Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[Deleted.]

I had not heard the May date for starting construction. I would bet on "Late 2016" for construction start date.

I suspect that CATS encountered a small documentation obstacle  after the FTA meeting that required the delay to March on the SSGA. The permission from the FTA to begin ordering the vehicles is a strong indication that there are not significant problems and the grant is virtually certain. I would have preferred that the SSGA was signed before the election but I suspect we are far enough down the rabbit hole now that little can disrupt the process.

I may have been wrong about the May start date for construction. It took 2 1/2 years to construct 1 1/2 miles for Phase 1. So let's assume, approximately another year construction time for an extra mile. So 3 1/2 years construction for another 2.5 miles; so for a December 2019 opening I think we would need to start construction in August 2016. 

If we are so likely to receive the SSGA, couldn't we fully design Phase 2 before the SSGA signing? So when we receive funding in March next year, we could start construction very soon afterwards. Could this work? 

As for the vehicles, did we have to start now to ensure we have the vehicles in time? In case of order backlogs? Could we see the modern streetcars in service on Phase 1 before Phase 2 opens?

Edited October 27, 2015 by Piedmont767

[Deleted.]

I had not heard the May date for starting construction. I would bet on "Late 2016" for construction start date.

I suspect that CATS encountered a small documentation obstacle  after the FTA meeting that required the delay to March on the SSGA. The permission from the FTA to begin ordering the vehicles is a strong indication that there are not significant problems and the grant is virtually certain. I would have preferred that the SSGA was signed before the election but I suspect we are far enough down the rabbit hole now that little can disrupt the process.

This is where I got the May start date from  

Just a calendar reminder. The Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for Phase 2 of the Gold Line should be signed by the Federal Transit Administration and the city sometime in the next month. 

Assuming that happens as planned, construction on Phase 2 should begin next May.

EDIT-  Where does Jennifer Roberts stand on the issue of the streetcar? Does she support Phase 2?  

Edited October 29, 2015 by Piedmont767

[15895]

Jennifer Roberts supports bringing improvements to all corners of Charlotte which includes the east and west sides. 

 

She supports CityLynx 

 

It's painstakingly close to the heart of Plaza-Midwood that phase 2 will come to. It even crossed the bridge, if I'm not mistaken. Geez. 

Edited October 29, 2015 by AirNostrumMAD

[Deleted.]

Jennifer Roberts supports bringing improvements to all corners of Charlotte which includes the east and west sides. 

 

She supports CityLynx 

 

It's painstakingly close to the heart of Plaza-Midwood that phase 2 will come to. It even crossed the bridge, if I'm not mistaken. Geez. 

Phase 2 finishes one single block from Central Avenue. Who's idea was that?! We could have extended Phase 2 by roughly 200 feet and actually have a stop on Central, but no, let's finish at Sunnyside! If Central were going to be where Phase 2 ended, I would be completely happy with it. IMO Phase 3 doesn't make it a streetcar line, becuase most streetcar lines are roughly 4-5 miles long and Phase 2 will make CityLYNX that long. 

I'm glad Roberts supports CityLYNX, because the likely hood of her winning is more likely than the streetcar-hater Edwin Peacock. 

Edited October 29, 2015 by Piedmont767
I called Edwin Peacock, Eric Peacock- I need more coffee

[SgtCampsalot]

There will be a public meeting about Phase 2 of the Gold Line November 10th and 12th.

Any interesting or valuable ideas (other than extending it to Central, sadly....)?

 

Edited October 29, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[Deleted.]

^Damn it! I fly to England on the Tuesday and I don't get back till Thursday. 

Suggestions: 

-Extend it to Central 

-Don't purchase hybrid vehicles, just use overhead wires. I think that's part of what makes the streetcar a streetcar rather than a bus on tracks. 

-Signal preemption. This will help speed up services and make having a timetable easier to keep to. 

-More frequencies- 10 mins peak (instead of 15 mins) and 15 mins non-peak (instead of 20 mins) 

-At the stops: route info and electronic boards showing destination of the next streetcar and estimated time for when it will get to the stop

That's all I can think of at the minute. If someone goes to the meetings, please could you mention some of the above suggestions.

[southslider]

Sunnyside is one block off Central, albeit on the Hawthorne side of the tracks. Getting to The Plaza side of the tracks is just too costly. Phase 2 will already use the maximum federal funding possible for a Small Starts project, a significant share of the total project cost going to just crossing over Independence to Sunnyside.

Edited October 29, 2015 by southslider

[Deleted.]

Sunnyside is one block off Central, albeit on the Hawthorne side of the tracks. Getting to The Plaza side of the tracks is just too costly. Phase 2 will already use the maximum federal funding possible for a Small Starts project, a significant share of the total project cost going to just crossing over Independence to Sunnyside.

I think it's going to cost a lot to get over Independence becuase the bridge can't support the weight of the streetcar, so we have to build a new bridge, or strength it. It's one of the two, but I'm pretty sure we have to build a new one. 

Edit- When I suggested we extend it to Central, I knew it would be too expensive to get over Central; so I would've liked a station just before Central. But walking 20 seconds to get to Central from Sunnyside is perfectly acceptable.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Piedmont767

[RiverwoodCLT]

Why not go down 7st Street to Pecan Ave and go under Independence.  If the Silver line goes down 7th Street and  Monroe, just have a spur off the Silver Line. 

Edited October 29, 2015 by RiverwoodCLT

[Deleted.]

Why not go down 7st Street to Pecan Ave and go under Independence.  If the Silver line goes down 7th Street and  Monroe, just have a spur off the Silver Line. 

Is the bridge on Pecan Ave high enough? I'm pretty sure that it would cost more to go down 7th, but it would be nice for the streetcar to pass Crisp, Starbucks, Heroes Aren't Hard To Find and that general area. 

[kermit]

^ Guys, the Phase 2 route is already set in stone.

[Deleted.]

^ Guys, the Phase 2 route is already set in stone.

Oh that's a shame, still fun to talk hypothetically.  

kermit, did you see where I got the May start date from?  

[kermit]

Kermit, did you see where I got the May start date from?  

yup, and I laughed out loud.

[kermit]

Just saw an Edwin Peacock ad. Wow, he really hates the streetcar. He calls it "a $500 million disaster" It appears that he is both bad at math and a revisionist historian.
 

[15895]

Just saw an Edwin Peacock ad. Wow, he really hates the streetcar. He calls it "a $500 million disaster" It appears that he is both bad at math and a revisionist historian.
 

yes. He is sure to pause. Mention. And smile. 

 

"I'm Edwin Peacock and I am not for the streetcar and I want to fight crime" 

 

His campaign in 1 sentence

[Deleted.]

Just saw an Edwin Peacock ad. Wow, he really hates the streetcar. He calls it "a $500 million disaster" It appears that he is both bad at math and a revisionist historian.
 

Hmmm, when does $37 Million + $150 Million = $500 Million? Jennifer Roberts knows math and supports the streetcar, but she wants to improve CMS. I think Mr Peacock needs to go back to elementary school! 

 

yes. He is sure to pause. Mention. And smile. 

 

"I'm Edwin Peacock and I am not for the streetcar and I want to fight crime" 

 

His campaign in 1 sentence

Where are we? Gotham City? 

[RiverwoodCLT]

I hear him on Charlotte Talks.  If he wins, look out, He will kill any chance of expansion of the street car. I voted early,  and he did not get my vote.

[15895]

I hear him on Charlotte Talks.  If he wins, look out, He will kill any chance of expansion of the street car. I voted early,  and he did not get my vote.

he can't kill it by himself 

[Spartan]

The good thing is that he can't really kill the streetcar. Even if he gets elected mayor, there isn't much to decide on at this point. The funding is already lined up, and the decisions have already been made. Plus, Council will be mostly democrats that support the streetcar so they could override any mayoral vetoes.

[Deleted.]

The good thing is that he can't really kill the streetcar. Even if he gets elected mayor, there isn't much to decide on at this point. The funding is already lined up, and the decisions have already been made. Plus, Council will be mostly democrats that support the streetcar so they could override any mayoral vetoes.

But can't the mayor veto what the council wants? Anyway, we are more likely to get Jennifer Roberts, who thankfully supports CityLYNX. TBH, once Phase 2 is built, I wouldn't be bothered if Phase 3 isn't built. Streetcar lines are normally 3-5 miles long, not 10 like the full plan of the Gold Line. 

[Guest]

But can't the mayor veto what the council wants? Anyway, we are more likely to get Jennifer Roberts, who thankfully supports CityLYNX. TBH, once Phase 2 is built, I wouldn't be bothered if Phase 3 isn't built. Streetcar lines are normally 3-5 miles long, not 10 like the full plan of the Gold Line. 

because our mayor is more or less a figurehead, it's a ceremonial position. They can only vote in a tie.

[RiverwoodCLT]

He still did not get my vote, figurehead or not. How many other things could he screw up.

Edited October 31, 2015 by RiverwoodCLT

[js4life]

Yes the Mayor can veteo ordinances but they can override his veteo with 3/4 majority vote.  With the council likely to have a 9-2  Democratic lean he would be wasting his time & energy. He's trying to spark his base in hopes they show up in large numbers

[Deleted.]

Cincinnati received their first streetcar yesterday. Congratulations to the other Queen City! 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/10/30/welcome-cincinnati-streetcar/74801366/

They are getting 5 cars made by the Spanish company CAF. I thought I'd link to the article, so we could see a modern vehicle, that we could use on Phase II. However if these streetcars are made in Spain, they don't comply with the 1982 Buy America Act. So I assume these vehicles were made here in the USA. 

Edited November 1, 2015 by Piedmont767
Correcting grammar

[Third Strike]

Cincinnati received their first streetcar yesterday. Congratulations to the other Queen City! 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/10/30/welcome-cincinnati-streetcar/74801366/

They are getting 5 cars made by the Spanish company CAF. I thought I'd link to ge article, so we could see a modern vehicle we could use. However if these streetcars are made in Spain, they don't comply with the 1982 Buy America Act. So I assume these vehicles were made in the USA. 

Unrelated, but it's cool to learn that Cincinnati has an abandoned subway line. I guess creating a streetcar line is more feasible than reviving the corridor for modern rail. Hopefully they continue to preserve them for possible future use.