Public Comments Summary
August 27, 2002
Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church, Charlotte
Purpose of the Meeting:
To provide the results of the entire corridor major investment study, and receive and record citizens' comments.
Attendees: 64
Staff:
City of Charlotte Lead Staff:
Sarah W. La Belle, Project Manager, CATS
Brian Nadolny, Transit Planner, CATS
Jessica Stipe, Community Relations Specialist, CATS
Kathy Cornett, Project Manager, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission
Consultant Team:
Myrna Valdez, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas
Sashi Amatya, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas
Lynn Purnell, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas
Donal Simpson, HNTB
Kevin Hall, HNTB
Public Comments:
C: Support connections to Concord Mills (Cabarrus MPO).
C: Cabarrus bus system would connect to CATS at Concord Mills (NE-3 or NE7).
C: Local property owner prefers NE-7, with NE-4 or NE-5 as next preference.
C: Need to look at expanding service not only on US29, but also on NC49 to the University's front door and the neighborhoods beyond I-485 such as Wexford.
C: Light rail on US29 does not directly serve the University. Need to try to serve the campus more directly with transit.
C: Vote for LRT alternative along Brevard with station at 36th Street.
C: More buses for the University area (Rt. #39). Twenty minute headways needed plus an earlier bus from UNCC (6:40 a.m.).
C: More local routes and stops needed in the University area (NC49 and Pavilion).
C: Need local service to new NE CPCC campus.
C: LRT terminus should be at NC49/I-485 – possible connection to future commuter rail and Amtrak.
C: I like the LRT alternatives that use the dedicated lane on N. Tryon.
C: I like NE-4 and NE-7 with a station at 36th Street.
C: It makes sense for this to be the next corridor because of the potential to serve UNCC.
Comment Sheets:
Returned: 11
Results:
1. There are numerous criteria that need to be considered when planning a rapid transit system. Please rank the following criteria in order of their importance to you, with 1 being the least important and10 being the most important:
Environmental impacts such as noise and contribution to air pollution
Ranked 1: 1 person
Ranked 3: 1 person
Ranked 5: 2 people
Ranked 7: 2 people
Ranked 9: 1 person
Ranked 10: 3 people
Not Ranked: 1 person
Cost to build the transit system (capital costs)
Ranked 2: 3 people
Ranked 4: 1 person
Ranked 5: 3 people
Ranked 6: 1 person
Ranked 8: 1 person
Ranked 10: 2 people
Cost to operate the transit system (operating/ maintenance costs)
Ranked 3: 1 person
Ranked 5: 4 people
Ranked 6: 2 people
Ranked 7: 2 people
Ranked 10: 1 person
Not Ranked: 1 person
Number of people who might ride the system
Ranked 2: 1 person
Ranked 5: 3 people
Ranked 7: 1 person
Ranked 8: 2 people
Ranked 9: 1 person
Ranked 10: 2 people
Not Ranked: 1 person
Potential for fostering new development or redevelopment to area surrounding the transit line
Ranked 5: 1 person
Ranked 7: 1 person
Ranked 8: 2 people
Ranked 9: 2 people
Ranked 10: 5 people
Reducing travel times in your daily commute
Ranked 1: 1 person
Ranked 5: 3 people
Ranked 6: 1 person
Ranked 8: 1 person
Ranked 10: 4 people
Ranked 11: 1 person
Frequency of service
Ranked 2: 1 person
Ranked 4: 1 person
Ranked 5: 1 person
Ranked 7: 2 people
Ranked 8: 2 people
Ranked 10: 4 people
Being able to complete your transit trip without making a transfer
Ranked 3: 3 people
Ranked 4: 2 people
Ranked 5: 3 people
Ranked 7: 1 person
Ranked 9: 1 person
Not Ranked: 1 person
Having transit serve key entertainment and activity centers such as theaters, shopping centers, universities, large business parks, etc.
Ranked 1: 1 person
Ranked 5: 1 person
Ranked 8: 3 people
Ranked 9: 3 people
Ranked 10: 3 people
Comfort and convenience
Ranked 3: 1 person
Ranked 4: 1 person
Ranked 5: 1 person
Ranked 6: 3 people
Ranked 8: 2 people
Ranked 10: 2 people
Ranked 11: 1 person
Cost of a ticket to ride the system
Ranked 1: 1 person
Ranked 2: 2 people
Ranked 4: 1 person
Ranked 5: 3 people
Ranked 6: 1 person
Ranked 7: 1 person
Ranked 8: 1 person
Ranked 10: 1 person
2. How far would you walk to a transit station near you?
Less than ¼ mile: 1 person
¼ mile: 2 people
¼ to ½ mile: 7 people
½ mile: 2 people
I would not walk to a station: 1 person
3. If you would/could not walk to a transit station, which of the following might you do?
Drive to a park & ride: 8 people
Bicycle to the station: 3 people
Take a feeder bus or shuttle to the station: 7 people
No Ranking: 1 person
4. Other comments:
Overall I favor alternative #7.
We live on Howard Street. An expanded bus service or a feeder bus would be very beneficial to our area and the neighbors closer to W. T. Harris Blvd. via W. Sugar Creek Rd. A rail station adjacent to the Renaissance Complex would be ideal.
1. Please make sure you serve the NC49 corridor. This is where people live now. 2. I favor NE-4. This is the best long-term solution. (except it's on the wrong side of UNCC.) 3. Added cost of BRT for NE-7 is not worth the relatively small additional net gain in new riders.
LRT developed in the center of N. Tryon Street. This approach will assist in the much-needed widening of N. Tryon Street. Further, perhaps this LRT may spur more redevelopment in the urban areas of the corridor.
Please recommend NE-6 or NE-7. Thanks.
Prefer NE-7 option.
LRT may be the most expensive to implement bus in the long run it will benefit the community the most by encouraging infill development.
This project is very important for the region particularly from an environmental/air quality perspective. The initial costs will be exorbitant, but prove to be a worthy investment in the long run. I support alternatives NE-3, NE-6 and NE-7. We need connections to Concord Mills.
Option 7.
I'm a 12-year-old transit enthusiast. My first concern is park and ride lots. When we took a trip to Chicago and road the CTA. We got on at Midway Airport. There were only 120 parking spaces. I hope CATS will put in adequate park and ride lots. My second concern would be, continuing the light rail to Lowe's Motor Speedway. The line should be extended to Lowe's Motor Speedway and should stop at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and Lowe's Motor Speedway. Lowe's Speedway should only be open during events at the speedway.
