Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[navigator319]

The streetcar

Carlee’s budget proposal keeps the streetcar intact.

The first 1.5-mile phase – from Charlotte Transportation Center to Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center – is scheduled to open in June. That will cost the city about $1.5 million in operating costs.

After that, the city is preparing to expend the line by 2.5 miles, which would cost an additional $63 million in construction costs and additional $4.7 million in operating costs.

The city wants to create a special transit fund that doesn’t include property taxes, through.

“Can you use this for something else?” Carlee said. “Yes you can. There is absolutely no question about it.”

The manager added: “We have not proposed or do not intend to propose de-funding any capital project that has been funded.”

[tozmervo]

Went to Passion 8 last night (which was excellent but not why we're here). They're building the Gold Line stations now, and it's really incredible how different Elizabeth Ave feels now. Despite the notable availability of developable land, that end of Elizabeth felt a thousand times more urban with a station just under construction. And the CPCC station is quite nifty with the bike lane going around behind the station. It's the little things.

 

(Side note: CPCC has a very serious issue with cars standing along Elizabeth in the bike lane, they'll have to deal with that head-on, because it's also very dangerous to bikers much less hindering the streetcar)

[CLTProductions]

This is that cool bike lane thing.

[15895]

The railings are just so awful and cheap looking at the stations

[ajfunder]

^The stations look great. CPCC security needs to start chasing these standing cars off. It's not just private vehicles but I often see trucks unloading and even CPCC vehicles standing in the bike lanes. CPCC has a drop off circle but it is rarely utilized in favor of Elizabeth.

[tozmervo]

I agree the handrails look pretty cheap, at least they only really occur in the median station. All things being equal, it's easier to upgrade those later than most other items, but at least it keeps the station platforms pretty open to their surroundings while still controlling pedestrian movement 

[km1789]

I just don't like that they are painted black. I am anxious to see what the canopies will look like with them. I drove by one of the stations Wednesday, I believe it was at McDowell, but they were installing the vertical supports for the canopies.

[CLTProductions]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2015/04/charlotte-streetcar-looking-inevitable.html?page=all

 

Biz Journal article on the Streetcar and its "inevitable" extension.

[archiham04]

Several of the median canopies are in...  noted over the weekend. 

[illustration82]

Well it looks like city council is once again at odds about continuing support for phase two of the streetcar.  What are your thoughts? Any chance they'll vote to keep funding in place? I know no one wants to see property tax go up, but we are so close to possibly receiving funding for the extension. I hope they don't cut funding.

[ajfunder]

It would be just plain stupid to cut it now. The chance that this project gets funded again if they turn down the FTA is slim to none. It will be years if not decades before this extension ever gets built.

Carlee has put together a workable plan which is actually very appealing in a tight budget deficit year. By raising property taxes and removing the garbage collection fee, about 80% of Charlotte citizens will end up paying less annually. Yes commercial business will now pay more, but they just had a tax reduction in the form of the removal of the business license tax.

I know four council members will vote against it, but I'm not sure on the others. But that leaves 7 unknown votes (I'd estimate at least four are guaranteed to vote for the streetcar/tax hike). That leaves three unknowns. They need at least six votes to pass the tax hike and seven to avoid the possibility of a veto. I'm hoping they don't flake out on this project.

My $0.02

[tozmervo]

Being an election year, I would not hold back on contacting the various council members to voice support. Those are the tea leaves they're going to be reading. If they think the wind is blowing away from the streetcar, they'll drop support to get reelected. 

[southslider]

The Republicans, plus maybe two Democrats (Barnes and Fallon) are the only likely votes to stop streetcar.

[seth0423]

A little news, I had originally posted this in the Long Term Transit Plan Forum:

 

The 2016 USDOT budget proposal has two grants that could help us in the near future. One is 75,000,000 for phase 2 of the streetcar, and one is 115,000,000 for the blue line extension. The streetcar grant would pay for approximately 65% of the whole thing, and we could be getting it sooner?

[15895]

A little news, I had originally posted this in the Long Term Transit Plan Forum:

The 2016 USDOT budget proposal has two grants that could help us in the near future. One is 75,000,000 for phase 2 of the streetcar, and one is 115,000,000 for the blue line extension. The streetcar grant would pay for approximately 65% of the whole thing, and we could be getting it sooner?

Is that any different from what we've known since the start of the new year?

[archiham04]

Streetcar (green and yellow) spotted heading north at East/West blvd on the lynx line

[nonillogical]

Streetcar (green and yellow) spotted heading north at East/West blvd on the lynx line

I was just about to post, yeah lots of streetcar activity on the blue line today (I'm seeing one pass every 45 minutes or so), so I imagine testing is occurring on the actual line. From my view, near the back of Publix, it is a little funny looking to see that thing get up to the same speed as the lightrail! 

[grodney]

Heyoooo, just rolled through 3rd St, headed north. It's so cute.

[tozmervo]

Obligatory.

[ajfunder]

Terrible photo but here is car 91 along Camden. I assume the offset logo is to allow for advertisements. My bet is they are training the operators using the Blue Line as the initial test track.

Edited May 8, 2015 by ajfunder

[Matthew.Brendan]

So these operate on the same track as the light rail? What's the distinction between the two systems then?

[kermit]

^ Streetcar vehicles can operate on LRT track. LRT vehicles can't always operate on streetcar track due to weight, turning radius, floor height, station configuration, etc.

[videtur quam contuor]

I worked on the trolley when it was a Saturday and Sunday excursion experience in 2007-2009. The trolley, such as the one seen and photographed above, has a lower floor and the step in for boarding is lower than the light rail. Light rail stations have a cut down section at the end of the station to allow for this. It was a bit confusing to those waiting at the normal boarding area for light rail to realized they had to walk 20 yards down to the end of the staion to board the trolley. This was a make-do arrangement and not meant for long term function. Light rail is roll-in while trolley is climb aboard. There is a handicap lift for each trolley. The Blue line was designed for LRT though trolley can work within federal safety guidelines, with some adaptation.

[ajfunder]

^The streetcars the city will purchase for phase two will be very similar to the current light rail vehicles, just a bit shorter and lighter. The streetcar line and the LRT use the same overhead voltage and track gauge, the only major differences are the ones Kermit mentioned. Light rail usually has priority signaling while the streetcar typically obeys traffic signals. In many countries what we call streetcars and light rail are just bundled under the name tram.

[kermit]

has anyone seen our new rail transit network map which shows both the Blue Line and the Streetcar? (the ones that I assume will be placed in the LRT and Gold Line vehicles)

 

Have I missed them?