CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Estimates for a transit plan including commuter rail service for Charlotte have risen to $13.6 billion and could easily fluctuate over the almost two decades to complete the projects, the Charlotte city council was told at a Monday meeting.
The Charlotte Observer reports preliminary estimates from an advisory group had placed the cost of the package, which also includes bus rapid transit, pedestrian, and bicycle networks, at $8 billion to $12 billion. The bus and rail projects now are estimated to cost $11.6 million.
Rail components of the plan include the commuter rail Red Line and light rail Silver Line. The Red Line, currently estimated to open in 2031 at a cost of $674 million, remains a highly problematic concept. The 25-mile, 10-station route would use a Norfolk Southern line, but NS is opposed to the project [see “Digest: Charlotte seeks to build new interest …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 9, 2021]. And some officials in Mecklenberg County, where a ballot initiative to fund the project with a one-cent sales tax would be required, have indicated their opposition.
The Silver Line, a proposed 29-mile, 29-station, east-west route centered on downtown Charlotte, would be built in two sections, opening in 2037 and 2040. An extension of the existing light rail Blue Line would open in 2041.
NS opposition to the red line makes absolutely no sense. It is a slow speed railroad that now goes nowhere and has but a lonely local that works it. If anything NS should offer to sell it to CATS with them retaining trackage rights to service what business there is on the line. In exchange they get a much upgraded line, continue to make revenue from it without any of the responsibilities of owning it.
Cost will be way off. All the cost studied were based off what the average yearly inflation was for the past 5 to 8 years. That was roughly 2% plus or minus 1/2%. The rise in the inflation rate since January has more than doubled that, over 5% now and heading north at a rapid rate. Wouldn’t surprise me if rates got back up to the high rates of lat 1970’s or early 1980’s. Projecting costs that many years into the future, I expect costs to more than double or more.
I am old enough I won’t see the completion of these dreams but I’ll bet the cost will end up much higher than what is predicted or planned.
I am afraid this article has outdated information.
The Lynx Silver Line has begun planning and development, and has a target opening date near 2030. The Lynx Red Line was postponed after research, and in part because of the lack of cooperation from NS.
I think the Lynx Silver Line has a better targeted area because it will connect the Charlotte Douglas airport by train. The Red line may be a good target to help people’s work commute, but will be less beneficial for the overall community.
While I agree that heavy rail companies should be supportive of commuter rail, I don’t think it should be at their expense. The amount of finding that was requested from Norfolk Southern was pretty outrageous honestly.
Admittedly, I do not know the specific reasons NS has been opposed to implementing commuter rail on this route but I’ll opine the following as a general observation: Before James Squires squired NS into its addiction to PSR it had a reputation for being receptive to new start passenger routes as long as the states/agencies advocating the new service brought reputable plans and $$$ to the table. Between this and its resistance to the proposed NOL-Mobile, AL service, it doesn’t seem that way anymore. We can only imagine what kind of reception Virginia and its Department of Rail and Public Transportation would receive today for implementation of Amtrak service to Norfolk.
$674 million is relatively inexpensive for 25-mile,10-station heavy rail commute train route…NS(actually all railroads) should be more receptive to commuter lines, at almost no expense to the host railroad, they get significantly improved tracks and in most cases double or triple tracking…for the want of an area to operate commuter trains, a small price to pay.