Charlotte Light Rail May See Six Year Delay

Posted by: Nate Berg
Thanks to: Reconnecting America

16 September 2009 - 7:00am

In an effort to give themselves more time to pay for it, transit officials in Charlotte may delay an 11-mile light rail extension for six years.

The Charlotte Area Transit System had been relying on sales tax revenues to fund the project, but receipts were lower than officials had anticipated, prompting them to consider a project delay of up to six years.

"CATS had projected the half-cent transit sales tax would generate $76 million in fiscal year 2009. Instead, it only produced $62 million.

'If the sales tax recovers, we can revise this,' said CATS interim chief executive John Muth. 'I'm not saying the schedule is 2019. But we've had to revise it a little bit.'

If sales tax revenue recovers, the line could open in 2016."

Full Story: Light rail to U-City might be delayed

Source: The Charlotte Observer, September 15, 2009