Charlotte is adding another light rail line

[Lame Duck]

Red line.  Also going North , this time to Lake Norman, parallel to I77 where Charlotte spent nearly billion of tax payer money on toll lanes.  Yes, the taxpayers will foot the bill this time too.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/all-aboard-city-charlotte-reaches-historic-agreement-red-line-records-show/AGX6PI5T6VA43IBX7K4OI4RZPM/

[LinvilleGorge]

This will provide a lot more service to the community than a new football stadium.

[Lame Duck]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

This will provide a lot more service to the community than a new football stadium.

They already have light rail going north.  This will kill little toll lanes revenue they are getting as is.  Also, most folks who work in uptown live East and South, not North.  They need light rail from the airport more than anything.  Not another light rail going North.

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, Lame Duck said:

They already have light rail going north.  This will kill little toll lanes revenue they are getting as is.  Also, most folks who work in uptown live East and South, not North.  They need light rail from the airport more than anything.  Not another light rail going North.

Where's the money? It's on Lake Norman.

[Lame Duck]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Where's the money? It's on Lake Norman.

No, its South Park and Ballantyne.

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

No, its South Park and Ballantyne.

Already served my light rail. The money in the outlying areas is on Lake Norman. Huntersville and Mooresville have absolutely blown up since I lived in Birkdale Village 15+ years ago. Like unrecognizable from then. And getting into Charlotte from there on I-77 is a fuging nightmare.

[Lame Duck]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Already served my light rail. The money in the outlying areas is on Lake Norman. Huntersville and Mooresville have absolutely blown up since I lived in Birkdale Village 15+ years ago. Like unrecognizable from then. And getting into Charlotte from there on I-77 is a fuging nightmare.

Again, they spent close to a billion dollar on toll lanes already to help the traffic.  Traffic going south is way worse to be fair.  It’s stop and go nearly 24/7.  Airport is a freaking nightmare.  One of the largest airports in US with basically one way in and out and not enough parking.

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

Again, they spent close to a billion dollar on toll lanes already to help the traffic.  Traffic going south is way worse to be fair.  It’s stop and go nearly 24/7.  Airport is a freaking nightmare.  One of the largest airports in US with basically one way in and out and not enough parking.

I'm just saying, moneyed people always get served first. 

[Lame Duck]

1 minute ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I'm just saying, moneyed people always get served first. 

You think folks living in multi-million dollar homes on the lake Norman will take light rail?  Nope, they will use toll roads.

My point is Charlotte will spend huge money likely around a billion to take revenue from itself.  They just finished I77 construction like 2-3 years ago…

 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

You think folks living in multi-million dollar homes on the lake Norman will take light rail?  Nope, they will use toll roads.

My point is Charlotte will spend huge money likely around a billion to take revenue from itself.  They just finished I77 construction like 2-3 years ago…

 

Not sure how the I-77 tolls are setup but they're usually a grift that are privately owned or the good old "public-private partnership" that is usually just window dressing used car salesmanship for being privately owned.

[Lame Duck]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

Not sure how the I-77 tolls are setup but they're usually a grift that are privately owned or the good old "public-private partnership" that is usually just window dressing used car salesmanship for being privately owned.

I get it but it’s a way around traffic and it gets a dissent traffic flow/revenue.  City of Charlotte spent nearly a billion of taxpayer money on it, then called it terrible and now will build light rail right beside it while the same time requested approval to build toll lanes East and South (I77)… NC DOT basically called Charlotte city planner idiots and rejected it.

[Lame Duck]

And just like that.. Silver Line is no more.  It got replaced by Red Line.  Sorry, Monroe, Indian Trail, Mint Hill, Matthews, Stallings folks.  Enjoy getting stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. 

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/silver-line-matthews-left-out-charlottes-new-light-rail-plan/GEGP6DWYXVEODP7DNOCRHN7IV4/?outputType=amp

[travisura]

This line is going to be a commuter rail line, not a light rail line. This line will have basically have only one goal, which is to bring people into uptown from the suburbs to the north, and send them back to the burbs at the end of the day. I think every station will have a park-and-ride lot, intended to incentivize commuters to not drive their vehicle all the way into uptown. This will ideally lead to cars making shorter trips, less cars on the road, and a less congested uptown. While I believe that in an ideal world, there would not be a need for a car at any point in a trip, this is a good step for a city building out its public transportation.

Also, I don't understand the disdain for this being funded by taxes. This is the type of project that taxes should pay for, and unless it's being privately funded by a corporation (a terrible idea for transit), then it has to be taxpayer funded.

[LinvilleGorge]

Of all the poo our government pisses away money on this is the least of things to bitch about.

Will it turn into a sweetheart project that takes twice as long and costs three times the budget and the contract handed to someone very politically connected? Well, naturally. That's how government operates.