FTA to fund Charlotte LRT project

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will grant $11.5 million to the city of Charlotte, N.C., for construction of the South Corridor light rail project.

The South Corridor project is a 9.6-mile light rail system that will link the central business district in Charlotte to Interstate 485 near the state line bordering South Carolina.

Scheduled to be completed in 2006, the rail line will consist of fifteen stations and serve 17,000 riders daily. The project is part of a long-term effort to revitalize area communities through transit-oriented development.

“The investment puts nearby communities on track for more jobs, more development and more opportunity,” said FTA Administrator Jenna Dorn in a statement.

The $11.5 million will be used to prepare final construction plans, detailed specifications, cost estimates and bid documents, which are required before construction can begin.