08-09-04
Contact: Melissa Sabatine
Telephone: (202) 366-4043
Federal Transit Administrator Jennifer L. Dorn today announced an $11.5 million grant to the city of Charlotte to lay the groundwork for construction of the South Corridor Light Rail Project for construction. The project to bring light rail service to residents, commuters and visitors is part of a long-term effort to revitalize area communities through transit-oriented development.
“Today’s investment puts nearby communities on track for more jobs, more development and more opportunity,” said Administrator Dorn. “The President understands that investing in public transportation connects workers to jobs, shoppers to stores, families to homes and communities to prosperity.”
The federal commitment of $11.5 million will relieve traffic congestion and ignite economic growth. The grant will be used to prepare final construction plans, detailed specifications, cost estimates and bid documents, which are required before construction can begin.
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. The rail line will run parallel to Interstate 77 and South Boulevard, a heavily trafficked roadway used by commuters during peak hours, providing a transit alternative to congested roadways.
The South Corridor Project will consist of fifteen stations, including stops at the Charlotte Convention Center and Ericsson Stadium. Seven of the stations will provide connections to local and express bus services and a total of 3,600 parking spaces. Projected to be completed in 2006, the South Corridor Rail line is expected to serve 17,000 riders daily.
|
