CATS leaders asked the city for up to $500,000 so they could further study a new route, starting at the Rosa Parks Center on Beatties Ford Rd., passing through Trade Street and Elizabeth Avenue in Uptown, and ending at the Eastland Mall Transit Center on
CHARLOTTE -- Monday night, city leaders weighed in on a first step for a second transit option linking east and west Charlotte. CATS is proposing the Charlotte Streetcar Project to ride on tracks between Beatties Ford Road and Central Avenue.
Rudy Collins is one of those who wonders is Charlotte leaders could be doing more to help her and others who work in east Charlotte. “It’s a growing city, and it just needs more options of transportation,” said Collins.
CATS leaders asked the city for up to $500,000 so they could further study a new route, starting at the Rosa Parks Center on Beatties Ford Rd., passing through Trade Street and Elizabeth Avenue in Uptown, and ending at the Eastland Mall Transit Center on Central Avenue.
Monday night, city leaders weighed in on a first step for a second transit option linking east and west Charlotte.
"What staff will do, assuming this is approved, is doing an economic impact study that will take a look at just how much streetcars can spur development, what kinds of returns we can anticipate, and other types of revenue,” said Keith Parker with CATS.
The streetcar would run on electricity and hold three times as many passengers as a bus. CATS leaders believe the plan would not only save on diesel fuel and manpower, but also potentially jumpstart business near its tracks, similar to the Lynx Blue line in South End.
"People remember when the South Boulevard area was not the most desirable area, now they look at it as being one of the role model streets for the entire region,” said Parker.
Should the preliminary steps continue, the project could begin service in the next 10-15 years. If completed as a whole, it would include more than 30 stops.