red line
Gov. Stein signs HB-948
July 1. Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 948 into law this morning, clearing the way for Mecklenburg County voters to decide on a one-cent local sales tax for transit. HB 948 passed with bipartisan support in both chambers. It allows county commissioners to place a November referendum before voters that, if approved, could raise […]
PAVE Act advances in NC Senate
July 26. By Dve Yochum. The NC Senate passed the second reading of House Bill 948, aka the Projects for Advancing Vehicle-Infrastructure Enhancements (P.A.V.E.) Act. The bill provides commuter rail funding as well as an estimated $100 million of new funding for roads in Cornelius, Davidson, and Huntersville in the first five years. The P.A.V.E. […]
Letter: Red Line is 21st-century fix for Charlotte’s growing gridlock
June 23. Josh Farnsworth describes the Red Line as “1970s-style” technology and argues that roads will always work better for our region. The facts on the ground and the wishes of North Mecklenburg residents say otherwise. [Mecklenburg County’s transportation bill is expected to advance to the North Carolina Senate with a final procedural vote tomorrow. […]
Letter: Red Line is old technology
June 20. [Opinion] Tripling local transit sales taxes from 0.5% to 1.5% to build a 1970s style railroad to begin operating, possibly, by the 2030s? That’s the definition of a boondoggle. If you want to see a physical manifestation of the thinking behind the proposed Red Line, take the Gold Line streetcar for a ride, disembark, and […]
Key transportation bill clears state NC House in 102-6 vote
June 19. By Dave Yochum. The NC House of Representatives passed second reading of the PAVE Act, following a vote by the House Rules Committee yesterday to advance the bill to the full chamber. Sponsored by Rep. Tricia Cotham, the bill would allow Mecklenburg County voters to approve new revenue—from a one-cent sales tax—for transportation […]
CATS board approves transit plan with rail service to LKN, ‘better buses’
May 29. By Dave Yochum. The Metropolitan Transit Commission has (MTC) voted to adopt the updated Transit System Plan (TSP) that includes the prioritization of the Better Bus program, microtransit, along with rapid transit to Lake Norman. The 30-year plan represents a major expansion of transit, including a 50 percent increase in bus service and […]
Managers get on board with sales tax, Red Line
NC Rep. Tricia Cotham has filed a transit bill in Raleigh that would pave the way for a 1-cent sales tax increase would support both road improvements and public transit projects. House Bill 948, also known as The P.A.V.E. Act, would earmark 40 percent of the revenue from a new 1-cent sales tax increase for […]
Key CATS info session tonight rewards feedback with chance to win gift cards
March 18. The Charlotte Area Transit System is hosting an information session this afternoon from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Town Hall to provide feedback for the Transit System Plan (TSP) update, which will shape the future of bus and rail in the Charlotte region. CATS will share information on four alternative program […]
Transportation bill—and Red Line—face a long road ahead
Feb. 25. By Dave Vieser. The fact that NC Sen. Vicky Sawyer is one of the sponsors of the State Transportation Bill released earlier this week—which includes a mechanism for funding the Red Line—suggests that the Republican caucus in Raleigh felt strongly enough about the concept to give it a chance of succeeding. Last fall, […]
Red Line new cost estimate: $1.38 billion
Jan. 23. By Dave Vieser. The new cost estimate for the CATS Red Line is in: $1.38 billion—more than twice the original $640 million estimated pricetag. Building the Red Line is still considered a top priority among four transit funding options unveiled yesterday by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) for the consideration of legislators […]
