U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Mayor Anthony Foxx and other local officials to break ground on the Charlotte Streetcar Starter Project — the first phase of a planned 10-mile streetcar line that will expand transit options; spur economic development; and improve access to jobs, education and medical facilities in the heart of one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas.

“The streetcar project moves Charlotte a step closer to building a truly connected transit system that will enable commuters, students and visitors to travel seamlessly in and out of downtown,” said LaHood. “The Obama Administration will continue to invest in sustainable transportation choices that keep cities like Charlotte vibrant and growing.”

The initial 1.5-mile section of the Charlotte Streetcar line will include six stops along an east-west transit corridor that will make it easy for passengers to catch either a local transit bus or board the LYNX light rail service heading north and south from the Charlotte Transportation Center, where all these services intersect.

The groundbreaking was held at Presbyterian Hospital, one of the stops on the route. The project is funded with $25 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Urban Circulator Grant Program. The total project cost is $37 million, with the City of Charlotte contributing $12 million.