Charlotte, Norfolk Southern reach ‘understanding’ for passenger rail line to Lake Norman
The city of Charlotte has reached an “understanding” with Norfolk Southern to use the company’s railroad tracks to connect Lake Norman communities to uptown via the Red Line project, Charlotte City Council member Ed Driggs confirmed.
The goal is for the deal, first reported by Observer news partner WSOC, to be completed by September, according to Driggs, who chairs the council’s transportation committee.
“We are therefore optimistic that there’s a way forward towards realizing the Red Line,” he said.
The 25-mile LYNX Red Line would connect uptown Charlotte to Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Mooresville via commuter rail.
The Charlotte Area Transit System’s plan for the line would utilize the “O Line” — a set of rarely used freight tracks owned by Norfolk Southern. For years, Norfolk Southern held its ground on not giving CATS access to the tracks, repeatedly saying “Freight operations are long distance and customer-driven, which precludes ‘passenger only’ operating windows.”
A letter sent to city leaders in July and first reported in October indicated the company was finally willing to negotiate access to the tracks. Since then, CATS held a series of public meetings to gather input on the Red Line as part of an effort to update the plan ahead of a potential deal with the railroad.
City Manager Marcus Jones notified Mecklenburg County and other area town managers of a non-binding agreement in an email sent on May 15, WSOC reported.
The news of a deal with Norfolk Southern comes a day after the Charlotte City Council approved a revised agreement managing the region’s public transit system, something Driggs said at that meeting he was hopeful could bring progress on getting a sales tax referendum to fund transit needs.
There’s still another major hurdle: the N.C. General Assembly. Charlotte has discussed trying to get a sales tax increase on the ballot for transportation projects, but the city needs legislative approval to do so. Republican leaders in Raleigh have yet to be won over, saying the city should focus on roads first.
Conversations with the legislature about the tax are ongoing, and there could “potentially” be a referendum on the ballot in November 2025, Jones said at Tuesday’s council meeting.
“There’s positive work happening in this space,” he said.
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