Around the State: Charlotte Rail Extension Opens

A decade in the making, the first major extension of Charlotte’s passenger rail system opened last week. Extending the Lynx Blue Line north to UNC-Charlotte, the extension is expected to more than double the system’s total daily average passenger trips.

Over 500 riders waited at the UNC-Charlotte stop for a chance to ride the first trains, and cheered as the first one left the station headed south. The Blue Line now stretches for 18.9 miles with 26 stations.

Fixed rail passenger systems are regarded as a powerful tool for greener development patterns. Not only are the electric-powered trains better for air quality than the thousands of low-occupant auto trips they replace daily, the presence of the line and its stops attracts more compact transit-oriented development. By fighting urban sprawl, this saves unbuilt green space and reduces the impervious surface which drives dirtied storm water runoff from urban development.

That’s our report for this week.