Jump to content

CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines


monsoon

Recommended Posts


I’m thinking if you get on the BLE with intents to go to the airport, you get uptown and connect to the gold or silver line to have another connection to the airport line.

thats not including the idea of the airport line making you connect to a people mover to get to the terminals. That’s a lot of hassle for an airport a few miles from uptown. Served by 485, 85 and Billy Graham, Sprinter, CATS, Uber/Lyft

 

As opposed to blue line transferring to airport line. 

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, southslider said:

the Silver Line should overlap Blue Line in Uptown

Not really, if you look at the proposed Silver Line and the Airport Line, it looks like continuation of Silver Line to the Airport (east<->west)... Blue Line with the BLE runs South<->North, I would expect a transfer between the 2 lines, as I proposed further up the thread, there should be a transfer station from Silver Line to Blue Line near the 12th St  - north of I-277.

We will see what the selected Uptown alignment will be for the Silver Line though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, southslider said:

Exactly, with my point being if you can transfer to / from Blue Line to access the Airport, then why not to / from Silver Lne to access Uptown.

I am not sure if you are just trolling at this point... Silver Line and Airport line are one contiguous line. Why stop Silver Line trains half way only to have another train go down the same line?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Scribe said:

Silver Line and Airport line are one contiguous line.

We don't know this yet. Airport line may make more sense to be contiguous to a (still hypothetical) LRT red line. (I don't know, just saying that the routing decisions have not yet been made)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Difference is changing trains... Think hoping on Silver Line at Matthews/CPCC (people from Matthews, Mint Hill, and everything down to Monroe) and going straight to the Airport, that's a great selling point... just my thought (I just don't understand why make it 2 lines if even Lewis says, it will look like an extension of the Silver Line... maybe there is some funding trickery behind the madness?)

 

So only people from the Blue Line and BLE will have to make transfers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

Taking a train, any train, and going from Matthews to the Airport seems uncompetitive by time basis with driving (to me). One must include travel from home to the Matthews station, parking, and waiting for the originating train. Simpler, maybe. Avoiding airport parking, certainly. Time saving?

Maybe now, but in 30 years once flying cars are banned because they are taking hard working jobs away from Uber and Lyft drivers a train will be much faster than driving cross town. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, kermit said:

Anybody listen to Lewis talk about the Big Bang this morning in Charlotte talks?  I missed it.

I think the most important thing he said about the “Big Bang”, though not new, was the reality that it can’t happen with the current partnership contribution limits on the state and federal level.

Blue Line and Blue Line Extension: 50% Federal, 25% State, 25% Local.

Now, under Trump’s transportation plan, the Federal contribution is lowered to 20%. The NCGA has lowered the State’s contribution to 10%. And Lewis said, “We are still looking at the local level, to find ways to come up with our 25%... The math is getting really difficult.”

I read this as, we don’t even have our local 25%, but are committed to still looking... but if the Federal plan stays as it is, well, well rail isn’t getting built. Not anytime soon at least. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Here is one of our own writing about ideas for transit, pedestrian and biking routes for the city.  https://www.charlottefive.com/what-charlotte-could-learn-transit/ I like the retail over the highway idea a lot better than a full cap of the freeway.  

Not that it will amount to much, but I just emailed the article to the mayor and several city council members, and asked them to make rail transit a priority.  Thanks for penning, RDF.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, DMann said:

So only people from the Blue Line and BLE will have to make transfers?

To get to the airport? No, people who ride the Gold Line will have to transfer as well, everyone who rides Amtrak into Uptown will still need to change trains.

15 hours ago, kermit said:

We don't know this yet. Airport line may make more sense to be contiguous to a (still hypothetical) LRT red line.

@kermit this I see, but again that would be a contiguous line from Huntersville.

If the line is contiguous from one end of the city to the airport, I do not see the point of creating a transfer for the sake of transferring.

Just so someone can say we have an "extra" rail line in your system?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Here is one of our own writing about ideas for transit, pedestrian and biking routes for the city.  https://www.charlottefive.com/what-charlotte-could-learn-transit/ I like the retail over the highway idea a lot better than a full cap of the freeway.  

Very well written by RDF.  I wish I lived in Charlotte city limits.  I would gladly pay a higher sales or property tax for more (rail) transit, greenways and bike lanes.  BTW, I'll be on the bus this afternoon and the 61X is awfully convenient for me (more than the Blue Line).  I'm not anti bus.  We need more rail in the region to reach our potential. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, JBS said:

61X is awfully convenient for me

Speaking of 61X... I've wondered if the Civil Engineering department at UNC Charlotte can take on a senior-exit project that studies the potential for a subway running down Providence just like 61X does, but (on inbound route) when you get to Queens@Queens and Providence@Providence, you go straight under Queens until Kings.

Then at Kings you have 2 options:

  1. cut under the greenway and go diagonally under Uptown until you reach the Music Factory (I can dream).. Some Uptown stop ideas:
    • Marshall Park (Brooklyn Village) - Gov Center
    • Spectrum Arena
    • Spirit Square (redeveloped)
    • Fourth Ward Park
    • NC Music Factory
  2. keep gong straight (following Morehead) and terminate at the Charlotte Gateway Station
Edited by Scribe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe we should try to woo Elon Musk's new venture, The Boring Company. He claims he is trying to bring the cost per mile down 10x. I believe the average for tunneling is currently 1 billion/mile. A couple of miles through center city for less than half a billion would be awesome. I know this is completely pie-in-the-sky, but a fantastic idea none the less.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, JBS said:

A subway running down Providence would be the greatest thing ever (for me)

Not just for you.

There are a lot of people that think there should be LRT access to SouthPark... the proximity of BL makes Park Rd a non-starter for a long time.

The above proposed "Red Line Extension" would be mid-way between Blue Line and Silver Line and serve Cherry/Midtown, Myers Park, Cotswold/Foxcroft and all the way out to Waverly... these are getting more densely populated, especially now that you see old apartment complexes torn down and replaced with Mixed Use developments.

 

The cherry on top, in my fantasy land, is an "O" line that runs from airport (not the" Silver Line Extension") down Tyvola/Fairview/Rama/Idlewild to Harris Blvd to Albemarle Rd -- following Harris Blvd to University Hospital on to IBM Dr (research park) then to North Lake Mall. From North Lake Mall head towards the Whitewater Center and finally close the loop back the airport.

How's that for fantasy?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantasies are fun, for sure.  

The problem is that transit lines require density, and most people don't want density near them.   Charlotte attempted to balance that by having a planning strategy where the 5 freeway corridors are densified and the "wedges" or pies between are left suburban with just a few exceptions, mainly Ballantyne and South Park.   To me, the next step is clear that the original 5 corridors should absolutely be next, with the lowest priority being north/red because of its relatively lower density and longer mileage.   Once those corridors are advanced, then Ballantyne and South Park should be next, with some possible circumferential links.  (I have long believed the arc of the airport to South Park made sense in the long run due to all the office parks along that path. 

 

Dreams of a complete O are not going to be justifiable for decades, unless Charlotte allows for significant densification of those areas.     

 

Ironically, as controversial as it is, the best balance for densification is the gentrification process.   It is mostly rentals now, and rentals remain, and are sometimes a proper upgrade for housing standards.  The key is to help those living in poorer areas to participate in the economy or to plan for an equivalence of units that can remain as workforce, lower cost units.     But a dense area that also still has working class will be ideal for supporting transit.   That is the best hope for Wilkinson and Independence corridors.  

 

Hopefully Musk does make good progress on tunnel boring, as it does feel absurd how many global cities smaller than ours have subways, even if light rail in those tunnels.  It would be nice if it were more of an option here.   Sadly I worry it is like most of his promises, and while grand and amazing are not really ready yet to start planning for. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   1 member

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.