CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Nearly three months have passed since the Interstate 77 express lanes project was supposed to be completed. But now, we have new developments. The company working on the lanes says it's now anticipating this summer for full completion.

Those who live closest to the ongoing work have for years dealt with impacts to their quality of life. They’re complaining about difficulty sleeping and unsafe conditions for pedestrians.

Imagine owning a well-manicured home but I-77 is your next-door neighbor.

“Yes, I do love my home,” Jane Boykin says.

Boykin and her Genesis Park neighbors have endured the construction site and not having noise walls since the I-77 express lanes project started in November 2015.

“Once I fall asleep I hear a big ol' bump, I'm jumping up in the middle of the night,” Boykin says.

The particularly large section of incomplete noise wall is along the northbound side and stretches roughly from the outskirts of Uptown to the Lasalle Street exit.

“The big trucks coming through, or the emergency vehicles on the highway,” Boykin says.

In addition to the never ending noise, Boykin says all this has even led to property damage.

“The guy was backing up, and he hit my grandson's car,” she says.

The noise walls are just part of the reason NCDOT is still assessing Cintra, the Spanish firm building the lanes at $30,000 a day. There's still paving that has yet to be done and final pavement markings need to be put down.

“It is never gonna end and when is the end coming through, it's impossible to even guess,” Boykin says.

The punch of arctic air we’re experiencing is not helping matters as far as crews being able to work. NCDOT says temperatures have to be at least 45 degrees and rising, and also, it can't be wet.

NCDOT says a total amount in liquidated damages won't be known until after the work is finally complete and Cintra is given the chance to appeal.

The local subsidiary of Cintra, I-77 Mobility Partners, says it's working with neighbors to keep them informed on the progress. It also says infrastructure improvements will enhance the experience for drivers and people living nearby.

Spectrum News Reporter Jonathan Lowe reached out to I-77 Mobility Partners around 10 a.m. Tuesday about the issues. They sent the following response just after 4 p.m.:

"Crews continue to work towards completion of paving and other construction activity like noise wall installation throughout the corridor as weather allows. Several variables influence infrastructure construction projects, weather being a considerable factor especially during cold, wet months. We anticipate all construction to be complete by Summer 2020.

In compliance with our contractual agreement, crews primarily close lanes to work on sections of the roadway overnight and on weekends to lessen the construction impacts on traffic during the week. As a result, lanes may be temporarily uneven until paving is able to be completed in an area, which is common with resurfacing projects. Safety is always our top priority, and although all construction activities, including paving, meet or exceed NCDOT’s standards for construction and safety.

In addition to the roadway construction and rehabilitation efforts, noise walls are a great example of other infrastructure being improved along the corridor. Over one million square feet of noise walls will have been installed or replaced in several areas as part of the project to help reduce noise for communities along the highway. These and other infrastructure improvements like pavement rehabilitation, bridges and sidewalks will enhance the experience for drivers as well as neighbors in this 26-mile stretch of I-77.

We have worked with neighborhood leaders during construction and provide regular project updates for the community through our construction newsletters. We are also proud to have partnered with neighborhoods in north Charlotte to invest in community assets like the Genesis Park neighborhood garden expansion and relocation and the Greenville Neighborhood Marching Band.

Since the full opening of I-77 Express from November 17 to December 31, 2019, over 1.3 million trips have been taken on the express lanes. I-77 Mobility Partners CEO Javier Tamargo provided this quote in our recent press release (see attached) regarding drivers’ embracing of the express lanes: “The early adoption of I-77 Express is a key indicator that drivers seek choices to get places quicker and more reliably. We are excited to offer a service that helps improve their quality of life.”"