Is the State, Mecklenburg Co, or Charlotte stupid or idoits?

[Kitten Diver]

Everything is up in the air until the government gets out of a spending crunch. Charlotte says 2012-2019, but I'd add 5-10 years to that. Especially considering it is 2012 already and still no purple line.

So the light rail will be ready for my midlife crisis? Fingers crossed :lol:

[Zcustom]

My Aunt is a road engineer in Florida. Once I asked her why Charlotte's roads are so screwed up/poorly planned.

She actually got kinda pissed and said there's a lot more to it than you see, which I'm sure is true.

Still seems like they could plan these things a little better.

[Jase]

So the light rail will be ready for my midlife crisis? Fingers crossed :lol:

We'll be driving hover cars by then and trains will be obsolete.

[Jase]

My Aunt is a road engineer in Florida. Once I asked her why Charlotte's roads are so screwed up/poorly planned.

She actually got kinda pissed and said there's a lot more to it than you see, which I'm sure is true.

Still seems like they could plan these things a little better.

It is true, but charlotte's roads are actually pretty well planned, especially in comparison to older, bigger cities.

I'm looking at you, Boston.

[cookinwithgas]

Light Rail has a huge amount of things to overcome. Like roads there are right of way issues, environmental issues. pressure from different special interest groups with lawyers..and unique to itself is pressure from politicians who don't want money spent on trains when their Lexus driving voters would rather try and throw more lanes onto roads instead.

Blue Line has been by most accounts a great success and its so cool to see the infrastructure thats been built around it. A line to UNCC would be even more successful IMHO because it begins and ends with high density population/work centers and goes through a relatively poor area of town that could use more public transportation.

[Kitten Diver]

We'll be driving hover cars by then and trains will be obsolete.

:lol:

[Brooklyn Bully]

So glad I left that silly little state.

[Panthro]

So are we

[Panthro]

Oh snap...up top North Carolina!

[Niner National]

Kinda relevant question:

Does anyone know when a realistic date for the light rail to travel to the Cornelius/Davidson area? Is that still supposed to happen? It make for a much easier drink and not drive night downtown(uptown)

The rail to Cornelius/Davidson is actually heavy rail. It will have a diesel locomotive and will only run in the morning and in the evening around work hours. It is designed to relieve congestion during rush hour only, not to move people into and out of the city all day.

It may have a hard time getting funding because Iredell County is fighting it. The southern towns (where all the people with) are generally in favor of it, the northern towns do not want to help pay for it because it will not benefit them.

The blue line has gotten approval to complete engineering from the government, so that virtually ensures that the Feds plan on fulfilling their 50% of funding promise. The line to UNC Charlotte should be completed by 2017 with construction starting in 2013.

As for light rail down 74....I'm not a fan. I'd rather see it on Monroe Rd or Central (which is getting street car instead). 74 is not set up for high density development. Light rail should be designed to move people around a city at all hours of the day. Light rail to 74 would only be widely used by park and ride patrons getting into and leaving the city for their jobs.

I do hope to see the Blue Line extended to Ballantyne some day. That area will eventually become more than just an office park and suburban development.

[Niner National]

It is true, but charlotte's roads are actually pretty well planned, especially in comparison to older, bigger cities.

I'm looking at you, Boston.

Roads are decently planned, but development has not been. University City is a great example of the poor development standards in the city. Freedom Drive and Independence are two others.

[Jase]

Roads are decently planned, but development has not been. University City is a great example of the poor development standards in the city. Freedom Drive and Independence are two others.

True

But Mumpo has been doing good work lately to reverse the damage of poor planning that came mostly between the 60s and the 80s. It just takes time to turn around.

[Niner National]

True

But Mumpo has been doing good work lately to reverse the damage of poor planning that came mostly between the 60s and the 80s. It just takes time to turn around.

I agree.

I love a lot of the new development that is going on in and around uptown.

Romare Bearden Park is starting construction, First Ward Village has been put out to bid, The SKYE condo tower is finally being finished, the second stage of townhomes on church street in southend is under construction, there are several large apartment developments under or about to start construction in south end, Bloc 90 (a foreclosed condo project) is being finished on North Davidson street in the Belmont community, some nice infill town homes were announced for NoDa, and Mercury 28 (a large apartment complex) is going to start construction soon in NoDa. The repurposing of an old-mill into condos/lofts in the heart of NoDa should begin sometime in the next year as well.

A planned community called Brightwalk was also announced last month just north of the Music Factory. It will be a mixed income, mixed use community with 1000 residential dwellings, retail, and commercial space.

I'm excited to see in-fill projects happening in Charlotte rather than huge speculative projects.

[Panthro]

I can wait for Morningside Village to resume construction

http://www.morningsidevillage.com/news.html