Charlotte, N.C., launches light rail system
Phase one of $4 billion system is first for state.
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) opened the 9.6-mile system for passengers on Nov. 24. The system is running seven days a week, with 7.5-minute rush hour and 15-minute non-rush hour headways.
The South Corridor Light Rail Transit Project (SCLRP), operating as the Lynx Blue Line, cost $462.7 million, is the first of five planned routes, and is projected to attract 9,100 average riders daily at the end of the first year.
The project also includes a $27.5 million storage and service facility, capable of maintaining up to 40 light rail vehicles. STV, a construction management firm, provided construction management, engineering and architectural design review services.
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