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https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2024/03/08/cats-transit-streetcar-roads-money-transportation.html

https://www.wfae.org/charlotte-area/2021-12-09/charlottes-streetcar-operating-off-schedule-more-than-half-of-the-100-days-its-been-open

Can we organize a campaign to City Council/CATS leadership to get the ball rolling on this? At Trade and Tryon yesterday I saw about 4 cars parked in the curbside lane over the streetcar tracks while about 6 CMPD officers stood on the sidewalk taking no action. The cars just sit there with their blinkers on, sometimes occupied, sometimes not completely degrading the reliability of the transit service. If elected leaders and CATS want this to be viewed as a reliable mode of transportation they have to start enforcing this strictly. The fact is that there are PLENTY of convenient spots to park in Uptown...you just have to be willing to pay to use them.

Exciting to see this thing running! Lots of testing going on today.

Finally saw the streetcar in action last night! Moving fast with a rolling escort during testing. Can't wait to ride this thing - anyone heard anything firm on an opening date for passenger service?

Received the email below from CATS. Still no commitment to revenue service start date, but streetcar testing "Coming Soon." Looking forward to seeing these running and can't wait to take my first ride.

I was envisioning something like the sketch shown in red below. This is a distance of about 2.4 miles and could potentially be pretty scenic. Obviously it would require permission from Duke to build under their transmission lines, but there are already lots of mountain bike trails and paved driveways through this area. If the Silver Line Rail Trail comes to fruition, this could become a really important connection and start to create network for people walking and biking through this area. Another benefit would be connecting USNWC to Iswa Nature Preserve just south of 74. Perhaps the trail could even be built to the width of a narrow roadway and the USNWC could run a shuttle to the Silver Line station on event weeknights and all weekend. **Major caveat: I have no idea what the I-85 bridge looks like near the river and whether it would be possible to construct a trail under the existing structure. Another alternative could be to build a trail parallel to Moores Chapel Rd., but the I-85 bridge crossing is very narrow there. That alignment could be a little bit more direct, but would require some kind of modification or expansion of a bridge which might make construction infeasible.

The article was an interesting read. I'd heard a little bit about the history of the Whitewater Center but that was certainly the most complete version I've read. I've been shocked throughout the pandemic how popular the facilities have become. From anecdotal observations, I-85/I-485/Moores Chapel Rd. seem to have a pretty high portion of vehicles being used as very fancy, expensive bike racks after 4pm any day of the week. On weekends it seems like half of the traffic in that area is destined for the Whitewater Center! I hope that the USNWC is advocating for a Silver Line station close to their property. I wish there was a way the alignment could bring transit riders to the front door of the facilities, but I'm not sure how that could happen. With construction of good bike lanes/sidewalk or trails to the station location, I could imagine a lot of people taking the train most of the way and biking/walking the rest.

Similar vantage point to @Rickybobby's photo above, but taken in the early Saturday AM hours. My new phone background!

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/11/16/central-square-office-retail-main-street.html Anyone with an account able to share details?

Does the Cross Charlotte Trail follow the creek through here? Is the developer going to build it along the Philemon extension if so?

Starting to look like a real city!

This update from the City seems to indicate it's just the elevation of the concrete that was incorrect where the tracks are to be placed, not the mix/strength of the concrete. From what I've read it sounds like it won't require a full demo of the track bed within the bridge deck, hopefully that is the case. Honestly I'm pretty excited about the bridge potentially opening to ped/bike this month. The volume of automobile traffic on Hawthorne is significantly reduced without the bridge in place, and it is a much quieter and safer street because of it. Maybe we could petition to make this Charlotte's version of Tilikum Crossing in Portland - bike, ped, transit, and emergency vehicles only?

At this point I'd be ready to jump off a bridge (if one was available)

That's... an interesting way to say "August." (I hope)

Not a drone photo, but standing-on-a-bench perspective:

Indoor spiral water slide?

First night of bridge pour

https://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/XCLTBrandywineTyvola.aspx That segment has (finally) moved to construction. There are signs up for an on-street connection between the existing end points of the greenway, but I've heard staking and preliminary earthwork is going on down by the creek.

Glass facade creating a significant change to the streetscape/feel of Stonewall.

Bridge this evening. Looking close to ready for deck pour.

Continuing the tangent, this is a great podcast about the Trader Joes business model, its connection to Aldi, and how they got where they are. Recommended quarantine listening... https://freakonomics.com/podcast/trader-joes/