April 1. By Dave Vieser. The NCDOT today announced that all the exit and entrance ramps on I-77 from Charlotte to Statesville will be transformed to Diverging Diamond Interchanges similar to the one in Cornelius. In order to make the changes as efficiently as possible, all of them will be constructed at the same time.

Follow the money

To finance the $700 million changeover, toll booths will be erected on I-77 every 2.4 miles. The tolls are tentatively set at $2; the booths themselves will be staffed by prisoners from state correctional facilities, a win-win, according to State Prison officials.

The changeover was motivated by the speed with which motorists have been able to cross I-77 on Catawba Avenue, thanks to the DDI.

Happy April Fools’ Day