Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[MilZ]

Just out of curiosity....whats the reasons for the opposition? 

 

One of the goals of rail transit is also to create dense corridors which in turn provide an exponential increase in tax base.  While an auto mall will pay taxes, it will not pay nearly as much as a dense area filled with multiple businesses, residents, and offices.  It also will not contribute a significant amount to the TOD fund which would help the city recover some of the cost of the BLE.

Edited December 20, 2013 by MilZ

[kermit]

^ There is a TOD fund?

[MilZ]

^My fault, just looked it up and realized none of this project was funded by TOD like I thought. Fed 50%, NC 25%, QC( 1/2 cent) 25%.

 

It's still a waste of good land in what equates to a potential TOD zone.

[Urbanity]

The BLE FB Page started posting demolition videos yesterday.  Nothing dramatic - more old gas station type things, but it's a concrete step forward!

[HopHead]

The BLE FB Page started posting demolition videos yesterday.  Nothing dramatic - more old gas station type things, but it's a concrete step forward!

 

I'd really like to see pics of them demoing some Auto malls to make way for the BLE...

[Niner National]

I'd really like to see pics of them demoing some Auto malls to make way for the BLE...

Instead, we're getting more auto malls in the university area!

[HopHead]

Instead, we're getting more auto malls in the university area!

Exactly my point

[Third Strike]

North Tryon is going to look real pretty, once the light rail project is complete:

 

[orulz]

That rendering reminds me of North 1st Street in San Jose, which is indeed fairly pretty. Something they did with N 1st that I don't see here is that they put trees in some parts of the median too (where it's wide enough.)

[RugbyPike#11]

Are the trains struggling to operate in the cold?  I have experienced delays both this morning and last Friday.  Is this normal when the temperature drops or do I just have bad luck?

[grodney]

I doubt it's the cold (it wasn't really cold this morning), but I wonder what the failure/problem rate is.  I was on the 6:40 inbound today, which is the one that failed.  We had to unload at East/West and board the next northbound train (which had switched to the southbound tracks to get around our dead train).  There wasn't anything noticeably wrong with our train, until the operator had to stop it and turn it off and back on, somewhere a couple stops before East/West.  Strange.

 

I personally haven't had any other delays/issues the past few months in my normal 6:30ish/3:40 routine.

Edited January 6, 2014 by grodney

[RugbyPike#11]

I was on the same train, but I didn't get on until New Bern Station, so I only made it one stop before we had to switch over to the next north bound train.  I had another delay at about the same time last Thursday (I was originally thinking last Friday), I must have just missed the 7:14 departure from New Bern, and the next train didn't come until about 7:32, which I guess is only an 8 minute delay.  It WAS really cold last week, so it felt a lot longer than that.  Whatever it is, I hope they work it out.  The light rail schedules have generally been VERY reliable, much less stressful commute than driving. 

[15895]

As Ballantyne gets more & more jobs, I wonder if a blue Lin extension has even crossed anyone's mind.

The reverse commute from say SouthEnd, Uptown, NoDa, UC/Mallard Creek would be annoying driving basically along th blue line. I feel like most people would just driv than wait for train than a bus connection to Ballantyne (plus a Carolina Place would be great).

I know we've beat the dead horse of hypothetical lines and spurs before. But Ballatyne is adding thousands of cars to its little roads and I just wonder @ what point will the city start planning for mass/rapid transit to Btyne?

Even a nice indoor bus station @ the 485 station with Enhanced bus service (like sprinter) and real time bus schedules.

Edited January 9, 2014 by AirNostrumMAD

[southslider]

Yep, build another BLE along 485 to Ballantyne via Carolina Place.

[km1789]

As Ballantyne gets more & more jobs, I wonder if a blue Lin extension has even crossed anyone's mind.

The reverse commute from say SouthEnd, Uptown, NoDa, UC/Mallard Creek would be annoying driving basically along th blue line. I feel like most people would just driv than wait for train than a bus connection to Ballantyne (plus a Carolina Place would be great).

I know we've beat the dead horse of hypothetical lines and spurs before. But Ballatyne is adding thousands of cars to its little roads and I just wonder @ what point will the city start planning for mass/rapid transit to Btyne?

Even a nice indoor bus station @ the 485 station with Enhanced bus service (like sprinter) and real time bus schedules.

 

I think you may not understand the extreme aversion the populace of Ballantyne has for public transportation (i realize this is not the case for all residents) but rail transit and the desired density that follows is to Ballantyne what garlic is to vampires... 

 

Charlotte, and increasingly the state and federal governments, like to couple its transit initiatives (particularly rail) with prospective development... It will be a long long time before that ever become palatable... 

[southslider]

The City conditioned the latest Ballantyne bump in density on added roadway capacity and network, like the North Community House bridge. The next bump should be conditioned on transit, such as setting aside land for a southward BLE, or at least, exclusive lanes and bays for a Sprinter-like connection.

[ah59396]

I look at Ballantyne as our Perimeter Station (and Southpark our Buckhead). Both of those areas in Atlanta are serves by the MARTA. So I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility to have a minor extension from the current I-485 terminus to Ballantyne. Obviously the largest hurdle would be getting Pineville on board.

[Urbanity]

I could see someday Ballantyne getting Light rail but I can't foresee when that someday would happen.   SouthPark I have a harder time envisioning getting Light rail (as much as I want that) only because I am envisioning a bigger NIMBY fight there than in an office park.

[HopHead]

I agree that Ballantyne should be a good candidate for the next Light Rail expansion. With the amount of office, retail and residential there now and what will be going up in the next few years certainly warrants an alternative form of transportation to cars. The congestion is only going to get worse than it is now, no matter how many more roads they build or how much they widen it. Unfortunately, I just don't see it. Ballantyne is so adverse to mass transit. The thought of residents there, at least the ones I know, not being able to drive scares the crap out of them. And then throw in the thought that their tax money would have to go towards it makes it worse. Would love to be proven wrong though.

[15895]

I agree that Ballantyne should be a good candidate for the next Light Rail expansion. With the amount of office, retail and residential there now and what will be going up in the next few years certainly warrants an alternative form of transportation to cars. The congestion is only going to get worse than it is now, no matter how many more roads they build or how much they widen it. Unfortunately, I just don't see it. Ballantyne is so adverse to mass transit. The thought of residents there, at least the ones I know, not being able to drive scares the crap out of them. And then throw in the thought that their tax money would have to go towards it makes it worse. Would love to be proven wrong though.

It wouldn't be primarily for Ballantyne residents as it would commuters to Ballantyne. And I would imagine Residents of Ballantyne would like the idea of taking literally thousands of cars off the road. Between MetLife & the new 11 story building... That's a lot more cars. And I'm not sure how many of those new MetLife workers would live in Ballantyne as opposed to NoDa, etc.

[TheBigShamrock8]

I agree that Ballantyne should be a good candidate for the next Light Rail expansion. With the amount of office, retail and residential there now and what will be going up in the next few years certainly warrants an alternative form of transportation to cars. The congestion is only going to get worse than it is now, no matter how many more roads they build or how much they widen it. Unfortunately, I just don't see it. Ballantyne is so adverse to mass transit. The thought of residents there, at least the ones I know, not being able to drive scares the crap out of them. And then throw in the thought that their tax money would have to go towards it makes it worse. Would love to be proven wrong though.

Where would they run the rails?  They could come across 485.  I think that would be the cheapest option.

[RVA2CLT]

My wife and I live in Southend and work in Ballantyne, and have commuted many times via LRT and 43 Bus connection at Sharon Rd Station.
It's a 16 mile drive down 77-485, and takes about 25 mins (30-40 in heavy traffic with no accidents) door to door.

The fastest I can get to work after stepping on LRT/Bus is 1 hour, and that's if I catch the last train to meet the 43 Bus as it's pulling out, no traffic, not too many stops for passengers and stop-lights.

During morning/afternoon rush-hour, there is a bus twice an hour, half hour apart.
During normal service, there is only 1 bus ever hour from Sharon Rd Station to Ballantyne.

The last bus from Sharon Rd to Ballantyne is 8:11pm.. you miss it. call a cab
The last bus from Ballantyne to Sharon Rd Station is 8:50pm.. you miss it. call a cab
 

So Rail would amazing.... but just enhancing the frequency and availability of the current 43 Bus would go a long way too... again only for the people working in Ballantyne and wanting/needing transit...  b/c anyone that lives down here is NOT getting on the bus and are driving right past the 485 park & ride LRT



 

Edited January 9, 2014 by RVA2CLT

[Third Strike]

Where would they run the rails?  They could come across 485.  I think that would be the cheapest option.

 

Having the light rail follow 485 on the side would be the most cheapest and effective option. I envision it not just stopping at Ballantyne, but also at Stonecrest. There could also be a stop in front of the Carolina Place Mall.

[Brendan]

That would be incredible extending the line south.  Parking would be an issue.  I'm sure Stonecrest wouldn't want passengers taking their parking spaces.  

 

 

Having the light rail follow 485 on the side would be the most cheapest and effective option. I envision it not just stopping at Ballantyne, but also at Stonecrest. There could also be a stop in front of the Carolina Place Mall.

[Third Strike]

That would be incredible extending the line south.  Parking would be an issue.  I'm sure Stonecrest wouldn't want passengers taking their parking spaces.  

 

There's a small overflow lot on the right of the Regal theater, next to 485, that could be purchased and turned into a small parking deck. Currently, Saint Matthew Catholic Church's parking lot is used as a park and ride for the 62x. Although it would be a good walk, they could use that for the time being.