CATS renews push for Red Line commuter rail into north Mecklenburg
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Officials with the Charlotte Area Transit System are hosting a series of public meetings on a proposed commuter rail project that would link parts of northern Mecklenburg County and southern Iredell County to uptown Charlotte.
More than 15 years of planning have already gone into the Red Line. The first survey for the project was completed in 2009.
CATS looks to continue light rail expansion plan to connect Charlotte to Mooresville
The goal is to create a 10-stop, 25-mile-long modified commuter rail to aid people traveling between Charlotte’s future Gateway Station and Cornelius, Huntersville, Mooresville and Davidson.
CATS developers originally planned to utilize pre-existing freight tracks owned by Norfolk Southern. The Red Line would use parts of the little-used O Line. In 2013, Norfolk Southern leaders changed a policy to no longer allow any passenger travel on their tracks. The CATS project paused soon after.
In October 2023, Norfolk Southern officials wrote an open letter to the City of Charlotte expressing they are open to negotiating a transaction for part of the O Line tracks.
CATS Project Manager Brian Nadolny led a virtual community meeting Wednesday night. He said the project needs a major redesign since so much time has passed since the idea’s inception.
“Pretty much every element of the design has gone through changes over the last 15 years, we can’t just dust off the old project and try to build that project,” he said.
Nadolny said one of their first priorities is to confirm possible train station locations. He said many of the original proposals are no longer available due development in those areas.
“We’ve seen immense growth in the corridor,” he said. “There is an example at Camp North End of a development that wasn’t a viable development when we first designed this.”
Planners currently aim to have trains run every 30 to 60 minutes on weekdays, with higher frequencies during peak travel time, but they’re also considering their weekend and special event services. Specifics such as this is why CATS leaders are looking for more public feedback.
DHHS responds after Meck County sheriff accuses jail inspector of inaccurate, unfair reports
They will host a series of in-person meetings. https://publicinput.com/redline#tab-48702
Tuesday, April 16: Davidson Branch Library, Davidson, 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 18: North County Regional Library, Huntersville, 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 20: Sugar Creek Branch Library, in Charlotte, 6 p.m.
At Wednesday’s meeting, many commenters wanted to know when the rail will be ready to ride.
The proposed timeline for the project includes many estimated ranges for phases of development. According to the presentation, the Red Line may begin service any time between 2033 and 2040.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
