Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[ah59396]

Just an update that construction on the streetcar is expected to wrap up in December afterwhich they will begin testing.

Revenue service is expected to start March 2015.

Hooray!

[15895]

Im ready for pictures of streetcar, Light Rail and the bus station in the same frame

[km1789]

Im ready for pictures of streetcar, Light Rail and the bus station in the same frame

 

transitgasm.....

 

throw in a b-cycle riding by!

[BrandonTO416]

Love the system, downtown local transit lines are a good idea to invest in.

[15895]

Love the system, downtown local transit lines are a good idea to invest in.

Meanwhile dozens of Charlotte Observer commenters just had a slight stroke and don't know why (because of your comment).

I've noticed most enraged commenters tend to be from farther out suburbs or even different states.

Edited November 6, 2014 by AirNostrumMAD

[asthasr]

At this point in time, you have to remember that older peoples' lives overlapped with the period of the greatest suburbanization and disinvestment in our cities... to someone who is 60 or 70, the city represents only failure and crime (because they remember 1965-1990 better than any other time period), and most of them don't understand taxes very well, and certainly don't understand what attracts people to a city. (I currently live in Winston-Salem; there are people who live outside the city limits who I have heard complaining about the W-S city bonds. They don't affect you. Shut up.)

[Eastman]

As a member of the "Native Charlottean" Facebook group, I cant attest that asthasr's comments are spot on.  The conventional wisdom is that absolutely nothing positive since since 1990 has happened in Charlotte, inner city neighborhoods are unlivable, crime is rampant, etc.. I'm often amazed at the comments I read.

[ah59396]

As a member of the "Native Charlottean" Facebook group, I cant attest that asthasr's comments are spot on.  The conventional wisdom is that absolutely nothing positive since since 1990 has happened in Charlotte, inner city neighborhoods are unlivable, crime is rampant, etc.. I'm often amazed at the comments I read.

 

I work in Huntersville and most of my co-workers live up here.  The other day, a guy told me he felt Huntersville was a "nicer" version of Dilworth.  After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I asked him how many times he'd been to Dilworth and he kinda dodged around the answer and just said a bunch of crap about how he "doesn't like the traffic in the city so he doesn't go there a lot".  I was dumbfounded.  

 

SORRY ABOUT THE OFF TOPIC.

[Niner National]

I work in Huntersville and most of my co-workers live up here.  The other day, a guy told me he felt Huntersville was a "nicer" version of Dilworth.  After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I asked him how many times he'd been to Dilworth and he kinda dodged around the answer and just said a bunch of crap about how he "doesn't like the traffic in the city so he doesn't go there a lot".  I was dumbfounded.  

 

SORRY ABOUT THE OFF TOPIC.

Did you tell him traffic in Huntersville is worse than traffic in Dilworth?

[15895]

Did you tell him traffic in Huntersville is worse than traffic in Dilworth?

Hahahaha, the FIRST thing I thought.

It takes 30 minutes to turn onto Statesville from a side street. Don't even get me started on Catawba Avenue...

[dubone]

It is a quirky fact, too, that now that the core of the city is livable, we go back to benefiting from very good urban design from of pre-WWII neighborhoods,  like traditional-neighborhood walkability, grid connectivity to disperse traffic (monopoly suburban thoroughfares and auto-centric communities = high congestion), and critical mass of density to support rail transit including streetcar.  

 

The whole urban world is very confusing for people who have lived half a century or more in the suburbs by choice.   That is very much part of the cultural divide that makes people in the suburbs (completely unaware of the technical and economic development reasons) be so opposed to building rail transit.  But for anyone that pays attention, the major complaints that suburban residents have about their lives, congestion and growth and taxes, are all partially solved by orienting future growth back to urban centers.  Rail transit investments seem to spur that type of growth.  

 

 

(Edit: Observer-like spelling quality in first post)

[km1789]

It is a quirky fact, too, that now that the core of the city is livable, we go back to benefiting from very good urban design from of pre-WWII neighborhoods,  like traditional-neighborhood walkability, grid connectivity to disperse traffic (monopoly suburban thoroughfares and auto-centric communities = high congestion), and critical mass of density to support rail transit including streetcar.  

 

The whole urban world is very confusing for people who have lived half a century or more in the suburbs by choice.   That is very much part of the cultural divide that makes people in the suburbs (completely unaware of the technical and economic development reasons) be so opposed to building rail transit.  But for anyone that pays attention, the major complaints that suburban residents have about their lives, congestion and growth and taxes, are all partially solved by orienting future growth back to urban centers.  Rail transit investments seem to spur that type of growth.  

 

 

(Edit: Observer-like spelling quality in first post)

 

A witch! Burn him!!!!

 

nail on the head with this one.

[teeg]

Some generation divide exists, for sure, but there's more to it.  I have met more young people that I can count who have chosen to live in the burbs (UCity, Steele Creek, Ballantyne, Concord...) because the houses are newer and less expensive, crime is less apparent, and they prefer the suburban "lifestyle".  If that means that they cannot walk, bicycle, or take transit anywhere from their subdivision, and the nearest grocery store is a 30 minute drive away (which might just be 1 mile, but traffic!), that's just the way the world works.  They don't get why anyone would live in or near center city any more than that guy who moved out to Matthews 50 years ago.  I can talk to them all day about quality of life, short commute times, transit options, walkability, amenities like neighborhood shopping and restaurants and parks, but it's like I'm speaking a different language. 

 

On the other hand, there are a ton of 60-80 year olds who live near center city.  Eastover and Myers Park are practically retirement communities at this point.  There's quite a lot of urban-ish multi family in those areas, just not the hip, flashy, multi-use type that we're seeing on the Blue Line or Central Avenue.  

[asthasr]

I am building a house in Pineville. I am doing this not because I don't like cities -- we were considering a move to Philadelphia at one point -- but the practicalities (specifically available space for me, wife, 2 kids, in-laws, dog) are just all in favor of the suburbs. Not my preference, but what currently passes for urban living is dodging some questions of schools and large families. You just can't buy a two-bedroom townhouse and make it work; and when you factor in the cost of private schools, it becomes impossible.

[kermit]

^ I don't intend to be disrespectful of anyone's decision about where they live (I know its complicated) but but I do need to share my perspective as an inner-ring resident with a 13 year old.

 

My experience with CMS has shown me that the current fear-driven avoidance of CMS is mostly just another overblown, last-generation holdover concept  (just like intown traffic and crime). We have had a very good experience with CMS and talk to lots of folks who have their kids in some of the less well regarded schools who have also been pleased. In general smart kids get lots of attention and have lots of opportunities in CMS, they have been responsive to concerns and I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of 90% of the teachers we have interacted with. In addition, elements of the magnet system were appealing and was able to accommodate our preferences. Honestly I think 90% of the "issues" with CMS are fabricated from headlines and 20 year old misconceptions.

Edited November 6, 2014 by kermit

[dubone]

Right, it is more of idealism and generalities.   Everyone knows there are reasons that people live in the suburbs, but Urban Planet is about the ideals of an urban planning and design.   Suburbs are very much not the ideal from a big-picture, but clearly there is a market for that life for a reason.

 

 

 

Streetcar is also not the ideal rail transit form, but it is good enough given the lack of congestion on the streets to support the cost savings that go along with it.   It is more about improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods it supports, increasing the transit capacity and reliability, but also being a permanent investment which orients higher density development/growth.   As long as the suburban residents are not ignoring the fact that the city needs this type of infrastructure, it isn't a problem.     I don't sit behind my computer ranting against seaports or mountain tunnels just because I don't need one in my community. 

[Spartan]

I miss Trade Street!!!

Pedestrian streets will be a long way off in NC.  They tried in Raleigh with Fayetteville Street, and it just about killed the whole downtown.  Once they brought the cars back the life returned.  For better or for worse, pedestrian conversions will need a couple more decades to let the memories fade.

 

Technically, Brevard Court is a pedestrian street... or more accurately, a pedestrian cul-de-sac

[ajfunder]

Construction on the intersection of Kings and Elizabeth is essentially complete, I expect them to open the entire intersection tomorrow. Kings is already open across Elizabeth. They have also strung wire over the westbound lane from the Hawthorne/Hospital station to the I-277 underpass. It also appeared that the 7th street LRT station was closed today for additional construction on the connector track.

[tozmervo]

At the 5th St LRT/Streetcar track split

[ajfunder]

Here is the progress on Elizabeth Avenue and Hawthorne. Overhead wire is now up from I-277 to the hospital over both lanes. Things are starting to really come together on Elizabeth. I took these from my car, sorry about the poor quality.

[CLTProductions]

Okay I'm sure this has been mentioned. And it's probably obvious. But how are the traffic patterns going to work? When the street car comes along to cars pull to the side? Or are there parts where it's not big enough for both that cars don't go?

[Dcarnys]

If I'm not mistaken streetcars follow the same traffic laws as any vehicle. 

[southslider]

Elizabeth Avenue will have pavement marking and roadway sign overkill to remind motorists to park close to the curb. Any haphazard parking hanging out into the travel lane will literally stop the streetcar in its tracks.

[ajfunder]

The Streetcar and Traffic will operate in the same lanes, the only dedicated revenue streetcar track will be the pocket track at CTC and at the Hospital station (The two places where the streetcars reverse direction). The parking spots will most likely have white lines painted, if vehicles park outside the line they will be towed. DC and Tucson ran a tow truck with the streetcars for the first month of testing to get across the point. Double parking will also most likely result in a ticket. It will be illegal to pass a streetcar in motion or at a stop on single lane sections. There will be a lot more signage and street markings in the coming months as construction wraps up.

[15895]

Do streetcars stop at every station or do you pull a string?