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The turn-off for Mooresville is 26 miles from uptown Charlotte. In normal condidions, it is a 30-35 minute drive.....
But it's rarely if ever "normal" most days these days. I live in Huntersville which is still 10+ miles from there and in crossing over I-77 on the Stumpton Rd. bridge, I've noticed backups heading north on '77 as early as 3:30 pm on most days. It's got to be a horrible drive for the people working in downtown Charlotte.
But it's rarely if ever "normal" most days these days. I live in Huntersville which is still 10+ miles from there and in crossing over I-77 on the Stumpton Rd. bridge, I've noticed backups heading north on '77 as early as 3:30 pm on most days. It's got to be a horrible drive for the people working in downtown Charlotte.
It is bearable until you get to exit #28 before the lake. I am sure that you know that during the summer and often durng the winter I-77 is backed up with people slowing down to look at the lake. There is always a back up at exit 25 and 23 but if it isn't because of an accident, it is pretty normal to make it to exit 28 in 30 minutes from uptown. Exits 28-36 can really cause a delay. You can get a good shot of reality looking up and down down from Stumpton Road.
And the city wants to waste money on a rail to UNCC? When will my tax money work for me? If we don't get rail in the next few years here in the northern part of the county, it will be a disaster commuting into uptown Charlotte and land will not be available.
It is bearable until you get to exit #28 before the lake. I am sure that you know that during the summer and often durng the winter I-77 is backed up with people slowing down to look at the lake. There is always a back up at exit 25 and 23 but if it isn't because of an accident, it is pretty normal to make it to exit 28 in 30 minutes from uptown. Exits 28-36 can really cause a delay. You can get a good shot of reality looking up and down down from Stumpton Road.
And the city wants to waste money on a rail to UNCC? When will my tax money work for me? If we don't get rail in the next few years here in the northern part of the county, it will be a disaster commuting into uptown Charlotte and land will not be available.
No, it is not a waste of money, transit options are a good thing for the city. I've complained a gazallion times about I-77 through the Charlotte metro. I've never seen any highway so poorly designed with little to no option for traditional expansion opportunities. It will take a monumental effort on the level of Boston's big dig to fix the interstate... I mean, what the hell were they thinking?
I do think the NC DOT owes Charlotte and I-77 some extraordinary attention the next 10 years to immediately fix the mess north of I-85 to Statesville. The toll road with HOV seems band-aidish. That 30 mile stretch needs an entire infrastructure overhaul with 4 lanes on each side..
The exponential growth in that area is amazing, considering the traffic mess.
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Originally Posted by frewroad
But it's rarely if ever "normal" most days these days. I live in Huntersville which is still 10+ miles from there and in crossing over I-77 on the Stumpton Rd. bridge, I've noticed backups heading north on '77 as early as 3:30 pm on most days. It's got to be a horrible drive for the people working in downtown Charlotte.
Not only that, he's giving a time to an exit. People don't live on exit ramps. People assume that times are door to door. I could say that I'm 30 - 35 minutes from uptown if I start timing at exit 10. When I go to a medical appointment on the CMC campus it's 1 hour, door to door, give or take 5 minutes for traffic, including rush hour.
No, it is not a waste of money, transit options are a good thing for the city. I've complained a gazallion times about I-77 through the Charlotte metro. I've never seen any highway so poorly designed with little to no option for traditional expansion opportunities. It will take a monumental effort on the level of Boston's big dig to fix the interstate... I mean, what the hell were they thinking?
I do think the NC DOT owes Charlotte and I-77 some extraordinary attention the next 10 years to immediately fix the mess north of I-85 to Statesville. The toll road with HOV seems band-aidish. That 30 mile stretch needs an entire infrastructure overhaul with 4 lanes on each side..
The exponential growth in that area is amazing, considering the traffic mess.
I suppose that the growth wasn't expected and everyone would continue to use I-85. I drive through the "Big Dig" occasionally and the hundreds of water leaks are a bit scary. Four lanes is needed and that wouldn't be such a challenge if it weren't for the lanes over the lake as you know. My suggestion is to build the red line and have a toll booth at points that are used to go into uptown. there could be a city charge like in London. This would make people more willing to take the commuter rail into town. Yea, that is a stupid idea, or is it?
I suppose that the growth wasn't expected and everyone would continue to use I-85. I drive through the "Big Dig" occasionally and the hundreds of water leaks are a bit scary. Four lanes is needed and that wouldn't be such a challenge if it weren't for the lanes over the lake as you know. My suggestion is to build the red line and have a toll booth at points that are used to go into uptown. there could be a city charge like in London. This would make people more willing to take the commuter rail into town. Yea, that is a stupid idea, or is it?
The toll road will probably incentivize and encourage some commuters to consider public transportation (red line) whenever it becomes an option. Right now, NC DOT solutions seem shortsighted and not sufficient to cope with long term growth for the I-77 corridor. I liken it to the spaghettic bowl in Northern VA (the I-95/I-395/I-495 intersection) and I-95/I-495 telegraph rd area across the potomac via the Woodrow Wilson bridge. VDOT went through a series of different expansions prior to seemingly to get it right, wasting tons of money and time with patchwork expansions. NC DOT needs to develop a phased initiative (25-30 years) for I-77 that transforms the entire freeway, a minimum of 8-10 lanes from Statesville to SC border. It's eventually gonna have to happen and anything short of that is plain crazy and will cost billions more dollars down the road.
Yes, this can be a toll road and is good idea if it expedites properly fixing the road instead of the kludgy hot lane approach that is on the table. Make all the lanes general purpose lanes with one electronic toll.
The Red Line, as presently designed by CATS, is only projected to carry 250/day from the only planned station in Iredell county (off Exit 33) in 2030. This isn't going to provide much traffic relief. This is why it has been so tough to get it funded. Like the Streetcar plan, the original design isn't cost effective and it costs too much money for 100% funding via the 1/2 cent transit tax.
CATS has claimed that is has modeled ridership studies many times and it doesn't change much. Adding to the woes, while there is considerable buy-in from Huntersville, Cornelius & Davidson, Mooresville & Iredell county have had little enthusiasm for what has been described as the "choo choo to Charlotte". CATS can't build that Iredell station unless Iredell provides its share of funding.
The Red Line, as presently designed by CATS, is only projected to carry 250/day from the only planned station in Iredell county (off Exit 33) in 2030. This isn't going to provide much traffic relief. This is why it has been so tough to get it funded. Like the Streetcar plan, the original design isn't cost effective and it costs too much money for 100% funding via the 1/2 cent transit tax.
CATS has claimed that is has modeled ridership studies many times and it doesn't change much. Adding to the woes, while there is considerable buy-in from Huntersville, Cornelius & Davidson, Mooresville & Iredell county have had little enthusiasm for what has been described as the "choo choo to Charlotte". CATS can't build that Iredell station unless Iredell provides its share of funding.
The total projected ridership in 2030 for the red line is 4,600 per day and for the full blown street car system is 16,000 per day which are low estimates in my opinion given the exponential growth occuring right now. The original plan for the south line was to end in Pineville but of course the same small town mentality nixed that idea but the LRT got built anyway. I know many folks in Iredell feel disconnected from Charlotte however this is their one opportunity to think outside of the box. Not 10-20 years but 40-50 years down the road. Eventually, newcomers to the area will clamour for public transit options to and from Charlotte.
As far as cost effectivness, refer to page 7, 9 etc of this document:
Public rail isn't cost effective and all systems operate on a deficit and would cease to exist without taxpayer support. It's about the overall cost-benefit to society for the choo-choo. The idea that public rail will substantially reduce highway traffic woes doesn't ring true. It's just another form of transportation like the bus and highway system that have the potential to redirect growth and encourage density....note the key word, potential.
So waiting on the street car and light rail to reach a certain "cost effective" level isn't gonna happen. It's about vision and leadership, qualities lacking with many harboring the mayberry mentality, when in fact, the booming city populous is bleeding into your neck of the woods for the foreseeable future. If ridership were the only factor considered prior to building the LRT south line, no way in hell it gets built. But to deny it hasn't redirected or spurred growth along the line and surrounding stations is pure obstinateness.
So waiting on the street car and light rail to reach a certain "cost effective" level isn't gonna happen. It's about vision and leadership, qualities lacking with many harboring the mayberry mentality, when in fact, the booming city populous is bleeding into your neck of the woods for the foreseeable future. If ridership were the only factor considered prior to building the LRT south line, no way in hell it gets built. But to deny it hasn't redirected or spurred growth along the line and surrounding stations is pure obstinateness.
I know that city rails are not historically known as money makers. The only real benefits are environmental factors, simplification of life for people that don't want to pay for parking downtown and fight the ever growing traffic, visiting downtown entertainment venues, and less wear and tear on the infrastructure due to traffic and noise. I believe that it will be here in the future and as you say, we need to look past 2030 and start preparing now. I am personally willing to pay a tax for this since it what I consider a critical need for the future. The metro area is projected to near 4 million by 2030.
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