Tag Archives: streetcar

CATS CityLYNX Gold Line Streetcar will Open for Service August 30

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streetcar safetyThe newly expanded CATS CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar mass transit line will open to passengers Monday, August 30, the Charlotte Area Transit System.

The streetcar line, which last operated streetcars in June of 2019 and has operated buses in the interim, has now been expanded an additional 2.5 miles to run from Charlotte’s Historic West End to the Elizabeth neighborhood.  The streetcar will operate every 20 minutes from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. The service will be fare-free until January 2022.

CATS is urging those who drive, walk, bike, or live near the streetcar alignment to become familiar with the rules of streetcar safety. It’s also important for all motorists who are accessing and visiting Central Campus to remember not to park on the streetcar tracks or on the side of the road, especially along Elizabeth Ave. Cars parked on streetcar tracks or incorrectly parked are subject to a citation and being towed.

Learn more about the project or view the new Gold Line route. For questions or concerns, please call 704.336.RIDE (7433) or visit ridetransit.org.

CORRECTION: CATS Gold Line Streetcar to Begin TESTING Streetcar Service June 9

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streetcar safety

Our apologies for the miscommunication. Charlotte Area Transit Services (CATS) will be TESTING – not launching – its Gold Line streetcar service on Wednesday, June 9, at 3 p.m. CATS has not yet announced when the Gold Line will begin regularly serving local residents. 

Once completed, the streetcar will feature a 2 ½-mile extension, allowing it to run from French Street (west of Johnson C. Smith University) to Sunnyside Avenue in the Elizabeth neighborhood near Central Piedmont’s Central Campus.

Please note: CATS replaced the old trolley-style streetcars with more modern ones that operate more quietly, so please be sure to use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing the street, especially in the travel areas used by the new streetcars.

During testing, it’s also important for all motorists who are accessing and visiting Central Campus to remember not to park on the streetcar tracks or on the side of the road, especially along Elizabeth Ave. Cars parked on streetcar tracks or incorrectly parked are subject to a citation and being towed.

Learn more about the project or view the new Gold Line route. For questions or concerns, please call 704.336.RIDE (7433) or visit ridetransit.org.

CATS to Start Testing CityLYNX Gold Line

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CATS will begin testing on the CityLYNX Gold Line the week of Feb. 8.

As the city’s streetcars start to frequent its major thoroughfares in the weeks ahead, now is the perfect time to educate yourself on how to be stay safe while on and around the Gold Line by viewing the testing podcast below or knowing the following facts:

  • Streetcars run in the same travel lanes as other vehicles. Listen for bells or horns.
  • It is okay to drive on streetcar tracks, but stay alert.
  • Streetcars cannot stop quickly. Streetcars traveling at 16 mph take almost 100 feet to stop.
  • Streetcars cannot swerve out of the way of pedestrians, cyclists or other vehicles.
  • Obey all traffic signs and signals.
  • Park your entire vehicle, including mirrors, within the solid white parking lines. Streetcars cannot go around your car. Parking outside the lines may interrupt service. Incorrectly parked cars will be subject to towing and a citation.
  • Cross only at designated crosswalks.

Please review these Gold Line resources:

Remember: safety is everyone’s responsibility, so remember to look, listen, and live!