The major landscapes traversed by I-77 include the city of Charlotte and its urban core, the smaller suburban communities in the Piedmont region, and the rural foothills of Western North Carolina.

At Lake Norman, I-77 crosses into Iredell County and becomes a more suburban Interstate, passing through Mooresville and then Statesville, where it intersects with I-40.

The final five miles (8.0 km) of I-77 is concurrent with I-74 to the Virginia state line (where I-74 ends), all within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[1] The I-77 Express lanes were financed, developed, and constructed and are operated and maintained by I-77 Mobility Partners, in a public–private partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

[10][11] The express lanes uses all-electronic tolling, with tolls payable with a valid transponder (NC Quick Pass, E-ZPass, Peach Pass, or SunPass) or bill by mail, which uses automatic license plate recognition and charge a higher rate with additional fees.

[14] Vehicles with three passengers or more may use the express lanes for free, provided they have a E-ZPass Flex Transponder or notify via the HOV mobile app/website, with at least 15 minutes before traveling.

Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100 plus court costs; as well as two points against their driver's license for each HOV infraction.

With construction beginning in the 1960s, I-77 would gain additional mileage in October 1964 when a two-mile (3.2 km) extension was granted by the US Bureau of Public Roads.

The last two sections of the highway to open to traffic was the stretch from Cornelius to Charlotte in 1975 and from exit 73 to the Virginia state line in 1977.

The interchange was built with additional shoulder space and lights that will not need to be moved when I-77 is eventually widened in area.

[18] In 2015, NCDOT signed a contract with I-77 Mobility Partners to begin construction and eventual management of the toll lanes starting in 2018.

[19] However, new criticism erupted before the financial agreement was made when local politicians discovered the contract was amended in 2014 giving I-77 Mobility Partners a 50-year noncompete clause.

[25] On November 22, 2022, a news helicopter crashed near I-77 at Nations Ford Road in South Charlotte, killing pilot Chip Tayag and meteorologist Jason Myers, who were employees of local TV station WBTV.

[27][28][29] The estimated cost for the entire project, including widening of a total of seven and half miles of both highways to eight lanes, is $260 million, and construction began in March 2012.

[32][33][34][35] In July 2019, NCDOT and the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization announced a project that would convert segments of I-77 shoulders to travel lanes to be used only during peak periods between I-485 and Mooresville.