Charlotte’s light rail system has been a boon to the city. And with plans for expansion, its impact could grow even more!
Currently, the light rail’s Blue Line runs from I-485 and South Boulevard in Pineville to 7th Street Station in Uptown. As the website claims, it offers a “congestion free commute with a consistent travel time.”
SouthEnd, particularly, has seen a huge amount of growth since the installation of the Blue Line. The Charlotte Observer recently reported on the rapid growth of apartments in that area catering to young professionals that want to live near the action of Uptown. The article states that “about 40 new retail or service-oriented businesses have opened in the area during the past five months” per Ted Boyd, director of Charlotte Center City Partners’ Historic SouthEnd. And as we posted in September, SouthEnd already has a great neighborhood of single-family homes as well that are close to the light rail and all SouthEnd has to offer!
Plans to expand the line have it running up to the UNC Charlotte area. This expansion would obviously also have stations along the way, including beside the Parkwood/N. Brevard corridor, along North Tryon Street and through NoDa, in what the city hopes will bring revitalization to some more northern neighborhoods. This expansion could bring benefits both ways, as University-area residents come in to the city more, but also as those in the city and south can make it to the University area more easily, without having to fight interstate traffic.
Image: CharMeck.org
