What Are the Latest Transportation Projects in Charlotte?

By Jay White

Jay White was born in Charlotte, NC. He has lived in Knoxville, TN and Duluth, GA (outside Atlanta). He attended Appalachian State University, majoring in Public Relations & Advertising. Jay enjoys playing golf, the beach, reading, and photography. When he's not working, he likes to spend time with his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Callie. They love to visit Charleston, SC. He is a REALTOR & Broker with Keller Williams in Charlotte, NC. He founded The White Group with his father, Johnny. Upon arriving at Keller Williams, they implemented the system.

There’s a huge infrastructure boom happening right now in Charlotte. You can see roads being developed, toll lanes being built, and extensions all over. It feels like there’s a new highway every time you turn around. Not only that, there are also new light rail lines and bus routes.

It’s exciting to see, but how does this affect our city?

Having grown up in Charlotte, I’ve witnessed major changes over the years. When I graduated high school, transportation options were nearly non-existent except for the Uptown trolley, which had been out of service for years. Today, we have the CAT bus system, the Lynx light rail, and Interstate 45 circling the city. It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come.

One of the biggest projects on the agenda for Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte is the new airport entrance, referred to as the “front door to CLT,” which stands for Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Crosland landed the development for this project, which will take 5 to 7 years to improve the front end of the airport along Josh Birmingham Parkway, right off Interstates 45 and 85, west of the city.

This major infrastructure change is in the works, and there’s talk of adding a tax to extend the light rail from downtown to within a mile of the airport. Imagine hopping on a train downtown and being at the airport in no time. It would be a game changer, much like what we’ve seen in other major cities.

Looking at examples from places like South Bend, I can’t help but wonder: if the light rail connects downtown to the airport, will the areas along that corridor explode with new residents and businesses?

We’ve already seen the light rail spur development from Uptown to the University City area. It was developed after South Bend and Solo, so there was a lag in its growth. But you can see it expanding, just like South Bend did.

I wonder: when the light rail extends to the airport, will the corridor along West Boulevard, Wilkinson, and those major roadways develop in the same way? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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