Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[gman430]

8 minutes ago, NOLA2CLT said:

great pics Gman....are you by chance gonna be able to do Hawthorne Bridge?

I’m not sure what that is or where that is unfortunately. 

[KJHburg]

from KJ's uptown walkabout today.  Question why are the tracks for the streetcar near the Square (Trade and Tryon) closer to the curb in those first blocks either side of the square?  they seem to be in the left lanes further out from that intersection. 

[tozmervo]

At the square, the platforms are at the sidewalk. Elsewhere the platforms are in the median

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

At the square, the platforms are at the sidewalk. Elsewhere the platforms are in the median

thanks I just noticed that today.   

[kermit]

Tryon is open again at the square

[nakers2]

20 hours ago, kermit said:

Tryon is open again at the square

Amazing how fast they can work when there's some fire under their ass. 

[Hushpuppy321]

Anyone think there’s a chance that Phase III of the StreetCar would be fast tracked if development at Eastland takes off in the next 2 or 3 years?  Better yet - any chance Tepper would chip in to help usher in the ‘Transit’ that he’s been speaking in support of a few months ago at the Panthers Site in Rock Hill?  

[Scribe]

3 minutes ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

Anyone think there’s a chance that Phase III of the StreetCar would be fast tracked if development at Eastland takes off in the next 2 or 3 years?  Better yet - any chance Tepper would chip in to help usher in the ‘Transit’ that he’s been speaking in support of a few months ago at the Panthers Site in Rock Hill?  

<1% chance on the first point.
<0.1% chance on the second one.

[Hushpuppy321]

4 minutes ago, Scribe said:

<1% chance on the first point.
<0.1% chance on the second one.

Damn ... 

[kermit]

23 minutes ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

Anyone think there’s a chance that Phase III of the StreetCar would be fast tracked if development at Eastland takes off in the next 2 or 3 years?  Better yet - any chance Tepper would chip in to help usher in the ‘Transit’ that he’s been speaking in support of a few months ago at the Panthers Site in Rock Hill?  

Best you can hope for in Phase 3 is that it is included in a big bang build out. Unfortunately, since the streetcar is really a city project, rather than a CATS project,  Phase 3 has been conspicuously absent from most 2030 plan discussions.  There is also some wait and see with Phase 2, if it does well with ridership then we should hear more talk about Phase 3.

[Scribe]

5 minutes ago, kermit said:

Unfortunately, since the streetcar is really a city project

This was the reason I gave <1% for fast track.
Also, the city used Street Car as a way to repair/upgrade/relocate ancient utilities under Trade St.

 

[Hushpuppy321]

17 minutes ago, Scribe said:

This was the reason I gave <1% for fast track.
Also, the city used Street Car as a way to repair/upgrade/relocate ancient utilities under Trade St.

 

Seems like most modern city StreetCar projects have only been an ‘Economic Boon’ for Washington DC.  All others just seem to be an interesting people mover for Center City districts like Atlanta and Kansas City.   

[Scribe]

Don't get me wrong, I am anti Street Car unless it's in a dedicated right-of-way (ROW).

So, until further changes are made to the Gold Line, I am anti Gold Line and want the money to go 100% to the Silver Line.

[Hushpuppy321]

4 minutes ago, Scribe said:

Don't get me wrong, I am anti Street Car unless it's in a dedicated right-of-way (ROW).

So, until further changes are made to the Gold Line, I am anti Gold Line and want the money to go 100% to the Silver Line.

I agree - I would hope to see any future Phase III StreetCar down Central Ave (all the way to Eastland) to be similar to the BLE along N.Tryon St through UCity.  Not sure if there’s enough R.O.W width though.

[kermit]

On 12/23/2019 at 2:44 PM, Hushpuppy321 said:

Seems like most modern city StreetCar projects have only been an ‘Economic Boon’ for Washington DC.  All others just seem to be an interesting people mover for Center City districts like Atlanta and Kansas City.   

While there have certainly been some new streetcar disasters (St. Louis, Cincinnati, Atlanta), streetcars aren't all bad. Portland's has done really well -- ridership is solid and it generated a ton of redevelopment. Kansas City's streetcar has also created major changes in the city according to most folks there (I have not ridden it). While they are not new, Toronto's streetcars have also seen huge ridership gains recently, particularly as CTC has reduced auto interference on some of the routes.

Streetcars are not intended to move people long distances, they are intended to make it easy for people to move short distances in dense areas. The Gold Line (in Phase 2 configuration) can do that — its not reasonable to judge it by the same criteria we use for light rail. The streetcar is just not intended to wisk people into the city from the burbs, its meant to make urban living easier.

Edited December 27, 2019 by kermit

[jjwilli]

On 12/22/2019 at 4:51 PM, kermit said:

Tryon is open again at the square

There's now a very noticeable dip in the road as you cross Trade over the new tracks.

[kermit]

What was...

 

[videtur quam contuor]

Niche manufacturing:

http://www.gomacotrolley.com/Resources/pages/aboutus.html

[Nick2]

A friend moving into the area is not happy with Hawthorne's closure (along with anyone else having to deal with the continuing closure).

[JacksonH]

11 hours ago, Nick2 said:

A friend moving into the area is not happy with Hawthorne's closure (along with anyone else having to deal with the continuing closure).

Which begs the question:  why is your friend choosing to move there if he/she is bothered by the construction?  It's not exactly a secret that there is ongoing construction of the Gold Line.  While I can sympathize with long-time residents who did not sign up for these disruptions when they moved to the area, new arrivals are a different case.

[Nick2]

11 hours ago, JacksonH said:

Which begs the question:  why is your friend choosing to move there if he/she is bothered by the construction?  It's not exactly a secret that there is ongoing construction of the Gold Line.  While I can sympathize with long-time residents who did not sign up for these disruptions when they moved to the area, new arrivals are a different case.

That is a good question. But she's been complaining about it since she found out about it.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Nick2

[JacksonH]

1 hour ago, Nick2 said:

That is a good question. But she's been complaining about it since she found out about it.

I just can't imagine moving to a neighborhood without investigating it first.  One has to do their due diligence.

Edited January 4, 2020 by JacksonH

[nakers2]

On 12/23/2019 at 4:56 PM, jjwilli said:

There's now a very noticeable dip in the road as you cross Trade over the new tracks.

I don't think they've entirely finished paving, it's the same at Graham and Trade. 

[KJHburg]

at College and E Trade. road closed. 

[ajfunder]

Terrible quality and I shot it vertical but hey it's something. Five Points to CTC timelapse on January 4th.

 

https://youtu.be/QZhX937guPw