Since 2014, Charlotte voters have said yes to about $1.41 billion in city bonds. Every single package passed.
Now the city is asking for $425 million more on the Nov. 3 ballot. That’s the biggest request yet.
Most people check “yes” without knowing what the last round paid for. So I went through the city’s own project pages to find out. Here’s what got built, what’s still waiting, and what’s on your ballot now.
What’s on the 2026 Ballot
There are three separate bond questions. You vote on each one.
| Bond | Amount | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation | $280 million | Roads, intersections, sidewalks, bike lanes, bridges, traffic signals |
| Affordable housing | $125 million | The city’s Housing Trust Fund |
| Neighborhood improvement | $20 million | Public-private partnership projects |
| Total | $425 million |
Will taxes go up? The city says no. It says the payments are already built into the budget, and much of the transportation money will be repaid with the 1-cent sales tax voters passed last year.
What will it really cost? Borrowing isn’t free. With about $241 million in interest, Axios Charlotte puts the total at more than $600 million.
Every City Bond Since 2014
| Year | Transportation | Housing | Neighborhood | Total | Passed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $111M | $15M | $20M | $146M | Yes |
| 2016 | $148.4M | $15M | $55M | $218.4M | Yes |
| 2018 | $118.1M | $50M | $55M | $223.1M | Yes |
| 2020 | $102.7M | $50M | $44.5M | $197.2M | Yes |
| 2022 | $146.2M | $50M | $29.8M | $226M | Yes |
| 2024 | $238.3M | $100M | $61.7M | $400M | Yes |
| 2026 | $280M | $125M | $20M | $425M | On the ballot |
Two trends stand out. The total has nearly tripled since 2014. And housing has gone from $15 million to $125 million.
Where the Neighborhood Money Went
Starting with the 2014 bonds, much of the neighborhood money went into a program called CNIP (the Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program). The city picked these areas:
- West Trade/Rozzelles Ferry (West Charlotte)
- Sunset/Beatties Ford (northwest Charlotte)
- Central/Albemarle/Shamrock (East Charlotte)
- Prosperity Village (north)
- Whitehall/Ayrsley (southwest)
- SouthPark (added later)
In 2015, the city set aside the same amount, $20 million each, for West Trade/Rozzelles Ferry and Central/Albemarle/Shamrock. Here’s what each side has to show for it.
West Charlotte: Seven Projects Done
The West Trade/Rozzelles Ferry area, near Johnson C. Smith University and the Historic West End, got its projects built. The city lists seven as complete:
| Project | Finished |
|---|---|
| West 4th Street Extension Streetscape | 2018 |
| I-77/West Trade Street Underpass | 2020 |
| Rozzelles Ferry Pedscape | 2020 |
| State Street pedestrian improvements (Turner Ave. to Five Points) | 2020 |
| Yellowstone Drive street connection | 2020 |
| Five Points Public Plaza | 2022 |
| Frazier Avenue Realignment | 2022 |
Five Points Plaza alone got $5.5 million in neighborhood bond money, according to Axios. It added an amphitheater, splash pad, swings and public art where West Trade, State Street, Beatties Ford Road and Rozzelles Ferry Road meet.
What’s next for the West side: The 2026 bond includes $6.7 million for the Ashley Road, Freedom Drive and Tuckaseegee Road intersection.
Further northwest, the Sunset/Beatties Ford area has three finished projects (a Beatties Ford Road pedestrian crossing, the Lakeview/Reames Road intersection, and Peachtree Hills sidewalks). A larger Beatties Ford/Sunset pedestrian project is still active.
East Charlotte: Mostly Still Waiting
The Central/Albemarle/Shamrock area covers neighborhoods east of Uptown, from Eastway Drive at The Plaza to Central Avenue and out Albemarle Road.
The city lists three completed items here:
- Kilborne Drive Streetscape
- Eastway Drive Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvement Study
- Shamrock/Plaza/Matheson Intersection Redesign Study
Two of those three are studies, not construction.
The two big East Charlotte projects are being built together as one corridor.
1. Eastway Drive and Shamrock Drive intersection. This is the busy five-way intersection near Methodist Home Park. It’s on the city’s High Injury Network. The plan adds a “quadrant road,” the first one in Charlotte, to move left turns and U-turns off the main intersection. It also adds sidewalks, bike lanes and six new crosswalks to Methodist Home Park.
- Budget: $59.5 million. In 2022, the city pledged $39 million, according to WSOC.
- Status: Design finished in June 2026. The city is now buying the land it needs.
- Construction: Expected in 2029 and 2030.
2. Shamrock Drive Complete Street. This covers one mile of Shamrock Drive between Beckwith Place and Flamingo Avenue, with two roundabouts, continuous sidewalks, buffered bike lanes on both sides and storm drainage fixes. The city says it grew out of the CNIP planning for this area.
- Budget: $57.5 million
- Status: Design is done. Utility work runs through November 2027.
- Construction: Expected between 2027 and 2030.
The 2026 bond includes $12 million for the Eastway/Shamrock intersection and $14.5 million for Shamrock Drive. The Central/Kilborne/Norland pedestrian and bike project is also still active.
Bottom line for East Charlotte: The West side finished its last CNIP project in 2022. On the East side, the big work won’t be done until about 2030.
My Take as an East Charlotte Resident
I’ve lived in East Charlotte since 2001, and I’ll be honest about how this looks from here.
We don’t get a lot of investment over here. But because East Charlotte is such a large part of the city, we end up paying for a lot of it.
The city’s own numbers back up the first part. Both areas got the same $20 million starting point in 2015. West Trade/Rozzelles Ferry has seven finished projects. We have one finished streetscape and two studies, and our biggest projects won’t be built until 2029 or 2030. Meanwhile, the price of the Eastway/Shamrock intersection went from $39 million to $59.5 million while we waited.
That’s my opinion. You can read the same numbers and land somewhere else.
Where the Rest of the 2026 Money Goes
The $280 million transportation bond splits into two buckets.
$160 million for specific places:
| Project | Area | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bryant Farms Road Extension, Phase 2 | Ballantyne | $35M |
| Robinson Church Road Widening | East | $19.3M |
| Shamrock Drive Complete Street | East | $14.5M |
| Eastway/Shamrock intersection | East | $12M |
| Ashley/Freedom/Tuckaseegee intersection | West | $6.7M |
| Brown-Grier Road Complete Street | Southwest (Steele Creek area) | $6.6M |
| DeArmon Road Complete Street | North (Prosperity Village) | $6M |
| Strategic Investment Areas | 22 areas citywide | $60M |
$120 million citywide: $50 million for sidewalks, $24 million for resurfacing, $22 million for Vision Zero traffic safety, $10 million for bike lanes, $5 million for bridges, and smaller amounts for traffic equipment and privately built “orphan roads.”
What People Are Saying
For the bonds: Mayor Rob Harrington told Axios the bonds will care for roads, neighborhoods and homes as the city grows, without raising property taxes. City bonds have passed every time since 2014, usually by wide margins. In 2024, the three bonds passed with 64% to 71% of the vote.
Against, or at least skeptical: Charlotte Observer columnist Andrew Dunn argues the city hasn’t proven it uses borrowed money well, especially on closing the affordable housing gap.
Why This Matters If You Own or Are Buying a Home
Public projects change neighborhoods, and they take years. Before you buy, look up any city projects near the address.
- Construction is coming. If a project is scheduled near a home you’re buying, you could be living next to it for two or three years.
- The city may need land. The Eastway/Shamrock project is in the land-buying phase now. If you own near it, the city’s real estate FAQ explains how that works.
- Ask how long it’s been planned. Shamrock Drive came out of planning that started in 2015. Construction is expected to finish around 2030.
- The city’s project portal is public. Search any street at charlottenc.gov/projects. I do this for my buyers on every home.
Want to know more about how projects affect values? Read Do Charlotte Development Projects Raise Home Values? and Charlotte’s Future: 10 Projects That Will Change Our Neighborhoods. For more on the east side, see my East Charlotte guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are the 2026 Charlotte city bonds?
$425 million total: $280 million for transportation, $125 million for affordable housing and $20 million for neighborhood improvements.
Will the 2026 Charlotte bonds raise my property taxes?
The city says no tax increase is needed. It says repayment is already in the budget, and much of the transportation bond will be repaid with the 1-cent sales tax voters approved last year.
How much will the 2026 bonds cost with interest?
About $241 million in interest, for a total of more than $600 million, according to Axios Charlotte.
What did past Charlotte bonds pay for?
From 2014 to 2024, voters approved about $1.41 billion for roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, bridges, affordable housing and neighborhood projects. In West Charlotte, that included Five Points Plaza and the I-77/West Trade underpass. In East Charlotte, the biggest projects, Shamrock Drive and the Eastway/Shamrock intersection, are expected to be built between 2027 and 2030.
When will the Eastway and Shamrock intersection be rebuilt?
The city expects construction in 2029 and 2030. Design finished in June 2026, and the city is buying the land it needs now.
When do I vote on the Charlotte bonds?
Nov. 3, 2026. The bonds are at the end of the ballot for City of Charlotte voters.
Have a Question About a Home Near One of These Projects?
Call or text me. I’ll pull the project schedule for any address you’re looking at.
Thinking about selling? See what your home is worth.
Maureen Mahood | Broker/Owner
Sell Your Home Charlotte
704-621-3066
SellYourHomeCharlotte.com
Licensed in NC and SC
Sources: City of Charlotte bond and project pages (charlottenc.gov), including the 2015 CNIP presentation; Axios Charlotte, Oct. 13, 2026; WSOC (Dec. 2022); UNC Charlotte and REBIC (2014 bonds); WFAE and Sustain Charlotte (2016 bonds); WFAE (2018 results); WCCB (2020 results); N.C. Department of State Treasurer/Local Government Commission (2024 results). Project budgets and schedules change. Check the city’s project pages for the latest.