June 1. By Dave Vieser. House Bill 954, which calls for the cancellation of the I-77 toll lane project, passed the State House Transportation Committee by a verbal vote today and will now move on to the House Appropriations Committee, where it will be debated either later today or Thursday morning June 2.

NC Rep. John Bradford said “under the leadership of Rep. Jeter and Rep. Hager and the support of many others too long to list we successfully moved the bill through the House Transportation Committee. We received a favorable report to move ahead to move to the next step. The bill now moves to the House Appropriations Committee. If it passes out of the Appropriations Committee before our session tomorrow, then the bill will be debated/heard on the NC House floor Thursday for its second reading.”

Every bill requires three readings and three passing votes. Bradford described the debate as “civil and professional. Speakers from both sides of the issue made their comments but, in the end, it passed.”

If approved the legislation would direct that the state cancel its contract with Cintra to build the toll lanes, and appropriates $25,000 from the state Highway Fund to be used for any legal fees incurred in determining the amount of damages that may be owed and other effects resulting from cancellation of the toll lane contract.

If the bill is ultimately approved, it would still need approval in the Senate, and, if required, the Governor’s approval.