Blue Line Extension/Northeast Corridor (LYNX)

Infobox rail line
name = LYNX Northeast Corridor


image_width =
caption =
type = Light rail
system = LYNX Rapid Transit Services
locale = Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina
start = 9th Street (south)
end = I-485/North Tryon (north)
stations = 14
routes = rail color box|system=LYNX|line=Blue
ridership =
open = 2015cite news
last =Harrison
first =Steve
coauthors =
title = Light rail extension study to start in March
work =The Charlotte Observer
pages =1A
date =2008-01-29]
close =
owner = Charlotte Area Transit System
operator = Charlotte Area Transit System
character =
stock = Siemens Avanto S70
linelength = convert|11|mi
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = RailGauge|sg (standard gauge)
el = Overhead catenary
speed =
elevation =

LYNX Blue Line Extension [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Rapid Transit Planning
work =
publisher =Charlotte Area Transit System
date =
url =http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/Rapid+Transit+Planning/home.htm
accessdate =2007-01-13 ] |

The Northeast Corridor or Blue Line Extension is the planned light rail extension for the LYNX Blue Line. It would connect directly with the existing Blue Line at the 7th Street station in Uptown Charlotte. The line will serve University City and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. It is proposed to follow a northeast path along the existing Norfolk Southern right-of-way along both North Davidson Street and North Tryon Street. It is currently estimated to be 11 miles (17.7 km) in length and cost $740.5 million to complete by 2015. [cite news
last =Cimino
first =Karen
coauthors =
title =2007 is key for future of northeast corridor line
work =The Charlotte Observer
pages =1C
date =2006-12-31
url =
accessdate = ]

History

The prospect of developing a light rail line between UNC Charlotte and Uptown via Newell was initially evaluated in 1985.cite news
last =Israel
first =Mae
coauthors =
title =County rail system ahead?
work =The Charlotte Observer
pages =Metro 1
date =1985-08-08] The route was proposed for the then Southern Railway tracks, parallel to both North Tryon Street and Old Concord Road, and slated for completion at some point between 1995-2000. After years of discussion and delays, in June 2006 the routing of the proposed route was chosen.cite news
last =Cimino
first =Karen
coauthors =
title = Rail route: UNCC, Yes - Crossing I-485, No
work =The Charlotte Observer
pages =1B
date =2006-06-29]

The selected route would follow the existing Norfolk Southern right-of-way from Uptown through approximately Sugar Creek Road where it would parallel North Tryon Street to its terminus on the southern side of Interstate 485. The routing also includes a station on the campus of UNCC. The decision to not cross I-485 in order to extend the line to Salome Church Road was made based on an estimated $30 million cost for a bridge and a projected daily ridership to the station of only 200 passengers. At this time, estimates for the lines completion were $585 million with a average daily ridership of 17,500 upon its opening.

By November 2007, the Federal Transit Administration gave its blessing to begin the preliminary engineering work for the corridor, and in January 2008 the Charlotte City Council approved funding for this work to commence by March 2008. The $30 million engineering study is expected to be complete by 2010, and at that time the FTA will make its determination as to if federal funding will be available for half of the projects construction.

References