Articles

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Charlotte will ask voters for millions to fund transportation upgrades, but bonds won’t cover all needs
   March 14, 2022
Ely Portillo

Charlotte is planning to ask voters this year to approve more than $100 million worth of new transportation bonds — an amount that would allow the city to make progress on goals like building more sidewalks but still fall short of covering many crucial needs.

Municipal bonds aren’t quite as sexy as a multibillion-dollar new light rail line or as captivating as a pitched political...

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Consultant: To win federal funding, CATS should consider new uptown route for Silver Line
   March 10, 2022

Tony Mecia and Steve Harrison

This story was originally published in Transit Time, a collaboration between the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, WFAE and the Charlotte Ledger.

A new report from outside consultants says Charlotte transit leaders should consider changing the planned Silver Line light rail route through uptown, in order to attract...

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Here's how Pam Murray lives car-free in Charlotte
   March 9, 2022
Ely Portillo

Pam Murray sees Charlotte through different eyes — and from a different seat —  than most people as she moves about the city. 

Murray, one of the biggest bicycle advocates in Charlotte, uses her bike for everything from getting groceries to hauling furniture. She bikes somewhere around 20 miles a day on average, only using her car occasionally to keep the battery charged.

...

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Explore these data sources to learn more about Charlotte
   March 2, 2022
Ely Portillo

Charlotte is a fast-growing city where the skyline changes by the month and neighborhoods are reshaped at a disorienting pace. But there are a multitude of data sources to help you understand the city and your community. 

You can start with interactive maps like the Quality of Life Explorer (produced by the Urban Institute in partnership with the...

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The charm of sourwoods in the winter woods
   February 24, 2022
Ruth Ann Grissom

For those who are partial to the charms of a lush forest in spring and summer, don’t throw shade on the winter woods – they’re far from rigid and stark. Sourwood trees animate the slopes and ridges of the Uwharries with their contorted and even whimsical shapes. They bring a prankish personality to the stately but somewhat staid canopy of hickories and oaks.

The sourwood (...

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What does the future hold for Charlotte's airport?
   February 21, 2022
Ely Portillo

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of the busiest hubs in the world, despite the city of Charlotte's modest size. That disproportionate air service is usually cited as one of the city's biggest economic advantages, making the airport one of our most important economic engines. 

But COVID-19 impacted the air travel industry in a profound way, with Charlotte Douglas in the...

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Charlotte transit system reckoning with pandemic struggles and 'structural weakness'
   February 14, 2022
Ely Portillo

After almost two years of pandemic-related challenges, the Charlotte Area Transit System is trying to balance the need to restore service and lure back riders with the need to grow and meet the challenges of a growing region. 

And CATS chief executive John Lewis has a simple message: Charlotte’s transit...

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Golf cart market picks up speed as transportation alternative in Charlotte region
   February 11, 2022

Cristina Bolling

This story was originally published in Transit Time, a newsletter jointly produced by...

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Examining housing needs at Brookhill Village in the event of redevelopment
   February 10, 2022

In 2020, Lookout Housing Ventures proposed a redevelopment plan for Brookhill Village, a 36-acre naturally occurring affordable housing development near the intersection of Remount Road and South Boulevard. Although the proposed development has not moved forward, the approximately 120 households of Brookhill Village may be at risk of displacement if Brookhill Village were to be redeveloped...

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Curating the future in Charlotte
   February 7, 2022
Ely Portillo

What if the future is not just a continuation of present trends, but looks radically different? That's the vision of Curators, a collective of young, multinational designers who hope to develop new, innovative and sustainable ways of life in Charlotte.

Join us as we talk about two pilot ideas they want to see happen in Charlotte: Controlled indoor farming powered by solar panel glass...

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