In November 1998, following public support of a half-cent sales tax increase to support implementation of the 2025 Integrated Transit/Land-Use Plan, the City of Charlotte and CATS conducted an extensive 24-month Major Investment Study (MIS) of potential transit options in the North Corridor.  The results of the MIS affirmed the 2025 Plan's concepts, and commuter rail was chosen over bus rapid transit and light rail transit as the locally preferred alternative for the North Corridor.

Once the MIS was completed, the project moved into the Conceptual Engineering/ Environmental Impact Statement (CE/EIS) phase of the federal project development process.  During this phase, CATS' staff will develop and study design and alignment options for the commuter rail system. The study will also assess the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of constructing the transit system and recommend measures to mitigate any adverse impacts.  Additionally, it will generate public and agency comments as input to the decision-making process.  CATS plans to conclude its CE/EIS activities, culminating with its submission of the Environmental Impact Statement to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in Winter/Spring 2007.

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