© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Damaged Power Lines Disrupt Blue Line Service In Northeast Charlotte

A LYNX Blue Line Train at 9th Street Station uptown. CATS is trying to figure out how to pay for expanding the transit system north, west and southeast of uptown.
DAVID BORAKS
/
WFAE
CATS says service on the Blue Line between UNC Charlotte and McCullough stations may be interrupted until sometime Tuesday.

Charlotte Area Transit System says damage to overhead power lines early Monday morning has interrupted service on the Blue Line light rail between UNC Charlotte and McCullough stations in northeast Charlotte.  

A shuttle bus is filling the gap between the two stations until workers complete repairs and CATS says service may not be restored until sometime Tuesday.

CATS said the overhead lines that power the light rail trains were damaged early Monday by an automobile. The accident happened at North Tryon Street and Institute Circle, near the west entrance to the UNC Charlotte campus. A CATS spokeswoman said a passenger car entered the tracks and knocked down a power pole. 

CATS says Blue Line trains will continue operating every 10 minutes at rush hour and every 20 minutes at other times between McCullough and I-485 in south Charlotte.

"CATS has assessed the damage and has ordered the parts that are required to complete the repairs.  The organization anticipates a return to full light rail service some time Tuesday. The specific start time for normal service is contingent upon the progress of the repair work," CATS said in a statement.

David Boraks previously covered climate change and the environment for WFAE. See more at www.wfae.org/climate-news. He also has covered housing and homelessness, energy and the environment, transportation and business.