The LYNX Blue Line Extension will begin taking riders a week from Friday, running just over nine miles from 7th street, Uptown, to the campus of UNC Charlotte. Charlotte Area Transit System said a one-way trip along the entire extension route will take from 22 to 25 minutes.
Speaking on WFAE’s Charlotte Talks today, UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois said the light rail will offer students and local residents a welcome alternative to driving between Uptown and the university campus.
"Some people called it the toughest ten miles in Charlotte," Dubois said. "So we think it’s going to make a huge difference – even for people coming to concerts, sports events and arts exhibits on the campus. We think it’s a two-way exchange that’ll really benefit both the community and us”
Dubois said the arrival of light rail service at UNC Charlotte is also spurring new growth, including plans for a full-service Marriott Hotel on the campus. He said the hotel will help attract more events, such as meetings of regional academic societies, that require more conference space than is currently available near the university.
You can hear today’s full Charlotte Talks conversation on the Blue Line extension here.
