NCRR, CATS and NS reach agreements for LYNX Blue Line extension

Written by jrood

The North Carolina Railroad Company, the Charlotte Area Transit System and Norfolk Southern signed lease, construction and operating agreements for the LYNX Blue Line Extension light-rail project along the North Carolina Railroad corridor. The 2.7-mile section begins near East 12th Street and ends a half mile east of Eastway Drive in Charlotte, N.C.

“The North Carolina Railroad Company is pleased to partner with the Charlotte Area Transit System to improve mobility in this growing region,” said NCRR President Scott Saylor. “This is an unprecedented agreement that extends light rail in our state’s largest city and we are fortunate to have enough right-of-way within our corridor to enable CATS to install light-rail tracks.”

The 50-year lease agreement is renewable for an additional 50 years. The lease agreement outlines the operating and construction parameters along the 2.7-mile segment such as fair rental value of the property, construction plan review, lease negotiation and other expenses and an adjustment for anticipated future appreciation of the leased property.

The LYNX Blue Line Extension is a 9.4-mile extension of the existing light-rail line that will serve the Northeast Corridor from Center City to UNC Charlotte. Light-rail service will operate in nearly three miles of NCRR’s corridor when it opens in 2017.

As part of the agreement, CATS will make improved safety enhancements at 36th Street for freight and future passenger rail service by building a bridge over the railroad tier for pedestrians and vehicles.

Additional operational and construction agreements with Norfolk Southern allow CATS to construct, operate and maintain the Blue Line Extension through North Charlotte.

In addition CATS also has an option with Norfolk Southern for acquisition of the current intermodal rail yard along Brevard Street north of Uptown Charlotte when Norfolk Southern moves its intermodal operations to a new facility now under construction at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. This land agreement allows CATS to accommodate two BLE transit stations, 25th Street Station and Parkwood Station and part of the planned rail alignment.

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