Charlotte Area Transit System TRANSIT...

Charlotte Area Transit SystemTRANSIT VISION

Over the past decade, Charlotte has become one of the fastest growing areas in the United States

expanding to over 1.8 million people. The next 25 years will continue to bring growth to our region which

is projected to expand by an additional 1 million people. Fueling this population growth is the Charlotte

region’s economic engine; a catalyst for business and one that competes in a global market.

With growth come problems of increased congestion, poor air quality and lost efficiencies due to longer

commute times. A critical element in our region’s ability to remain competitive is the free flow of goods

and materials to support local, regional and global businesses, and the ability of people to have easy

access to higher learning, excellent health care and entertainment venues.

Providing increased mobility options for our residents, businesses and employees through a balanced

transportation network of roads, sidewalks, bike lanes and public transportation is needed to provide

alternatives and solutions to improve air quality, alleviate traffic congestion and improve the overall

quality of life in the Charlotte region.

The transit and land-use vision initiated in 1998 was designed specifically to address these issues. Since

1998 significant investments and progress has been achieved in addressing these mobility needs. These

investments have increased access and mobility options for many neighborhoods through the expansion

of the bus service, enhancing customer amenities at stops, creating pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods

in close proximity to light rail stations, and revitalized the Historic South End District.

But there is more to accomplish, and CATS is committed to advancing the shared vision approved by

the voters in 1998 and reaffirmed in 2007 by 70% of Mecklenburg County citizens. And we invite you

to come along for the ride.

Rapid Growth

Resulted in Resulted in

Increased property valuesin South End Charlotte

New property taxrevenue from growth

Increased benefits for the community

Community Investments

CONNECTING TRANSIT AND LAND USEThe integration of transit and land use is a key component in moving the region forward. Successful

transit oriented developments (TOD) offer a pedestrian-oriented environment in which residents

can live, work, shop and play in places accessible by transit. The primary benefits of TOD include:

• Reducingsprawlandprotectingexistingneighborhoods

• Reducingcommutetimesandtrafficcongestion

• Improvingenvironmentalqualityandopenspacepreservation

• Encouragingpedestrianactivityanddiscouragingautomobiledependency

Since 2005, retail, office, and residential units within ½ mile of the LYNX Blue Line have grown

substantially. These investments bring in new tax revenues to the city and county which are

reinvested in education, police, fire, roads and other public programs other than transit.

CONNECTING TO THE PAST

Community Improvements

In 1998, after an extensive public involvement process and thoughtful consideration, the citizens

of Mecklenburg County approved the half-cent local sales and use tax to support the vision as

outlined in the 2025 Integrated Transit/Land Use Plan. This plan serves as a vision, focusing

growth along five transportation corridors, linking our area’s key centers of economic activity.

• Increasedridershipfrom11.8MinFY1998to26.1MinFY2013

• Increasedthenumberofbusroutesby75%

• Createdfundingpartnershipswiththesurroundingcountiestocreateregionalexpress

bus service

• Expandedservicehours,improvedservicefrequencyandreliability

• 100%Wheelchairaccessiblebusandrailfleet

• 3,400busstopswithtimepointinformation

• 100%bikerackfleet

• Builtthreecommunitytransitcenters

• Installedover77newbenchesand217newshelters

• Builtandoperatethestate’sfirstlightraillinecarryingmorethan15,000eachweekday

• Startedtheregion’sfirstenhancedbusservicefromCenterCitytoCharlotteDouglas

International Airport

• BeganconstructionoftheLYNXBlueLineExtension

• BuiltfourCATSownedandoperatedparkandridefacilitieswithover1,137newparking

spaces

• Expandedthefleettoover530bus,railandvanpoolvehicles

Since the passage of this tax, CATS has made investments to better the community and provide

greater connectivity for the citizens of the region. These improvements include:

2014

Transit Modes

The Transit Corridor System Plan In2006,theMetropolitanTransitCommission(MTC)adoptedthe2030TransitCorridorSystem

Plan, furthering the vision outlined in the 2025 Integrated Transit/Land Use Plan.

The2030TransitCorridor SystemPlan consists ofmultiple transitmodes in five corridors, a

series of improvements in Charlotte’s Center City and bus service and facility improvements to

link our area’s key centers of economic activity.

Once completed, this plan will encompass 25 miles of commuter rail, 19 miles of light rail,

16milesofstreetcar,andanexpandednetworkofbusesandothertransitservices.

LYNX Red Line• 25-mile commuter rail line• 10 stations• 9 park and rides

LYNX Blue Line Extension• 9.3-mile light rail line• 11 stations• 4 park and rides• Estimated completion: 2017

CityLYNX Gold Line• 10-mile streetcar line• 27 stops

LYNX Blue Line• 9.6-mile light rail line• 15 stations• 7 park and rides• Cost: $462.7 million

Sprinter Enhanced Bus• 8-mile ehanced bus line

LYNX Silver Line• 13.5-mile bus rapid transit line• 16 stations• 7 park and ride lots• Under re-evaluation

LYNX Blue LineLYNX Blue Line ExtensionProposed LYNX Red LineProposed LYNX Silver LineProposed CityLYNX Gold LineSprinter Enhanced BusProposed Sprinter Enhanced Bus

Stations/Stops

Community Transit Centers

Municipalites

Freedom D

r.

West Blvd

.

Nor

th T

ryon

St.

Central Ave.

CityLYNX Gold Line• 6.4-mile streetcar line• 10 stops

– MAIN

/UNC CHARLOTTE

LYNX Red LineNorth CorridorCenter City to Mount Mourne25-mile commuter rail line

LYNX Blue LineSouth CorridorCenterCitytoI-485atSouthBlvd9.6-milelightrailline

LYNX Blue Line ExtensionNortheast CorridorCenter City to UNC Charlotte – Main9.3-milelightrailline

CityLYNX Gold LineWest Corridor6.4-milestreetcarline

CityLYNX Gold LineCenter City10-mile streetcar line

Sprinter Enhanced BusWest Corridor8-mile enhanced bus line

LYNX Silver LineSoutheast CorridorCenter City to CPCC Levine Campus13.5-milebusrapidtransitline

CONNECTING THE VISION LYNX System Map

LYNX Blue Line In 2007, the Charlotte region entered a new era in public transportation with the opening of North

Carolina’s first light rail line, the LYNX Blue Line. In its first year of operation, ridership exceeded

initialprojectionsby56%.Infact,over72%ofcurrentridersusedtodrivealone.TheLYNXBlue

Line averages over 15,000 riders each weekday and was named one of the safest new-start light rail

systems in the United States, with only one preventable accident since the service started.

TheBlueLineoffersfast,quiet,convenientlight-railservicebetweenUptownCharlotteandI-485at

South Boulevard. With service every 10 minutes during rush hour, the LYNX Blue Line provides a

25 minute congestion-free commute, and dozens of bus routes are timed to connect with trains at

Blue Line stations.

The LYNX Blue Line is integrated with land-use policies that promote more compact, pedestrian

friendly development that encourage a mix of residential, retail, employment, and civic developments

at or near the light rail line to support sustainable communities.

Since its ground-breaking in 2005, The LYNX

Blue Line has helped to invigorate businesses

and residential areas along South Boulevard.

In addition to attracting riders, Charlotte’s

SouthEnd has generated over $1.4 billion in

actual and proposed corridor development

planned through 2015. Other City of Charlotte

investments in the area include road,

sidewalk, storm drainage, and beautification

improvements along South Boulevard, Old

PinevilleRoadandadjacentneighborhoods.

CONNECTING TODAY

I-485/South Blvd

Sharon Rd West

Arrowood

Scaleybark

7th St

Charlotte TransportationCenter/Arena3rd St/

ConventionCenter

Archdale

Tyvola

Woodlawn

New Bern

East/West Blvd

StonewallCarson

Bland St

Sout

h Bl

vd

SOUTHPARK

CENTER CITY

LYNX Blue Line

Station

Park and Ride

NewBernat3030South

Before

After

South End at Morehead

After

Before

LYNX Blue Line Highlights

Center City to I-485 atSouth Boulevard•9.6miles

•15stations

•7parkandridelots

•3,500parkingspaces

•Service:5:30a.m.–2:00a.m.;7daysaweek

•15,000weekdayridership

•Checkers•Hornets•Knights•NASCARHallofFame•Panthers

•BechtlerMuseum•BlumenthalPerformingArtsCenter•DiscoveryPlace•HarveyB.GanttCenter•ImaginOn•MintMuseum

•UNCCharlotteCenterCityCampus

•5,630newresidentialunits

•465,395sq.ft.ofnewofficespace•419,379st.ft.ofretailspace

Destinations

Community Investments by 2015

LYNX Blue Line ExtensionCurrently under construction, the LYNX Blue Line Extension will run from 7th Street in Center City to

the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The LYNX Blue Line Extension Project will provide a consistent commute along the congested I-85/

US29corridor,wherepopulationandemploymentareanticipatedtoincreasesignificantlyby2035.

This project will improve transit service to regional employment, entertainment, cultural and retail

destinations, including Center City Charlotte, professional sports and entertainment facilities, the

CharlotteConventionCenter,theNASCARHallofFame,andlinkUNCCharlotte’sUniversityCityand

Uptown campuses.

Upon completion, the LYNX Blue Line Extension will connect many neighborhoods including: NoDa,

Hidden Valley, Belmont, Optimist Park and Hampton Hills.

This project is also spurring growth along the corridor. Current projections include 12,000 new

housingunits,3.8millionsquarefeetofnewofficespaceandover1.3millionsquarefeetofretail

spaceby2035.

Center City to I-485 atNorth Tryon Street

7th St9th St

25th St36th St

Parkwood

Sugar CreekOld Concord Rd

Tom HunterUniversity City Blvd

McCulloughJW Clay Blvd/UNC Charlotte

UNC Charlotte – Main

N Tryon S

t

CENTER CITY

LYNX Blue Line Extension

Station

Park and Ride

• 9.3miles

• 11stations

• 4parkandridelots

• 3,000parkingspaces

• Service:5:30a.m.–1:30a.m.;7daysaweek

• 24,500estimateddailyridershipby2035

• Estimatedcompletiondate:2017

•Over12,400newhousingunits

•Over3.8millionsq.ft.ofnewoffice

•Over1.3millionsq.ft.ofnewretail

•$4.4billioninnewdevelopmentandproperty

CONNECTING THE FUTURE

LYNX Blue Line Extension Highlights



•UNCCharlotteCenterCityCampus•UNCCharlotteMainCampus

•CarolinasMedicalCenter–University

Destinations


LYNX Red LineFrombustlingCenterCitytothebeautifulLakeNormanareatoroaringRaceCity,USA,theLYNXRed

Line will provide passengers with commuter rail service between Charlotte and Mooresville. The LYNX

RedLinewillconnectthetownsofDavidson,CorneliusandHuntersvilletoCenterCityCharlotteat

theproposedmultimodalstation,CharlotteGatewayStation.OnceattheCharlotteGatewayStation,

customers will have access to the arts, sports, cultural and employment opportunities through

connectionsontheCityLYNXGoldLine,CATSbusroutesandintercityrailandbuslines.

CONNECTING THE FUTURE Center City to Mount Mourne•25miles

•10stations

•9parkandridelots


•4,600estimateddailyridershipby2030

•16,391newresidentialunits

•3.1millionsq.ft.newofficespace

•2.3millionsq.ft.newretailspace

•$5.4billiontransitorienteddevelopment

•CPCCHuntersville•DavidsonCollege

•LowesCorporateHeadquarters

•LakeNormanRegionalMedicalCenter•Novant-HuntersvilleHospital

Destinations


CENTER CITY

HUNTERSVILLE

CORNELIUS

DAVIDSON

Mount Mourne

Davidson

Cornelius

Sam Furr

Huntersville

Hambright

East�eld

Harris/NC 115

Derita

CharlotteGateway

Station

Gra

ham

St

Old

Sta

tesv

ille

Rd

/NC

115

LYNX Red Line

Station

LYNX Red Line Highlights


LYNX Silver Line Highlights

LYNX Silver LineTheSilverLine(SoutheastCorridor)extendsapproximately13.5milesfromCharlotte’sCenterCityto

the border of Mecklenburg and Union counties, terminating at Central Piedmont Community College’s

LevineCampus.OriginallydesignatedtouseamodeofBusRapidTransit,whilepreservingtheability

tomigratetoLightRailTransit,arecentstudybyUrbanLandInstituteproposesanalternativetothe

corridor using express bus and Sprinter style service along Independence Boulevard in HOT lanes

andrailserviceonMonroeRoad,similartotheCityLYNXGoldLineserviceproposedforCentralAve.

This alternative provides for auto-oriented retail on Independence Boulevard while the rail service

alongMonroeRoadservesneighborhoodsandallowsmixed-usedevelopment.

MONROE

MATTHEWS

CENTER CITY

Independence Pointe Pkwy

Sardis Rd North

Village Lake

Conference

Sharon Amity

Amity GardensBriar Creek

Pecan

Alexander St(Government Center)

Church St/Tryon St

CPCC Levine Campus

CPCC CentralCampus

CharlotteTransportation

Center/Arena

CharlotteGateway Station

Matthews TOD

NC 51

Independence Blvd

LYNX Silver Line

Station

Center City to CPCC Levine Campus•13.5miles

•16stations

•7parkandridelots


•15,500estimateddailyridershipby2030

•OvensAuditorium•BojanglesColiseum

•CPCCCentralCampus•CPCCLevineCampus

•Novant-MatthewsHospital

Destinations

CityLYNX Gold LineTheCityLYNXGoldLine isa10-milestreetcarsystemthat isan integralpartof the2030Transit

Plan and is being built in phases. Once completed, it will connect east and west Charlotte with key

destinations throughout Uptown. The alignment will connect with all current and future rapid transit

lines,includingtheLYNXBlueLine,RedLine,SilverLineandtheWestCorridor.TheCityLYNXGold

Linewill servewestCharlottebeginningat theRosaParksPlaceCommunityTransitCenter and

continuealongBeattiesFordRoadtoTradeStreet.ItwillproceedeasttoElizabethAvenueextending

along Hawthrone Lane to Central Avenue and end at the Eastland Community Transit Center.

Construction of phase 1 began December 2012. This 1.5 mile route from Center City will serve the

Charlotte Transportation Center, CPCC and Novant Hospital. Phase 1 will have six stops, including a

connection to the LYNX Blue Line. Completion is scheduled for 2015.

Phase2oftheCityLYNXGoldLineextendstheprojectfromtheCharlotteTransportationCenterwest

to French Street beyond Johnson C. Smith University and east from Novant Hospital to Sunnyside

Ave.Constructionofphase2isplannedfor2016withananticipatedservicestartdateof2019.

Sunnyside Ave

Charlotte

Gateway

Center

CPCC

McDow

ell StDav

idson St

Johnson & Wale

s

Mint St

Tryon St

Irwin Ave

Governmen

t

Center

Elizabeth &Hawthorne

CENTER CITY

Eastland CommunityTransit Center

Winter�eld PlaceSheridan Dr

Eastway DrEastway Crossing

Briar Creek RdArnold Dr

Morningside Dr

Hawthorne & 8th

Clement AveThe Plaza

Saint Julien StIris Dr

Landsdale Dr/Rosehaven Dr

Darby Acres

Montana DrLaSalle St

Russell AveBooker Ave/Oaklawn

Hawthorne atBarnhardt

Rosa ParksPlace

French StJohnson C Smith

UniversityBurns St

WesleyHeights Way

Centra

l Ave

Beatties Ford Rd

Charlotte

Transp

ortatio

n

Center

/Arena

CityLYNX Gold Line

Station

CONNECTING THE FUTURECenter City• 10miles

• 37stops

• Service:5:00a.m.–1:00a.m.;7daysaweek

• 16,000projecteddailyridershipby2030

• NovantHospitaltoCharlotteTransportation

Center in 2015

•2,000smallbusinesseswithin1/4mileofline

•Propertytaxvaluesincreaseupto$7M

•21,800sq.ft.newretailspace

•276,700sq.ft.newofficespace



•CPCCCentralCampus•Johnson&WalesUniversity•JohnsonC.SmithUniveristy•NortheasternUniversity•UNCCharlotteCenterCityCampus•WakeForestUniversity

Destinations


CityLYNX Gold Line Highlights

Sprinter Enhanced BusWhether you’re meeting friends at the local coffee shop for a java boost or a business executive

heading out of town for a meeting, service on the West Corridor will get you there. In 2009, CATS

introduced its first enhanced bus service, the Sprinter. Sprinter includes limited stops, branded-

identity, hybrid vehicles, improved passenger amenities and digital schedule information. This service,

which operates along Wilkinson Boulevard, provides convenient and frequent door to door service to

Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

CityLYNX Gold LineForthelongterm,theCityLYNXGoldisplannedtooperateprimarilyalongWestMoreheadStreet

and Wilkinson Boulevard. This investment will improve transit service and enhance economic

development opportunities along the corridor.

West Corridor•8miles

•17stops

•Phase1:CenterCitytoWilkinsonBlvd.totheairportopenedinSeptember2009

•Phase2:FreedomDr.by2012andWestBlvd.by2014

CENTER CITY

Charlotte TransportationCenter/Arena

Wilkinson Blvd

Freedom Dr

West Blvd Sprinter

Station


West Corridor•6.4miles

•10stops

•Service:7daysaweek

•3,800projecteddailyridershipby2034

CENTER CITYLittle Rock

Morris F

ield

Ashley

Remount

Summit

Cedar Stadium

Tryon Charlotte TransportationCenter/Arena

Charlotte GatewayStation

Morton

Wilkinson Blvd

CityLYNX Gold Line

Station

www.ridetransit.org704-336-RIDE (7433) • 866-779-CATS (2287)

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