A closer look at the Charlotte ‘roads-first’ mobility plan

The city of Charlotte has recently been using the phrase “roads first” to describe its $13.5 billion transportation plan. Hoping to gain support from state Republican lawmakers, the city is downplaying costly transit projects such as the $8 billion Silver Line light rail and emphasizing new road capacity and improved interchanges. Despite, the city leaders still wish to construct the rail lines, with the understanding that, a shift in rhetoric towards roads might be more palatable to legislators who need to approve a transit tax.

The city is still in the early stages of assessing Charlotte’s road needs and hasn’t publicly released any specific details about what the “roads first” initiative would look like. However, they have stated generally that it will be “data-driven,” offering a “playbook of projects” across various “strategic investment areas.”

A Peek into the Possible Projects

Upon a public records request for a complete list of projects that are under consideration as part of the plan, the following information was given. The March 2023 list, named ‘Identified Mobility Opportunities’, is an 85-page document that sheds light on hundreds of potential projects split into four categories: roads, transit, pedestrian, and micromobility (bike lanes/greenways).

Disregarding the major rail projects, which would cost roughly $10 billion – including The Silver Line from Matthews to the airport, the Red Line from uptown to Lake Norman, the Gold Line streetcar extension, and the Blue Line light rail extension to Ballantyne – there are several other undertakings, grouped by category:

• Intersection improvements: 86 projects
• New streets: 90 miles, 130 projects
• New street lighting: 162 miles
• Road widening/complete streets: 244 miles
• Pedestrian signal upgrades: 506 projects
• New pedestrian crossings: 69
• New sidewalks: 286 miles
• New bike network: 144 miles
• New greenways: 178 miles
• New transit “mobility hubs” or “microtransit areas”: 88

These projects, especially those focusing on non-vehicle roads like sidewalks, greenways, and bike lanes, are easier to implement and likely more popular among citizens. On the other hand, road expansion or new road construction would face numerous challenges in certain areas due to land cost and space limitations.

Feasibility of the Projects

It’s important to note that although the city has discussed its mobility plan for about five years, no feasibility study has been done yet. For instance, roads like Fairview Road, Pineville-Matthews Road, Sharon Road, Carmel Road, and Tyvola Road in south Charlotte are in the plan for widening and complete street improvements. However, such projects would require acquiring some of the most expensive land in the city, demolishing trees and possibly even businesses. This makes it clear that some of the projects listed may be unrealistic and unlikely to be realized.

Express Toll Lanes: A Possible Solution?

One idea to make a true “roads first” plan while also including mass transit is to use funds from a penny sales tax increase to construct new express toll lanes on Interstate 77 in south Charlotte and Independence Boulevard in southeast Charlotte. This approach could expedite both projects by approximately a decade. Plus, a portion of the toll revenue generated from these projects could be re-invested into building sidewalks, greenways, bike lanes, etc. Additionally, the N.C. Department of Transportation would repay the city as funding became available in the future. This repaid amount could then be used to build mass transit systems.

Such considerations are vital as Charlotte strives to create a mobility plan, which despite giving preference to roads, also acknowledges the needs of non-vehicle commuters and tackles the challenges of congested roads in some of the biggest and busiest parts of the city.