South Light Rail Transit

[atlrvr]

Undoubtebly, some drunk driver will try to sneak around gate crossing arms and beat a train and will get killed.

The next morning headlines.

Deadly Transit Kills Again

Unsuspecting Motorist Violently Massacred by City Subsidized Death Trap

[TowerRooster]

Undoubtebly, some drunk driver will try to sneak around gate crossing arms and beat a train and will get killed.

The next morning headlines.

Deadly Transit Kills Again

Unsuspecting Motorist Violently Massacred by City Subsidized Death Trap

That's the funniest thing I've heard all week

[UrbanLifter]

Once the light rail is up and running, the Disturber (Oops, I mean the Observer) and all the other critics will be singing its priases. Just wait. Once the development takes off and fills the city coffers with tax dollars .... well, you know the rest of the story.

[ChiefJoJo]

Even if we lose the NHOF, the [Caldwell/I277]redesign is basically a profitable venture, so would likely be done anyway.

Actually, that's not quite true, although it's a moot point now that NASCAR will be in 2nd ward. The state kicked in $11M in economic development cash for the interchange, but only if NASCAR located the HOF here. Clt will now use this money to construct the interchange hopefully to coincide with NASCAR's arrival. The cool thing is that this will complement the 277 ped bridge and really help to transform that area.

FYI, the land around the interchange will be deeded to the city from NCDOT and sold for development in the coming years--even the ramp from 277/74 west to South Blvd will be gone and that parcel near the LRT will be redeveloped.

[Sabaidee]

I thought that land around the interchange was actually Federal property, and NCDOT couldn't give that land to the city because it wasn't their to give. But NCDOT and the city did some quick maneuvering that would let the Federal gov't give that land to the city at no extra cost.

[ChiefJoJo]

It's NCDOT land---> see pdf p. 66, #3 & 4

[dubone]

It's all moot at this point as it looks like the land will be sold and go toward financing the hall of fame for nascar. SZ, the feds simply had to vote that they held no claim on the land since obviously they partially paid for it. But it was state land that now goes to the hall and the interchange redev.

[RiverwoodCLT]

All the steel trusses are now in place for the Tyvola overpass. Looks like they have started building the road bed for the rail on the trusses.

Looks like Woodlawn will be next to get it trusses, all the pier work is finished.

[A2]

All the steel trusses are now in place for the Tyvola overpass. Looks like they have started building the road bed for the rail on the trusses.

Looks like Woodlawn will be next to get it trusses, all the pier work is finished.

Will the "flyover" at Woodlawn resemble that of the Tyvola flyover in scope and size??

Just curious...

A2

[dubone]

None of the flyovers will be like the Tyvola one, as the Tyvola one extends a long way so that it goes over the freight tracks.

The rest of the overpasses, including the one at Woodlawn will just cross the street.

[A2]

None of the flyovers will be like the Tyvola one, as the Tyvola one extends a long way so that it goes over the freight tracks.

The rest of the overpasses, including the one at Woodlawn will just cross the street.

Thanks D

A2

[Mobuchu]

Update: Girders are now over Woodlawn Rd.

[dubone]

Wow, that was fast.

[Mobuchu]

3-22-06

Girders over Woodlawn

Looking north toward the scaleybark station. Southbound South blvd on the left is complete, but they still have alot of work to do on the north crossover.

West side of the maintenance facility

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Those girders look awesome.

[revitalize]

this photo is awesome! some good progress is being made on the line.

[Creasy336]

Wow I can't wait to take to see the trains running. The benefits on South Blvd are priceless. I can't wait to see simlilar development along all of the lines.

[RiverwoodCLT]

I hear Jason Lewis yesterday talking about LRT in Charlotte on WBT. He does not think the majority of the people in Charlotte support Light Rail.

Well for his information, the people of Charlotte voted in a sales tax to support LRT.

This guy needs to get a grip on life, and WBT needs to get someone that knows how and why the LRT is being built.

[revitalize]

I hear Jason Lewis yesterday talking about LRT in Charlotte on WBT. He does not think the majority of the people in Charlotte support Light Rail.

what was his logic? just curious

[Southernyank]

I hear Jason Lewis yesterday talking about LRT in Charlotte on WBT. He does not think the majority of the people in Charlotte support Light Rail.

Funny story. The wierdest thing happened to me the other day in Reids. This guy, his wife and his two brothers came in the store complaining about the roads uptown and said to me, " The city needs to fix the roads we already have and not worry about this light rail crap, which is by far the dumbest invention I have ever heard of." (try to summon your inner red neck) I accually got angry when he said that, as if he attacked my mother or something. I mean my blood was boiling and I really can't tell you why, other than the blatant NIMBYism

[Mobuchu]

^^^Did you put him in his place. Should have given him the UP addy and said to try that here.

[Southernyank]

^^^Did you put him in his place. Should have given him the UP addy and said to try that here.

I'm sorry, I was too angry to think properly.

[nmcheese]

Revisiting the question about wether Charlotte will support light rail... here's my 1/50th of a dollar.

As a 10 year resident of this city, watching the growth of both downtown and the way far out suburbs, I think the current route was the safest bet, and will grow to become a very important part of the city. However I think it will take time, and initially will serve a different traffic flow than people expect.

I think that most people assume light rail is to get people from the suburbs into a CBD to jobs, then back home in the evening, and by that logic Charlotte's support of such a system is shaky at best. The older generation that works downtown and lives generally in South Charlotte is too tied to their cars (SUV's mainly) and too class sensitive to accept light rail. There might be a few that live out in Ballentyne that will park/ride all the way in from the end of the line, but that will be a small percentage of the total ridership.

However the main employers downtown have been on a rather noticable hiring binge of young people (myself included), a fair percentage of whom rent/own in downtown (or at least on the CBD streetcar proposed routes) or in the South End area. Also, from informal discussion, it is this group of people that will support light rail.

Which brings me to the idea that most light rail users will be taking the trains from the inner ring neighborhoods/downtown south to the retail along South Blvd (mainly out to the Target/CompUSA down near 485, but hopefully some of the panaderias/taquerias along South will see increased traffic as well) after work and on weekends, maybe using them to get to downtown for work too.

There are also lots of affordable housing options in the middle ring neighborhoods along South Blvd for when the 20 somethings outgrow the 800sq ft condos in south end... at which point the light rail might be more heavily used to get downtown to work in the mornings.

It will take time, but I think this has been planned very well and I'm looking forward to it, mainly so that don't have to put up with either traffic or cutting through neighborhoods and all their speed humps on my commute every morning.

[stateman99]

I'll add my simple thoughts on it all. I think Charlotte is trying to avoid mistakes of other big cities and implementing this early enough. I have no doubt in my mind that it will be successful. It might take some time though, but as this city grows it will be important to have the light rail. It will catch on.

[teshadoh]

I think transit planning is significantly different now than what it was earlier. It is no longer imperitave that transit be programmed in existing areas that will support transit. But it's becoming as important to develop transit where future growth could support transit. So often transit systems are being designed as TOD incubators, as is mostly the case with Atlanta's Beltline.

In this case, with a great interest in new urban developments in central Charlotte - it doesn't matter as much if Charlotte can support transit NOW, but rather that future developments will be built to support transit. Developers are likely lining up (if they haven't already) to build up along the transit corridors.

Which is the interesting case of Charlotte, in a city with little urbanity - there is such a great interest & desire to build urbanity. Very exciting...