Navigating Charlotte by car can be difficult for visitors and newcomers, a map is vital.  The street system in Center City is a well laid out grid, but as soon as you get out of downtown (or uptown, depending on who you ask) you will find many winding roads - which change names on you when you might least expect it.  Interstate's 77 and 85 intersect near the middle of the city.   Interstate 277 is a small loop around just the Center City area.  I-485 is around 60 miles long and extends around 90% of the region, but is still under construction and does not yet circle the entire area.

Charlotte offers public transportation by CATS bus and LYNX light rail. CATS serves Mecklenburg County as well as some surrounding counties. LYNX runs parrallel to South Boulevard and is a great option to get to uptown with free parking at a number of stations. For a greener mode of transportation, there are a number of bike lanes throughout the city.

 For a fun interactive look at Charlotte http://www.discoverymap.com/North-Car...