is not likely.

So, it looks like construction really does start tonight. (SEE I-77 MOBILITY SCHEDULE BELOW) NCDOT’s contract with I-77 Mobility calls for $10,000 a day damages if the new lanes are not completed on time.

Charlotte is in control

Business leaders say the best option around fighting the tolls is political. Gov. Pat McCrory has said he will cancel the contract if the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization says it doesn’t want it.

That’s a crap-shoot, however. The only vote there that matters, of course, is Charlotte’s, because the city has a weighted vote that dwarfs even a combined effort by cities and towns around transportation planning issues.

With recent changes in Charlotte leadership, however, top-level business leaders, who meet each Tuesday to strategize on how to fight the tolls, are hoping a directed vote could happen as early as next month.

View from afar

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Observer has criticized local political leaders who stood together at a Friday press conference, underscoring potholes in the $650 million public-private partnership between NCDOT and Cintra, a Spanish-owned company.

The editorial said “toll opponents’ concerns are valid,” but so are concerns about costs associated with canceling the contract, as well as a suitable way to fund roughly 26 miles of new general purpose lanes.

“Until someone supplies real answers, press conferences and letters and lawsuit threats won’t block anything—except perhaps the next drubbing at the polls for a Lake Norman incumbent,” the Observer editorialized.

Diane Gilroy’s letter

GILROY

Widen-I77.org will meet Cintra in court in January. Separately, political officials are praising efforts by a private citizen, Diane Gilroy of Cornelius, to uncover corruption in Cintra’s and parent company Ferrovial’s history. At the press conference, the legislators said she traveled to Spain on her own to investigate the companies.

Gilroy, whose husband Dave is a Cornelius Town Commissioner who was an early and vocal critic of the toll plan, attended a lightly attended fundraiser for Gov. Pat McCrory at a private home in October and handed McCrory a detailed letter with a variety of concerns and complaints about Cintra and its parent company, Ferrovial, based in Spain. (To view the letter, click here.)

The governor has not responded, although he did take pains to respond quickly—and negatively—to the letter that came from the four legislators three days ago.

RELATED: NCDOT’s response to legislators letter to the Governor

Where does Travis stand?

TRAVIS

The Gilroys were apparently the only members of the Cornelius Town Board to attend the McCrory fundraiser at the end of John Gamble Road, although Mayor Chuck Travis was there.

RELATED: I-77 Business Plan organizers create roadmap for anti-toll voters

Travis is taking his share of criticism publicly and privately for what looks like tepid support for the anti-toll movement. One member of the I-77 Business Plan, a leading member of the business community, said he was “extremely disappointed” in the mayor’s absence at the press conference where literally dozens of politicians stood shoulder to shoulder as TV cameras were rolling. Mayor-elect John Aneralla from Huntersville attended; Davidson Mayor John Woods did not.

Travis was in Charleston on business Thursday and Friday of last week.

Commissioner Gilroy suggested that if the mayor’s opinions are not in line with residents and business leaders, he should consider stepping down.

Travis would not comment, but said he would issue a press release this week.

Racing executive Greg Wallace—his father is racing legend Rusty Wallace—is a senior member of the I-77 Business Plan. He posted this on the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook page on Friday:

“Earlier today, I sent a certified letter to Chuck Travis, Mayor of Cornelius, asking him–for the third time–to complete the I-77 Business Plan survey and also to provide the citizens of Cornelius with an explanation for his absence from today’s event with Jeff Tarte. His constituents–and even his entire town council–are overwhelmingly against the toll lanes project.

Travis’ responses will be posted on http://i77businessplan.com “if/when they are received,” Wallace said.

Travis has kept his cards close to his vest. In an interview with Business Today this past summer, he had a thinking man’s response to questions about the toll plan.

Essentially, he said he is not in favor of the contract, there needs to be congestion relief soon, and tolls, in theory can help manage highway usage.

“I don’t like the 50-year term and wish it was a state controlled facility…..I am not against the managed lanes concept,” he said.

Neither Woods nor Jill Swain, the incumbent mayor of Huntersville, responded to the Wallace survey. But Aneralla did, as well as the winning commission candidates in Huntersville and all the candidates in Cornelius.