Charlotte Light Rail May See Six Year Delay

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.

1 minute read

September 16, 2009, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


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."

Thanks to Reconnecting America

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 in The Charlotte Observer

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