WCCB — Plans are moving forward for Charlotte’s new transit system. The massive Silver Line project was voted on earlier this week. The decision was a unanimous vote to go with the the original plan to run the Silver Line around the city. The plan for the newly approved 29-mile track comes with concern. “We just want to make sure the needs and dignity of the transit riders are really prioritized in this redevelopment,” said Meg Fencil with Sustain Charlotte. Continue reading

THE CHARLOTTE LEDGER — In honor of Groundhog Day, and to mark the city’s transit discussion that keeps circling back to the same core points, Transit Time compiled a list of the recurring questions that just keep poking their head out of the hole. (Bonus points if you read this while humming the song in the movie that plays on the clock radio every morning: Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”) Continue reading

WBTV — Charlotte’s Metropolitan Transit Commission has voted in favor of a plan to move the transportation center underground. This plan was one of three options being considered for the Charlotte Area Transit System’s uptown Charlotte bus hub. While Tuesday night’s vote was unanimous, it wasn’t without some concerns. Continue reading

WFAE — The Charlotte Area Transit System's governing board voted in favor Tuesday of a controversial plan to spend $90 million to move the city’s main bus station underground, despite concerns about whether that option would be best for passengers. The city wants to relocate the Charlotte Transportation Center on Trade Street underground so it can partner with a private developer to build a new mixed-tower on the site, and replace a bus facility that city officials say is at the end of its useful life. City officials have said the best way to "activate” Brevard Street with more development and business is to place passengers and buses underground. Continue reading

WFAE — West of uptown Charlotte, the West Boulevard corridor stretches for about seven miles from South Tryon Street to Interstate 485 near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. There are a few convenience stores in the area, surrounded by a mix of old and new houses along tree-lined streets. Rickey Hall, board chair of the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition, said the demographics are changing, but West Boulevard remains an African American part of Charlotte. “Roughly more than 80% of the corridor consists of African Americans,” Hall said. “With a growing Hispanic, Latino community as well as a diverse population of others, including white families moving in, we’re just becoming a very diverse corridor.” Continue reading

AXIOS CHARLOTTE — Tuesday night, the board for Charlotte Area Transit System will discuss the route for the Silver Line. It’s a decision that will shape the future of the city. Why it matters: Just look at what happened with the Blue Line. The light rail sparked a transformation of its corridor, reshaping warehouses into busy breweries and attracting tower developers. The Silver Line is expected to draw the same kind of economic development that will create jobs — and then move people to those jobs. “Outside of the Gateway Station, I don’t think there’s going to be another transit investment that’s going to have a broader impact on Center City Charlotte,” says Michael Smith, CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners. Continue reading

SPECTRUM NEWS — Pedestrian and cyclist deaths in North Carolina have transportation advocates sounding the alarm and calling for safer infrastructure. There's no easy solution to decreasing these deaths to zero, but several measures are being taken to try to get there. While pedestrian deaths continue to climb in cities like Raleigh and Greensboro, Charlotte saw a 17% decrease between 2021 and 2022. Continue reading

AXIOS CHARLOTTE — As Charlotte endured a tragic week for traffic safety, one of the state’s most powerful lawmakers condemned the city’s plans to become less car-dependent. On Monday, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore visited Charlotte for an event, alongside Senate leader Phil Berger, and criticized the city’s transportation plan, which promotes alternative modes to cars, like biking, rail and buses. Moore said Charlotte should be focused on road infrastructure — and that it shouldn’t try to change people’s habits. Continue reading

WCCB — There’s construction from Uptown to South End, to Charlotte’s suburbs and beyond. Each day, approximately 100 people move to the Queen City. With all those new people, the need for more environmentally friendly transportation grows. Charlotte has ranked among the most polluted cities in the Southeast in recent years, according to a report from the American Lung Association. Shannon Binns, the founder of Sustain Charlotte, suggests people make small changes in a more green direction. Continue reading

CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL — North Carolina’s top two lawmakers ­— House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) — spoke at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance for over an hour yesterday, offering a preview of the upcoming legislative session. Continue reading