city of charlotte southeastern rail-highway safety conference collaborating for success with...
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City of Charlotte
Southeastern Rail-Highway Safety Conference
Collaborating for Success With RailroadsCarolyn Flowers, CATS CEO
November 7, 2012
City of Charlotte
Transit Plan
• The Charlotte-Mecklenburg region approved a transit plan for each major corridor
• Current projects include the LYNX Blue Line Extension and Red Line Commuter Rail
City of Charlotte
LYNX Blue Line Success!
• LYNX Blue Line ridership averaging 15,000 daily trips – Original projection: 9,100 by the end of the first year; 18,100 by 2025– Vehicles often at capacity– 1,100 space deck often full; Phase I surface lot expansion completed– Ordered 4 more LRVs
• Special Events• $1.5 billion + in actual and proposed corridor development through
2011
City of Charlotte
Railroads– North Carolina Railroad– NS Intermodal Yard– AMTRAK/High Speed Rail– NCDOT Rail Division
(CRISP)– CSX
NCDOT– North Tryon Street– Grade separations– Access needs
UNC Charlotte– Charlotte Research
Institute– Wetlands
Tryon/Harrisgrade separation
UNC Charlotte entrance grade separation
Railroads & Stakeholders
Norfolk SouthernIntermodal Yard
City of Charlotte
Partners
May have different purposes: transporting goods; transporting people; ensuring safe rail system, etc.
But…..
Understanding the needs and desires of each party helps to find common goals.
City of Charlotte
Coordination
• Regular scheduled meetings between CATS and NCRR
• Extensive design coordination with NCRR, NS, CATS and NCDOT– Agreement on LYNX Blue Line Extension
alignment within NCRR Right-of-way– Agreement of location of Parkwood Station
and alignment across 16th Street– Development of future use of NS
Intermodal Yard
City of Charlotte
RailroadsCharlotte Rail Improvements and Safety Project (CRISP)
• Sponsored by NCDOT Rail Division• Plans for future rail needs (freight, high speed rail and transit) inside the corridor• Project identified 3 freight tracks, and 2 high speed passenger tracks, in addition to
the 2 light rail tracks
NoDa
N Tryon St.
Davidson St.
36th S
t.
Su
gar C
reek Rd
.
Craig
head
Rd
.
LYNX BLE
NS Freight
High Speed Passenger
Joint Passenger/Freight
City of Charlotte
Railroads
36th Street Station•Station moved to NoDa side of freight tracks as part of CRISP•Station will be located on bridge above (lowered) 36th St.•Station will have direct access from NoDa
NS Freight
High Speed Passenger
LYNX BLE
36th Street Grade Separation
36th Street StationNoDa
36th S
treet.
Davidson Street.
City of Charlotte
Norfolk-Southern Intermodal Yard
• City of Charlotte has negotiated the option to purchase property from Norfolk Southern
• Only trucking yard would move, not the rail yard
• BLE needs storage tracks and dispatch facility
City of Charlotte
Norfolk-Southern Intermodal Yard
Storage yard will house the additional light rail vehicles necessary for the LYNX BLE and future corridors
Vehicle Storage Yard and Dispatch Facility
25th Street Station
City of Charlotte
Mutual Goals
• Sugar Creek Grade Separation
• 36th Street Grade Separation
• Relocation of Intermodal Yard/Shared Property use
• Implementation of CRISP
• Continued funding of High Speed Rail
• Effective use of corridor
City of Charlotte
Recent Success
• NCRR Master Agreement – Complete
– Covers funding
– Right-of-way use (Lease)
– Construction, operation and maintenance
• NSR Right-of-entry Annual Agreement – Complete
• NSR Construction Agreement – Complete
• NSR Operation and Maintenance Agreement – Complete
• NSR Design Review – Complete
• NSR Intermodal Yard Option Agreement- Pending
• CSX Reimbursement Agreement – Complete
• CSX Design Review – Complete
City of Charlotte
Milestone Date
State FFGA Executed March 2012
Request to Enter Final Design March 2012
FTA Approval to Enter Final Design July 2012
Federal FFGA Signed October 2012
Advanced Utility Relocation Begins May 2013
Right-of-Way Acquisition Complete January 2014
Complete Final Design May 2014
Start Construction November 2013
Initiate Revenue Service March 2017
BLE Milestone Schedule
Schedule subject to change.
City of Charlotte
Red Line
About the project•Commuter rail from Mooresville to Uptown Charlotte•Along the Norfolk Southern “O” line•Meeting with Norfolk Southern to conduct a rail capacity study•Win
– Address and respect the business needs of Norfolk Southern
– Meetings can help highlight the benefits of the Red Line
City of Charlotte
Steps for collaboration1.Identify key decision makers and develop collaborative relationships2.Identify mission and business needs3.Communicate early in the process
Success: Discover and implement solutions that are valuable for both parties
Summary
City of Charlotte
Questions