If this News14 Carolina story is any indication, CATS testing light rail cars on the South Blvd. line will come with a massive propaganda effort. I suspect the Uptown paper of record will go tomorrow with a big light rail spread. We’ll see.
Here’s the problem. CATS and the city is evidently telling reporters that running light rail cars through the middle of the convention center “comes at no additional cost.” Not true.
Recall back in February 2006 Charlotte city council had to spend $16 million in order to make the light rail line work in the middle of the convention center. Issues had to do with new elevators and such.
Plus that contract did not include millions in previous design work or the previous $15 million getting the trolley — remember the trolley? had wheels, a guy with a stop sign? — to run into the building.
“This blows my mind that we have to do this,” councilwoman Susan Burgess said at the time.
Yeah, Susan, but it does not count if no one remembers.
