Category Archives: Transportation

Google Maps adds bicycling directions in Charlotte

10 Mar 10 – 10:48 am

Google unveiled bicycling directions in their Maps application today during the National Bike Summit in Washington.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit that creates trails from old rail lines, has partnered with Google to provide bike trail information in over 150 US cities, including Charlotte.
The new cycling maps show routes including dedicated bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in City, Internet | Comments (11)

An argument against Charlotte’s current rail transit strategy

25 Jan 10 – 2:21 am

Awesome case made by Michael Gallis, of Michael Gallis & Associates, a “Strategic Planning Group and Real Estate Studio” in Charlotte, in support of a fully integrated rail transit plan, versus what is currently underway.
“Once among America’s smartest regional transit schemes, Charlotte’s commuter rail system could become the country’s most convoluted. Now planned as disconnected [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in Infrastructure, Quick Links | Comments (0)

Proposal puts 1.5 miles of Charlote streetcar only 3 years out

24 Jan 10 – 3:36 pm

“A proposed streetcar line could be operating in three years under a plan presented Thursday to city leaders.
City council’s transportation committee voted 3-2 to recommend applying for a $24.9 million federal grant to help fund the construction of a 1.5-mile rail line from the Transportation Center on Trade Street to Presbyterian Hospital in Elizabeth.
The full [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in Business, Government, Infrastructure, Quick Links, Uptown | Comments (3)

CATS launches online site for buying passes/tickets

24 Jan 10 – 3:30 pm

“The Charlotte Area Transit System is launching a service on its Web site that allows riders to buy round-trip or one-day passes.
Light-rail and bus riders can go to www.ridetransit.org, select a ticket and then complete the shipping and billing information. The site accepts Visa and MasterCard.”
Read more at the Charlotte Business Journal.
Visit their new site [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in Internet, Quick Links | Comments (4)

My Charlotte Foursquare Christmas List, 2009

23 Dec 09 – 1:45 am

A little over a month ago Foursquare, the location-based social media scavenger hunt/game, chose inclusion for Charlotte in it’s then very elite list of cities supported by the app/website. In no time at all we’ve seen local/independent business are getting in on the Foursquare e-gold rush.  We’ve already covered UNC Charlotte, so here are the [...]

By Desiree Kane | Also posted in Infrastructure, Media, Opinion, Retail, Review, Technology, UNC Charlotte | Comments (14)

City Council moves forward with streetcar study

16 Sep 09 – 7:09 am

“The streetcar lives to fight another day.
An hour-long debate over a streetcar study ended Monday with City Council’s decision to overturn Mayor Pat McCrory’s veto, clearing the way to award an engineering contract. It was a 7-4 vote along party lines, with all seven Democrats supporting the streetcar study.
It marked the latest twist in a [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in Infrastructure, Quick Links | Comments (0)

“Green” Line to UNC Charlotte might be delayed

16 Sep 09 – 6:32 am

The 11-mile Lynx Blue Line extension to University City might not be finished until 2019 – six years later than the Charlotte Area Transit System planned two years ago.
The project may be delayed to give the transit system more time to pay for it.
CATS had projected the half-cent transit sales tax would generate $76 million [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in Economy, Infrastructure, Quick Links | Comments (0)

CLT has nation’s 8th-worst ground-level pollution, no thanks to transportation planners

16 Sep 09 – 5:54 am

photo: Justin Ruckman
“Twenty years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new rule for cities with dirty air, such as Charlotte: Show that your road-building plans will complement efforts to clean the air – or risk losing critical highway construction dollars.
But today the federal process is full of loopholes, the Observer has found.
City transportation [...]

By Justin Ruckman | Also posted in City, Environment, Government, Infrastructure | Comments (2)

CATS unveils new Sprinter service

21 Aug 09 – 9:30 am

photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr
Thursday evening CATS unveiled to the public its new Sprinter Enhanced Bus Service at their West Service Center on Wilkinson Blvd. The new service will replace the current #5 route that runs from Uptown to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
The Sprinter service will use five new hybrid-electric buses on the [...]

By James Willamor | Also posted in City, Feature, Infrastructure | Comments (7)

Charlotte Transportation Summit Recap

17 Aug 09 – 5:49 pm

Mayor Pat McCrory. photo: James Willamor; view this photo on Flickr
Community leaders and experts met Friday, August 14th, at the Westin Hotel to discuss the present and future of Charlotte’s transportation and air quality. The Charlotte Transportation Summit was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Charlotte Business Journal.
Update:  The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce [...]

By James Willamor | Also posted in Business, City, Government, Infrastructure | Comments (3)