WCNC Charlotte, this is flashpoint.
Thanks for joining us here on Flashpoint.
I'm Ben Thompson.
As we close the book on 2022 and look
into the New year, there's a lot of
decisions that could shape our world.
Everything, everything from how to
get to work to how much you're having
to fork over at the grocery store.
That is why we're looking at two big
topics facing Charlotte and North
Carolina Transit and our economy.
Cats looking to hire its next CEO in the
new year and now an influential organization.
Rained out their wish list for the
next generation of transit leaders
here in Charlotte.
And a little bit later we'll take a
look at the state of our economy here
in Charlotte as recession fears loom.
But first joining us now is Meg Finzel.
She's with sustained Charlotte.
It's a a group advocating for for
specifically smart growth here in our city.
Meg, thanks for coming on.
We appreciate it.
Thanks for having me.
So your group releasing a what
it's called a A wish list of stuff
that you all would like to see from
Charlotte Area Transit as we go
into the new year and and you start
simple you're talking about more
predictable service and and better
bus stops are are are those things
really that important at this point.
Those
are the basics and they
are absolutely essential.
If we don't make sure that
our our bus service is fast,
frequent, reliable and walkable,
it's going to be really hard for
people just to get to and from
jobs and other daily destinations.
So those are the essentials that
we absolutely have to get right.
So that's the very top of our wish list.
Another what I would see is a basic,
but I I cover these things.
So I know like you know,
that it's not a basic but
happy and safe drivers as well.
Yeah. So the drivers really provide
the daily service to our passengers
who use the bus and the light rail,
the special transportation
services and the streetcar.
So all across the country,
this is certainly not a
challenge unique to cats,
but all across the country,
transit agencies are facing challenges
hiring and retaining transit drivers
as well as maintenance staff.
And so it's it's essential
that the people who provide our
transit service in Charlotte.
Have good pay,
that they have schedules that
can allow them to take care of
themselves and their families,
that they have safe working conditions and,
and just a lot of drivers
are feeling fatigued.
They work through the hardest days of
the pandemic and they need support.
I want to talk about financing
in just a second because I know
that's a big part of this,
just a practical part of it.
But before we get to that, what?
Or perhaps I should say who?
Has been the biggest impediment to us
having more progress on the transit front.
Well, there are definitely a lot
of factors that the biggest factor
is it's just expensive to provide.
Transit service and and to be able to
have 15 minutes or more frequent services
which is really the the gold standard.
If if buses aren't coming every 15
minutes then it's really hard for people
to make connections especially if
they have to transfer between routes.
So if there's not any any one single
person or entity that is a barrier it
it's just that the incremental way that
we have been investing in our transit
service has not kept up with the pace
of our rapidly growing population.
And we need new funding sources if
we are going to grow and meet those
mobility needs of our population and
and to be competitive as a city.
A lot of people have moved during
the pandemic and many people have
moved to Charlotte.
People have moved away from Charlotte.
So if we want to be competitive as a city,
a county or region,
we need to be investing in the
transportation choices that we know that
that workers want to have access to.
We also need to make sure that we're taking.
Where are the needs of people who are
aging and maybe don't drive a car anymore?
People with disabilities,
people who choose not to have a car.
And so when we think about the barriers,
the main factor is is funding really.
And Speaking of that,
is that direct source of funding,
I mean specifically are you
directly referring to that one
cent sales tax or are you talking
about even broader than that?
So this really need,
it needs to be a regional conversation.
Charlotte and Mecklenburg
County don't exist in a vacuum.
About half of the people that
work in Charlotte are coming from
outside of Mecklenburg County.
So we need to be thinking regionally.
And the connect beyond regional
mobility study really took a look
at how we can connect Charlotte
and Mecklenburg County to the
surrounding counties in our region.
So we need to be having that
that regional conversation,
but we also can be moving
forward at the county level.
Yeah.
That one sent for mobility sales tax that
would dramatically increase the revenue,
not just to build out the
public transit system,
but also to invest in safe
places to ride bicycles,
better pedestrian
infrastructure like you know,
we have tremendous sidewalk
needs across across the county,
safer intersections,
greenways and just improving connectivity.
Let let me put you on the spot here.
For 20 years there's been talk
about a commuter line up to the
northern parts of Mecklenburg County.
It seems like right now more talk
is happening on the silver line,
which would go from Gaston County
stretched through past the airport Uptown,
go down approximately 74
out towards the Matthews.
Which do you think is more important?
Which do you think should
be getting priority?
So both of those projects can move forward.
There would potentially be different
funding sources for them and the Red line
commuter rail up through Mecklenburg County.
That is something that residents
not only of Charlotte,
but especially those towns in North
Mecklenburg have been waiting for,
as you said, for over 20 years.
And we are finally seeing
some movement sustained.
Charlotte created a petition and
directed it to the heads of the
North Carolina Railroad and Norfolk.
Norfolk Southern's really
asking them to work with cats,
to come up with a plan to allow the red
line to run on that that line that is owned,
owned but not currently used
for freight by Norfolk Southern.
And recently,
the Metropolitan Transit Commission,
which is the governing body of cats,
decided to advance the design
of the Red line,
which hadn't been updated
in a very long time.
So that's the next critical stage
to make that project eligible.
For them to that apply for federal funding.
So, you know,
in terms of of timing,
these are both really critical projects
and they both deserve priority.
I got two quick questions.
So, so I want to get them in the
last minute for what do you think
Norfolk Southern has a renewed
interest because in the past
having covered this for years now,
they've seemed resistant.
Has that changed?
I know that there are you know there's
conversations that are that are
happening among leaders and we we don't
know all the details of those but the
the actual vote by the Metropolitan
Transit Commission to advance the Red
line design is a very good indicator
that that there is progress happening
that there is hope and you know the
the current policy is is not to allow
commuter rail on freight lines owned
by Norfolk Southern but we have seen
some some flexibility in other states.
And we certainly hope that those
conversations continue and that this
really critical project can move
forward because the people in North
Mecklenburg deserve that mobility option.
To the folks out there who say,
you know what, I drive to work,
I don't use the bus,
I don't use the blue line,
I don't use a the goal line either.
Why does it matter to them?
So if we think about it, by 2040,
so just 17 years from now,
we could have double the
number of daily vehicle trips,
double the number of cars out on our roads
if we don't invest in public transit.
So even if you never set
foot on public transit,
it is worth investing in so that our
roads are congested and we also,
most of us have you know,
family members and friends.
We can all think of somebody
who doesn't drive a car.
So it's really critical for
equity that we make sure that.
That people have choices
for or how to get around.
And also just for our economy,
we we need to be able to connect people
to jobs and opportunities and not leave
out those people that don't drive.
Come on, we appreciate it. Happy holidays.
Thank you. Happy holidays.
Alright, more flashpoint after this.