Cornelius just landed a $4.7 million federal grant to kick off planning and design for a new Interstate 77 interchange at Westmoreland Road, town officials say. The cash covers only the early planning phase, not construction, but local leaders are treating it as a long-awaited first move to tame congestion and handle rapid growth around Lake Norman. Both Rep. Tim Moore and Sen. Ted Budd have touted their roles in securing the award, while town staff say the money will go toward studies, engineering and environmental reviews. Construction, if it ever clears all the state and federal checkpoints, is expected to cost many times the planning budget.
Proud to have helped secure a grant from @USDOT to start improving the Westmoreland Road & I-77 interchange in Cornelius, North Carolina. As the Charlotte metro area continues to grow, it’s crucial to invest in our infrastructure to ensure safety & continued economic growth.…
— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) July 8, 2026
What the Grant Actually Covers
According to Cornelius Today, the $4.7 million comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation's BUILD grant program and pays for planning and design work tied to the proposed Exit 27 interchange. Town officials say the award will fund engineering studies, environmental reviews and early design. The town and Atrium Health have a preliminary deal to split another $2,055,000 needed to finish advance work, bringing the total planning pot to about $6.8 million. Cornelius leaders describe the grant as the first formal step toward a project they have long argued could improve traffic flow and access to services.
Who Is Claiming the Win
The award was rolled out publicly by Rep. Tim Moore in a news release, according to the Charlotte Observer, with Moore calling the planned exit critical to regional traffic and growth. Sen. Ted Budd also posted on X that he helped secure a U.S. Department of Transportation grant to start work on the Westmoreland Road and I-77 interchange, and his post is embedded above. Town officials thanked Moore for his help and reminded residents that the newly awarded money is strictly for planning, not construction.
The Price Tag, the Timeline and the Fine Print
As laid out by the Town of Cornelius, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has previously pegged construction costs at more than $100 million, and the interchange appears in the regional Metropolitan Transportation Plan with a 2035 horizon and no set construction date. That distant target reflects the engineering complexity, extensive environmental review process and the challenge of lining up large-scale construction funding from state and federal sources.
What Happens Next
Town staff say the immediate next moves include finalizing the planning contract, completing environmental studies and working out a funding strategy with NCDOT and Atrium Health. The town, Atrium and NCDOT are scheduled to meet this month to discuss how each might contribute money for Exit 27, according to the Charlotte Observer. The planning push lands in the middle of renewed fights over congestion and toll lanes on I-77; recent coverage by second I-77 toll lane sparks new showdown shows state and private partners are still weighing whether to add managed lanes or other capacity upgrades along the corridor.
For now, the $4.7 million BUILD award buys Cornelius time to explore design options and produce the technical work that would be required before any dirt gets turned. Officials say the planning phase will determine whether Exit 27 is technically feasible, what the true final price tag might be and which funding sources would have to line up to build it.
