Earlier this week the Charlotte City Council held its annual three-day budget retreat in Winston-Salem and the topic of transportation was unanimously front and center. The simple acknowledgment that this is a priority by this group of elected leaders is a good thing. But some of the messaging that came out of the session seemed to indicate otherwise. In fact, it appears these same decision-makers might be content with just pulling the four-year-old plan off the shelf and moving ahead with an appeal to the legislature for the authority to impose a 1 cent sales tax to be included on the 2025 election ballot. Is this how we take control of an issue?
A lot has changed since March of 2020 when the world seemingly shut down for a time, especially when it comes to transportation. The new normal, (a term I dislike vehemently) is proving we work, live, play, and travel differently. With more people working remotely, there’s less daily commuting to traditional workplaces leading to changes in traffic congestion and reduced demand for public transportation during peak hours. Data suggests that roughly one quarter of us are functioning on flexible schedules, coming to a physical office maybe two or three times a week. The pandemic has prompted a reevaluation of traditional commuting trends, and it’s time this City’s transportation priorities reflect this new reality, too.
We also need to be honest about the cost of investment – $13.5 billion dollars in 2020 is now closer to more than $15 billion dollars today. Are we still confident in our priorities?
As commuting patterns have changed, so has the benefit from the proposed Red Line commuter rail. For years, Norfolk Southern has stood in the way of progress, and now they seemingly have changed their tune. Could it be that they have evaluated the post-pandemic commuting patterns and realize it would be cost prohibitive for the City to invest in shared tracks on the Red Line? Commuter rail is not light rail – it won’t get you home from a Beyonce concert or a Panthers game – frequencies are scheduled during morning and evening rush hours. North Mecklenburg absolutely deserves County investment in their transportation and mobility solutions, after thirty years of paying into the system. But has anyone asked these municipalities if they still want the Red Line, and if they do, what it should really look like?
The existing half-cent transit sales tax is at capacity for our current system of buses and Blue Line. A new local revenue source must be identified to obtain infrastructure funding from the federal government, as was done when the Blue Line and its extension were built. Councilman Driggs was correct when he said this week that the region’s support is essential in securing legislative approval for additional taxing authority. The clock is ticking on the availability of federal funding. So where is the City’s sense of urgency for a feasible, regional plan that reflects our current reality?
With all this said, here is my suggestion for the next step. We need immersive, meaningful, and intelligent collaboration between the real estate industry and policymakers. We must be the driving force behind proper planning, clarity, and execution. And since I don’t hear this idea being raised, I’ll say it here: Everyone who has a stake in seeing Charlotte and the surrounding region thrive economically, REBIC members especially, should lend their powerful, and loud voices to the effort. In short, to move forward, we MUST speak with one voice on transportation, and we need to start now.
Interested in letting us help you start a movement? Let us know!
REFERENCES:
The Charlotte Ledger:
Transit update: Same plan, new talking points (substack.com)
The Charlotte Observer:
‘Need to reboot’: Charlotte City Council confronts hurdles to transit plan overhaul (msn.com)
The Charlotte Business Journal (paywall protected):
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