CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A transit commission agreed that Charlotte’s light rail system should serve Mooresville and the University City area, the Associated Press reported.
The Metropolitan Transit Commission endorsed those routes Wednesday but left undecided whether light rail or busways be built to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and Matthews.
The commission agreed that engineers will study both rail and busway on the airport and Matthews routes. A decision on the routes will be made in 2005.
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory wanted to follow another transit commission’s recommendation to build busways on Independence Boulevard to Matthews and Wilkinson Boulevard to the city’s westside and the airport. McCrory adamantly opposed a counterproposal to continue studying busways and rail.
The initial vote was 7-1, with McCrory opposed. But even though he had not changed his mind, the Charlotte mayor asked for a revote so the commission could be unanimous.
Residents and leaders from east and west Charlotte have been lobbying hard to get the train service.
An eastside residents’ group complained to federal officials last month that the county is discriminating against lower-income neighborhoods by offering them busways instead of light rail. The Federal Transit Administration plans to look into the complaints.
The five-route transit system, which would center on downtown, could serve more than 200,000 daily riders by 2025. The fifth route, a light-rail line to south Charlotte, was approved in 2000.
The original proposal for two busways and three rail lines would cost $2.9 billion. But building rail on all five routes would raise that cost to $3.9 billion. The project would be paid for with federal and state funds and part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg sales tax.
All five lines will stop at the Mecklenburg County line if surrounding counties don’t pay to extend it. Mooresville and Iredell County have already contributed money to study bringing the line to Mooresville. York County and Rock Hill, S.C., also have contributed.