Prompted by frequent commentor dj AKA Tanker Narc — Why is the city of Charlotte spending $8.5 million on an engineering study of the North line commuter rail when it has already been demonstrated that Edd Hauser and Transportation Studies outfit at UNCC will do transit studies for free?

Not only for free, but doing so will not even rate a written report of any kind to the UNC System board by the UNC lawyer assigned to “investigate” the cozy relationship between CATS, the Charlotte Chamber, and UNCC? Sure looks and sounds like a missed opportunity, city council.

Bonus Observation: Then again, the council seems easily confused on matters choo-choo. Councilman John Lassiter was on WBT this AM getting the ridership numbers for the North line 100 percent wrong. He kept saying 4000 people or riders, when the projection is for 4600 rides, ie, 2300 people. But, hey, we already know that Lassiter thinks spending $400 million on streetcars is a great economic development plan.