Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[JacksonH]

3 hours ago, XRZ.ME said:

track finished across Polar st. Not much progress in the summer. Track grading front on tryon st. Not the utility work this time I guess.

Trade open to cars north of graham st, but almost nobody is using them. People are so used to the new normal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for these images!  My nephew, just out of college, is in the process of moving to Charlotte and will start work at the Carillon Building at the end of next month.  Now I know what the front door of his office building is going to look like in the near future.  Yikes!  I'm hoping his employer will be allowing a good amount of telework time because, between the Gold Line construction on the north side of the building, Grand Bohemian on the east side of the building, the courthouse construction not too far to the west side, and towers going up a few blocks to the south, it' going to be a noise zone for awhile.  But I'm sort of jealous of his situation.  He'll be living at the Mosaic in South End, which is almost exactly one mile from his future office.  He can walk to work or, if weather is really bad, hop on the Blue Line at Bland Street Station and get off just a couple blocks from his office building.  And in the future, if the weather is really unbearable, take the Gold Line those last couple of blocks.  And returning home every evening, and on weekends, he'll be a short walk from so much activity in South End.  It seems like a dream situation to me!

 

[sakami]

Per notice to the neighborhood construction will start again on the bridge this Friday. 

Hawthorne Lane Bridge Construction Activities to Resume September 20

 

Friday, September 20 – Monday, September 23

Daytime preparation work around the bridge work zone will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will require closure of the inside lanes of Independence Boulevard during these hours. 

 

Monday, September 23 – Mid October 

Crews will remove and replace bridge girders during overnight hours. This will require full closures, one direction at a time, on Independence Boulevard starting with the eastbound lanes. Nearby residents may experience an increase in overnight sounds near the work zone due to the movement of trucks, materials, and machinery. 

 

Mid-October

Early October, crews will begin bridge deck work that will also occur during overnight hours. The Hawthorne Lane Bridge is expected to be completed by April 2020, pending any weather related issued or unforeseen circumstances. 

[NOLA2CLT]

unforeseen circumstances

 

What happens if the new girders are wrong?

[11 HouseBZ]

19 minutes ago, NOLA2CLT said:

What happens if the new girders are wrong?

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, NOLA2CLT said:

unforeseen circumstances

 

What happens if the new girders are wrong?

that gets categorized as a contractor deficiency. Unforeseen circumstances are typically issues that the contractor, the designer, or the owner could not have reasonably known about that impact construction. 

[archiham04]

Agreed.  Regardless of the initial blame, at this point it should be obvious what the requirements are and as design build, the contractor will be responsible 100%

[NOLA2CLT]

Fox and NBC were out on Hawthorne on the Central side of the bridge yesterday and this morning.  Even asked our nanny for comment!  But expect to see a story today or in the next few days on the main news outlets around here.  Probably wont be any new info we dont already know, just a chance for neighbors to vent and complain about the pending nightly noise they are going to be hearing.

[kermit]

Streetcar #401 in the wild at North yard. Testing (in the yard) was underway this afternoon.

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by kermit

[KJHburg]

Channel 9 did a little story about the long delayed Hawthorne Bridge now supposed to be complete by April 2020.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/construction-on-hawthorne-street-bridge-in-elizabeth-to-pick-back-up-next-week/987414239

[kermit]

This WSOC story on the bridge makes clear that the public-private partnerships in the form of design-build contracts are a bad deal for the public agency. In this case CATS is assigned 100% of the blame for these businesses closing around Hawthorne bridge when the events appear to have been completely out of CATS’ control.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/construction-on-hawthorne-street-bridge-in-elizabeth-to-pick-back-up-next-week/987414239

 

[NOLA2CLT]

1 hour ago, kermit said:

This WSOC story on the bridge makes clear that the public-private partnerships in the form of design-build contracts are a bad deal for the public agency. In this case CATS is assigned 100% of the blame for these businesses closing around Hawthorne bridge when the events appear to have been completely out of CATS’ control.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/construction-on-hawthorne-street-bridge-in-elizabeth-to-pick-back-up-next-week/987414239

 

I dont want this to come across as negative in any way...but Catch On and Toucan Louie's were both fairly new businesses.  For them to put 100% of the blame on CATS, in my opinion, is a bit of a stretch.  Im not saying that this construction did not have an impact on business, but so far, I have only read about two businesses closing  - Toucan Louie's and Catch On.  Millennials (who make up a vast majority of the apartment complexes around these two businesses) are probably not looking to buy fresh expensive seafood, and Toucan Louie's had little advertising in the area except for a small sign on the shop and a prop up sign on Central Ave that is easy to miss.  I hate that this construction has had such a negative impact on our area, but once this is complete, it will spur business and investment.  

[GoingUptown]

Here’s a pic I snapped of construction on the tracks near the Carillon Tower. 

 

[JacksonH]

On 9/21/2019 at 11:56 AM, GoingUptown said:

Here’s a pic I snapped of construction on the tracks near the Carillon Tower. 

 

Thank you!  This is just the image I've been wanting to see as my nephew starts work in the Carillon next month.

[NOLA2CLT]

the bridge was quite noisy last night as well...hopefully they will be working day and night to get it somewhat back on schedule...

[dubone]

3 hours ago, NOLA2CLT said:

the bridge was quite noisy last night as well...hopefully they will be working day and night to get it somewhat back on schedule...

I suspect night shift will be a big part of them trying to catch back up on this project.  

I LOVE seeing the new streetcars arriving.  It is hopefully going to be a success when it is finally up. 

[GoingUptown]

21 hours ago, JacksonH said:

Thank you!  This is just the image I've been wanting to see as my nephew starts work in the Carillon next month.

You’re welcome.  Hopefully, the styrofoam snowstorm from the Grand Bohemian will be done by then. 

[NOLA2CLT]

I think the crane confirms that they are indeed at work!  I couldnt tell if they have already removed a girder or two, but should see a few done overnight.  Thats based on my professional accounting experience.

[NOLA2CLT]

well it was dark when i took the dog for a walk, but look closely and you will see the east bound side of the bridge has had the faulty girders removed.  Me thinks this is record pace for demolition of a partially built bridge.  Any takers??

Anyhow, they were prepping stuff this evening for removing west bound lanes.  Doubt any get moved tonight, but #progress????  (put an upward inflection on that, and itll make sense)

[videtur quam contuor]

I drove outbound on Independence this morning and as I passed under this bridge(?) it was blue sky above me.

[kermit]

The Gateway Stop and also the Wesley Heights stop (near the Bojangles) have been poured. Other stations in this area look like they will be poured shortly.

Most of the track work from Mint to JCSU (Dixon st) appears to be done. To my surprise there is still no visible work happening at the French St. storage facility (one lane of road has been closed but no other site work is evident)

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by kermit

[tozmervo]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

The Gateway Stop and also the Wesley Heights stop (near the Bojangles) have been poured. Other stations in this area look like they will be poured shortly.

Most of the track work from Mint to JCSU (Dixon st) appears to be done. To my surprise there is still no visible work happening at the French St. storage facility (one lane of road has been closed but no other site work is evident)

 

I thought all the storage would be in the blue line sheds until Phase 3? 

[kermit]

18 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

I thought all the storage would be in the blue line sheds until Phase 3? 

I was sure I saw a French street "yard" discussed on all of the CATS design documents I have looked at over the past few years. Unfortunately my memory doesn't mean much these days and the CharMeck website has been hostile to me since the hack attack -- I can't even find the grant agreement for phase 2.

The more I look, the more it looks like I was wrong. This would certainly explain why no work is happening on the yard.

#GettingOldIsNotForSissys

[dubone]

3 hours ago, kermit said:

I was sure I saw a French street "yard" discussed on all of the CATS design documents I have looked at over the past few years. Unfortunately my memory doesn't mean much these days and the CharMeck website has been hostile to me since the hack attack -- I can't even find the grant agreement for phase 2.

The more I look, the more it looks like I was wrong. This would certainly explain why no work is happening on the yard.

#GettingOldIsNotForSissys

It was in the original plans, but not the more frugal reality spurred on by transit funding the freaking Hawthorne bridge.   Also, as Phase I made the connector to the Blue Line, they have been pretty consistent about having streetcar maintenance at the main maintenance yards on S Tryon.   Perhaps they generally include it in the farther extension north, but it is not in the current project. 

 

I have tried to look too, but can't seem to find it outright, but that is my recollection from past updates. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

[KJHburg]

Streetcar construction on W Trade in front of the Carillon and Jonas Federal Courthouse.  What a mess I sure hope at least this part of the construction is done soon.  Today. 

[NOLA2CLT]

Peeked over at the bridge yesterday...didnt have my phone so no photo, but all girders are gone and they have begun adjusting the bench on the east bound side of independence.   Ill try to snap a pic this evening