Charlotte leaders may spend $5 million on new plan for commuter line from Uptown to Mooresville

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte transportation leaders want to spend $5 million in taxpayer money to plot out a commuter rail line from Uptown to Mooresville.

Discussion about adding a Red Line has gone on for years and Channel 9 has followed every development.

There’s one big catch that may keep this idea as just that.

The city’s plan relies on using existing rail lines for the route. Right now, they don’t have that approval, and they may never get it.

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“We only get on train a week that goes through here,” said Sean Flynn, owner of Main Street Coffee & Coworking, a business that sits just off the rail line in downtown Huntersville. “One, that’s it.”

Flynn hopes one day the train tracks will bring commuters multiple times a day across north Mecklenburg County. The trips would mean more business for his shop.

“It could bring people from south Charlotte, north and it could also bring (people from) Mooresville, south,” Flynn said.

The Red Line has been a grand idea for decades as a convenient link to Charlotte for people near Lake Norman. But is hasn’t come to fruition and Flynn says the community is wondering if the project will ever roll on.

“Until it actually happens, I don’t think they’re gonna believe it,” he said.

Norfolk Southern Railway manages the tracks. The city of Charlotte wants to share the route for the commuter rail, but so far, that’s never happened.

Although there is no assurance Norfolk Southern will ever agree to a partnership, city leaders could soon spend $5 million to update the design, increase public outreach on the project and continue conversations with the company.

A city transit committee unanimously supported the funding last week.

“$5 million is a lot of money for a planning process that might not ever occur,” Flynn said. “That’s taxpayer money.”

However, it still needs approval from the Charlotte City Council before the money can be spent.

Councilman Ed Driggs -- the chair of Charlotte’s Transportation, Planning and Development Committee -- told Channel 9 he wants more answers before approving the money, but he does see why the line is wanted.

“We don’t want a situation where we find a way to move forward and then we can’t, because we need time to refresh the plan,” Driggs said.

Councilman Malcolm Graham, who is also on the committee, said he also supports spending the money despite there not being a clear path forward.

“Our transportation needs won’t go away,” Graham said.

In Huntersville, customers wait for their drinks to be poured at Main Street Coffee & Coworking, and its owner waits for more people to pour in from the nearby tracks.

“Our fingers are crossed and we’re hoping this becomes a viable plan,” Flynn said. “I think that’s where we’re all at, at this point.”

In a statement to Channel 9, Norfolk Southern said said it would partner with the city where it can.

“Though this line remains a strategic part of our network, we have always valued our relationship with Charlotte and the surrounding communities. Wherever we can, we will continue to work with them on projects that intersect with our network and the needs of our customers,” Norfolk Southern said.

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