IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact:    
Olaf Kinard 704-258-0059 
Bill Carstarphen 704-575-5745
Jean Leier 704-432-0496
 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND NORTH CAROLINA BOARD OF TRANSPORTATION RECOGNIZED FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT LEADERSHIP
 
Raleigh, N.C., May 5, 2009 - The Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC), the policy board for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), will present to the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Board of Transportation on May 6, 2009, a proclamation recognizing them for their vision, leadership, and partnership in advancing public transportation in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region.  “The investments made in public transit since 1998 have touched the lives of thousands of citizens in the Charlotte region, providing access to jobs, increasing mobility for our seniors and disabled community, creating sustainable communities and improving the environment,” said Mayor Patrick McCrory, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Commission.  The presentation times are outlined below:
 
May 6, 2009
N.C. Senate & House          2:30 pm   Legislative Press Room, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh
N.C. Board of Transportation  3:15 pm   NCDOT Board Room, 1 Wilmington St., Raleigh
 
 
In 1998, the North Carolina General Assembly conferred upon the citizens of Mecklenburg County the ability to fund the advancement of public transportation, including introducing a rapid transit system, through a local one-half percent sales tax.  In November of 1998, the citizens of Mecklenburg County approved by a vote of 58 percent to 42 percent to fund the 2025 Integrated Transit / Land-Use Plan through the enactment of the one-half percent sales tax.  Voters reaffirmed their choice in 2008 by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent to continue funding public transportation through the one-half percent sales tax.

The MTC expresses its appreciation to the General Assembly and the North Carolina Board of Transportation for their support of public transportation with special appreciation extended to the Governor, Lt. Governor and the Mecklenburg delegation:
Governor                                               Beverly Perdue
Lieutenant Governor                             Walter Dalton
Speaker of the House                          Joe Hackney
President Pro Tempore of the Senate  Marc Basnight     
 
Mecklenburg Delegation:
        House:
            Representative Becky Carney
            Representative Beverly M. Earle
            Representative Kelly M. Alexander, Jr.
            Representative Martha B. Alexander
            Representative Tricia Ann Cotham
            Representative Jim Gulley  
            Representative Ric Killian
           Representative Nick Mackey
           Representative Ruth Samuelson
           Representative Thom Tillis
 
Senate:
Senator Daniel G. Clodfelter
Senator Charlie Smith Dannelly
Senator W. Edward (Eddie) Goodall
Senator Malcolm Graham
Senator Bob Rucho
 
Secretary of Transportation                     Eugene A. Conti, Jr.
NC DOT Board of Transportation
Mecklenburg NCDOT Board representative  Marion Cowell, Jr.
 
The Charlotte Area Transit System is the largest transit system between Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia, generating more than 85,000 weekday customer trips on 75 bus and rail routes.  CATS has made significant investments with the local one-half percent sales tax along with federal and state grants by improving the day-to-day operations of the transit system, expanding routes, adding services, enhancing customer amenities, creating a more convenient and easy to use system and advancing rapid transit services.  The public has responded with more and more people riding CATS as ridership is up more than 97 percent since 1998, from 11.8 million to 23.5 million annual rider trips in 2008.
The LYNX Blue line, the first light rail system in North Carolina, transported more than 5.5 million rides during the first one and half years of operating.  The LYNX Blue Line exceeded the first year projected weekday ridership by 55 percent averaging more than 14,000 weekday trips versus 9,100 weekday trips.

The LYNX Blue line is a catalyst for economic development as more than $1.6 billion in new development has and is planned to occur along line.  These new developments are projected to generate approximately $24 million annually in additional property tax revenues for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County by the year 2015, up from $260,000 in 2000.  These additional tax revenues can be used to enhance police, fire, roads, education and other local initiatives.

To learn more about CATS and its services, call 704-336-RIDE (7433) or visit us on the web at www.ridetransit.org.