Lynx Blue Line (South Corridor)

[kpryde4u]

looks good.. but too bad we won't be able to ride it until 2007...

[MZT]

I was just observing today that the homes on Belton Street (between Marsh and Hartford) are mostly owned by 3 or 4 investors. Add in the vacant tracts all around the Scaleybark station plus the Marsh Property rentals, and you can tell this entire area will be facing wholesale change in a few years.

[Jerseyman4]

Save yourself some gas and check out the photo trail that starts out on South Blvd near I-485. The photo trail will all progress north after the southern terminus photos. The photo trail will end before I-277 as i did not cover the northern terminus since i was not sure where it was exactly, sorry everyone!

Part I - Southern Terminus Photos

Facing from the southern terminus, this is South Blvd. Looking LEFT is NORTHBOUND/RIGHT is SOUTHBOUND

Sorry for the blurryness. Standing in lower elevation from before, RIGHT is SOUTHBOUND and LEFT is NORTHBOUND South Blvd

From the same ground level, by Sonnys Restaurant. The next several photos are all construction

Above we go onto the tracks

These photos are looking north past the southern terminus

Looking south. Past the construction will not be a part of the project in thanks of Pineville not expressing any support for the project

Now im taking a walk further south past the terminus by I-485

The bridge in the first photo is going over I-485. The 2nd photo is looking at the southern terminus of the project

Finally, lets take a look at the progress of whats going on with the station at the moment. (looking southwest to northeast)

[Jerseyman4]

Part II - Driving South Blvd (NORTHBOUND)

location is just above Tyvola Road

The photo trail begins just leaving the southern terminus, a little bit a ways after Sonnys Restaurant.

The first one shows how most of the way, it parallels South Blvd along the existening rail line.

All intersections near the rail line are seeing intersection improvements with visable pedestrian crossings. However, only at Sharon Road West i noticed there will be a traffic signal replacement. Is it just me but Sharon-Amity, Sharon Lane and Sharon Road west are all a bit confusing?

Next three photos are at the E Arrowood/Starbrook Dr Signal. Most signalized intersections are seeing grade seperations but NOT ALL as you will see later on through the photo gallery

Archdale Dr looking WEST from South Blvd

Tyvola Road. Interestingly, a Dunkin Donuts is near by too

As mentioned earlier, not all of the rail line will be grade seperated. In the next photos below will show that the RIGHT SIDE of teh highway is the existening South Blvd that will be the future NORTHBOUND LANES. The LEFT is a frontage road but Google Maps labels this area as Old Pineville Road & South Blvd. Whatever you want to call this road, this will be the future SOUTHBOUND LANES for South Blvd.

Clanton Road Signal (?)

This last photo shows the rail line moving away from South Blvd but still in reasonable walking distance just like the grade seperated crossings south of this area

[Mobuchu]

Awsome Jersey, thanks for taking the time to ride the length of the line and take all those pics (although I think your still uploading as I type this). Arrowood is the only one left waiting for girders. They did Archdale a couple weeks ago. The line is starting to come together nicely.

[Jerseyman4]

CONTINUED PART II

Photography below is not directly related to the project but could be what is to come for the entire South Blvd corridor served by the rail line. The photos HOWEVER are still along South Blvd north of the last photo heading closer and closer into Uptown

This concludes the photo tour of South Blvd and the bright future that Charlotte and southern Mecklenburg County will have. The last photo is uptown and is appropiate as part of this pic tour since this is where the project will currently end. Hopefully a northern extension into northern Mecklenburg County or the University area will be considered in the near future. Hope you all liked the tour!

[AuLukey]

Thanks for going to all that trouble. I'm sure your windshield enjoyed today's rain as well.

[monsoon]

Great Photos! I've looked forward to that photo tour ever since you mentioned it to me. We have waited a long time for that train and its going to make a big difference in Charlotte. Cities moving to rail transit are cities moving to the next level.

[Neo]

Thanks for the tour Jerseyman4! I drove down South Blvd about three months ago and it is amazing how much progress has been made in such little time with the development of this project! Thanks again!

[ChiefJoJo]

Awesome!!! I'll be in Charlotte tomorrow to check it out.

[swh1972]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing them.

[Mobuchu]

Alot of the work right now is on the section of the line they will use for testing, between Clanton and Tremont. I noticed today while driving that they are putting the catenary up for this section. These are from New Bern station:

And some work being done towards the VMF.

[monsoon]

Wow, that's great.

[Jerseyman4]

I am guessing laying concrete rows is now the modern way to building new railroad tracks instead of using wood

Great photos btw

[MZT]

Everyone -- suburban drivers, rail riders, cyclists -- will certainly be relieved, when the Tyvola and Woodlawn intersections are finally done.

Looks like we're getting close, though. The curbing is in, the overhead wires have been moved, business entrances paved.

[orulz]

I am guessing laying concrete rows is now the modern way to building new railroad tracks instead of using wood

Concrete ties are sort of the "modern" way of laying railroad tracks, although they've been around for quite some time. Wood ties have an average lifespan of 7~10 years before replacement is necessary, whereas concrete ties last for 50. Concrete ties are a lot more expensive and require specialized equipment to install (they're really heavy!) but the longevity makes them beneficial in some places. They also have the benifit of increased stability, so on heavily used sections of track, particularly in curvy areas, freight railroads often use them.

[RiverwoodCLT]

Mobuchu great photos. Did anyone say anything to you while you were

taking these photos?

It will be great to see a Light rail Car coming down those tracks.

We will all need to get out and have a photo rally, and maybe when it is finished is to ride it for I85 to uptown for lunch. How about the Epic Centre?

[Mobuchu]

Mobuchu great photos. Did anyone say anything to you while you were

taking these photos?

You mean did anyone try to chase me off the tracks? No. Usually when I go on any type of construction site to take pics I wear a hard hat, safety for one, and also so it looks like I belong there (and sometimes I really am working there). Still have not had the nerve to walk onto the epicentre site though. Maybe I'll get the chance through work some day.

[Jerseyman4]

^OSHA would of loved you then

[reverbandwhiskey]

So it was announced yesterday that the pedestrian/cyclist bridge over 277 that was removed, then put back as part of the project has now been removed again.

[monsoon]

I really didn't think this item was going to last. Money is very tight on this project.

[karmst]

Well, that's just great!!! So much for making Charlotte a transit/pedestrian friendly city...a cut here, a cut there, and before you know it we'll be having donkeys and carts instead of light rail. A bit melodramatc, but you get my drift.

I understand that money is tight, but is it too much to ask that developers have some spare cash in case of an emergency? I was so hoping for this bridge, so I guess the walk down Morehead and past the Westin is still the best way to get into town...

...I don't much care for that walk

Thanks, KA

[dubone]

This has just gotten ridiculous. I've never been as concerned about that bridge as others on this board, but it really bums me out that now we won't get the bridge, but the total costs of the projects will remain the same. So we get less for the same money.

I still believe it will not have much effective impact on the pedestrian friendliness of the city. There will be a lot of money spent on remaking the South Blvd interchange a block away to be a lot more pedestrian and bike friendly. I think that could easily make up for the loss of those sidewalks.

[reverbandwhiskey]

This has just gotten ridiculous. I've never been as concerned about that bridge as others on this board, but it really bums me out that now we won't get the bridge, but the total costs of the projects will remain the same. So we get less for the same money.

I still believe it will not have much effective impact on the pedestrian friendliness of the city. There will be a lot of money spent on remaking the South Blvd interchange a block away to be a lot more pedestrian and bike friendly. I think that could easily make up for the loss of those sidewalks.

The problem with that is that South Blvd is right up there with Indepence as in terms of dangerous routes for cyclists. I am getting tired of having project managers constantly change the details of the project without getting any input from the public.

[monsoon]

After it was taken out the first time I was quite surprised when it got added back in. I personally think it was a screwup and they are now correcting that mistake.