Red Line: Charlotte City Council tries to keep up with deadline set by railroad

CHARLOTTE — Plans to move forward with the Red Line from Uptown Charlotte to southern Iredell County are on the fast track.

City of Charlotte releases draft legislation for new transit plan

Norfolk Southern wants to close on the deal by Sept. 9.

However, there are two main things Charlotte city leaders want to decide before moving forward, which is a new governing board that would oversee the project and a new source of funding.

“It’s a lot of details,” said Councilman Malcolm Graham, the chairman of the Transportation, Planning and Development Committee. “A lot of moving parts. A short time frame, and a lot of questions.”

City officials proposed creating a transportation governing authority board made of city, county, and state leaders.

The city would need to purchase the O-line corridor and the property next to the Charlotte Gateway Station in Uptown.

City leaders proposed a new one-cent sales tax hike to pay for it.

They expect it to bring in $345 million in transportation revenue in its first year.

“The folks in the northern towns are happy,” Graham said. “They’re getting the Red Line. They’ll get road money as well. Our colleagues in Matthews feel they’re being left behind.”

“I don’t want to be a part of a council that selects winners or losers or makes what feels like a short-cited decision,” said Councilwoman Renee Johnson, a member of the Transportation, Planning and Development Committee.

City leaders told the committee Norfolk Southern would require the transaction be closed by Sept. 9.

That means the city council would have to authorize the purchase of the Red Line property and adopt a resolution for the sales tax legislation by Sept. 3.

“I understand we need to move fast but it’s the process and lack of transparency that I’m challenged with,” Johnson said. “There’s not been any public discussion, and I think they really need to be engaged.”

The city council will discuss the plans later this month.

Matthews town leaders passed a resolution Monday night opposing the Red Line proposal.

They’re upset that, despite preparing for the light rail, the plan only calls for rapid bus transit there.

VIDEO: Votes set for Red Line rail purchase