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