Charlotte Trolley Follies

News from the amazing minds at CATS this morning is that the "Gold Line" will expand next year, but to do so the line will have to shut down for 6-9 months. (In real life that means a year or more.)

The reason the current trolley stops won't accommodate the shinny new modern street cars the city wants to throw more money at. So the less than 6 month old shelters are all ready out dated and need to be modified. (read torn down and replaced).

As Jeff Taylor points out:

Which also means scarp heap for these two toys.

The cost to extend the Gold Line to just shy of four miles?  $150 million! 

Don't worry Charlotte tax payers won't have to pay for it, says CATS and City Leaders, because most of the the money will come from the federal government! Which gets its money from Charlotte taxpayers.

So expect Uptown to go back to looking like this:

Until 2019 according to CATS.

Cedar's Take: I know you first reaction is WTF? You have got to be kidding? Sorry Charlotte taxpayers this is how your elected officials roll. So at ease taxpayer, your trusty GuvCo has got it all figured out. Now you can go back to fretting about Santa's Iceberg at SouthPark and the color of Starbucks Holiday Cups.