Nolan

^I thought CATS installed sensors to counted how many people board the trains to measure its ridership.

As long as their entrances aren't off of Independence, let it face a new side road or something, I'm happy.

So that what that building was, I drove by it one night and was curious as it doesn't look like a regular shipment/logistic facility.

I know we don't like the local news here, but anyways Channel 9 just reported the streetcar line won't be opening until June due to the contractor's mistakes.

Well there are economists that are pessimistic at the US shale fracking industry, smaller companies will not survive because shale isn't profitable with the price of oil hovering around $60 a barrel. Some shale exploration companies can manage for awhile, but if prices remain at these level for a year or more there will be some negative impact the energy sector, and states' economies that are dependent on energy can even suffer a regional recession. Also, the US demand for gasoline is in decline mainly due to Obama and EPA's regulations of more efficient cars, and millennials are driving less and less than the generations before them. However, car sales have been strong, and sales of SUVs and large crossovers are up, which IMO is shortsighted from these consumers as cheap gas won't last.

Also previously the NCDOT warned that because of a faster morning commute on Inner 485, I-77 might have more back ups due to people are able to reach it quicker.

It seems that once the new lane on I-485 was opened it just pushed the congestion farther down past Johnston Rd, although the sections from I-77 to South Blvd seems to be doing better. SMH.

http://www.crtpo.org/PDFs/I-77/I-77_HOT_HOV_Lanes/I-77_HOV_HOT_FeasibilityStudy.pdf If you go to the diagrams at the very last few pages, there were plans to include HOT access from I-85, we don't know if they are still included.

For BRT to work, it needs to have a consistent frequency, the busway on Independence will be converted to a reversible HOT facility that will only operate during rush hour. I don't see how that would work with BRT.

It seems like Independence will actually be the first HOT facility in the Charlotte area, if the planning and conversion of the busway to HOT goes according plan, it'll be open up by 2016 or 2017. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/11/16/5319053/state-plans-early-work-on-independence.html#.VGjw2vnF8S8 I find the busway severely underused, and it should have been a reversible HOV like it was intended for when the planning started in the late 80s and early 90s.

Also due to the interchange construction and rerouting of Prosperity Church, Bi-Lo no longer has that visibility on a major road. The back of it now faces a side street, a block away from the newly renamed Prosperity Church, unless you're a local to the area, you probably won't even notice that Bi-Lo.

Sounds like bye bye Bi-Lo, however that's the only decent Bi-Lo in Charlotte I've ever been to. IMO Publix will probably kill off that Bi-Lo.

The turbine design looks amazing from the air, but going underneath it's so so, it just feel massive.

http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Transportation/PlansProjects/Pages/Uptown%20Loop%20Study.aspx http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Transportation/PlansProjects/Documents/Brookshire%20Freeway%20Concepts%20-%20Graham%20to%20Davidson.pdf The DavidsonStreet/Caldwell proposal.

It was the City Council that raised the issue, the County doesn't deal with transportation issues in Charlotte. Their main concern was about the merging where the flyover ramp ends right before the Graham Street underpass on Inner 277 and the potential HOT users trying to merge onto the 11th Street exit from the far left side crossing over 3 lanes of traffic.

Found some neat visualization of the I-77 North HOT https://www.flickr.com/photos/ncdot/sets/72157645815043992

I actually like Charlotte's organic layout versus a grid layout, while it's not efficient, it gives Charlotte some character.

Ahh interesting, well now we know the origins of all the roads named Sharon in South Park.

Tryon and Trade is usually where the streets in Charlotte switch from North to South or West to East designations. However, East Blvd changing to West Blvd at Camden is another mystery, just like who the heck is Sharon? E. Sugar Creek changes to W. Sugar Creek after it crosses over Tryon, however geographically this makes no sense since W. Sugar Creek is still on the north side of Charlotte.

Reading the News & Observer comments about that transportation plan seems like a delight compared to anything commented on the Charlotte Observers.

So is this just extra rolling stock of LRV for capacity issues for the current line because it seems a bit too early for the next set of LRVs for the BLE? Nevermind, I've found the answer to my own question. I haven't ridden the light rail in awhile, but have they tried running three-car trains for special events yet?

Whatever is being planned at Amity Gardens/Coliseum Shopping Center needs to have a parallel access road, and limit the curb cut outs.

NCDOT changed their funding formula and project prioritization based on need and competitiveness, wouldn't that mean transit projects will now have to compete with each other too? How competitive do you think the Silver Line will be versus any potential lines in Triangle area?

A gay homeless man did flash me before, and a homeless woman chased me all within the same night near where the Fox and Hound used to be on 7th and Tryon. I think problems need to be addressed, but the removal of the benches proposal seems to be too drastic, didn't Bank of America offered to do something instead when the city had proposed that idea?

Did Amazon stop using Laser Ship? Because before, things that gets delivered by Laser Ship gets here within one day instead of two. From what I've noticed, all of my things now gets delivered by UPS again.