Consultant Awarded for $212 Million Light Rail Study in North Carolina

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Gannett Fleming Incorporated (Charlotte, North Carolina) was selected as a consultant to provide environmental impact studies for a $212 million Southeast Corridor Light Rail project in Charlotte, North Carolina planned by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).

Environmental Impact Studies are currently underway for the construction of a 13.5 mile light rail system, which includes twelve rapid transit stations, starting at Elizabeth Avenue in Center City Charlotte and stretching to Independence Boulevard.

This light rail transit study is one of two technologies being reviewed for the Southeast Corridor in the 2025 Transit System Plan. The other technology is Bus Rapid Transit. If the light rail transit system is chosen, it will consist of steel-wheeled rail vehicles powered electrically from overhead lines. If the bus rapid transit is chosen, it will consist of low-floor rubber-tired vehicles using clean fuels.

Environmental impact studies will be completed and a technology decision will be made in the spring of 2006. Final approvals are expected in the fall of 2007 or early spring of 2008. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2009 or early spring 2010, with completion slated for the year 2013.

Industrialinfo.com is currently tracking over $61 billion in future rail transportation projects in the United States. Click the image at right to view a graph comparing the investment cost and project counts for these 56 projects by state.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), managed by the Public Transit Department of North Carolina, continually improves operations for the city's transit services by planning for a regional transit system that includes bus rapid transit, light rail, commuter rail, and expanded bus service within a six-county area. CATS currently serves Mecklenburg County, which includes the city of Charlotte and the six suburban towns surrounding it: Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Matthews, Pineville, and Mint Hill CATS also services the cities of Concord and Gastonia and the towns of Mooresville and Rock Hill. Transit planning is now ongoing and includes the development of five transit corridors carrying passengers to every corner of Mecklenburg County, as well as into adjacent counties. A light rail transit system has been approved for the South Corridor, which extends from Charlotte to Pineville. Four other corridors are also being studied. CATS has been recognized for its major contribution to effective, innovative, and community-focused regional development, both locally and nationally.

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