The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, along with sponsors CLT Alliance Foundation and the Partnership for Regional Cooperation, is leading a delegation of local civic and business leaders to Miami to explore innovative transportation solutions and meet with local transportation leaders.
This visit will focus on touring new assets in Miami-Dade County, specifically the bus rapid transit (BRT) system, to gain insights and learn how it could be a viable component of our region’s transportation network.
“Our community has waited a very long time for us to be at the point where we can realistically talk about what type of transit system we can build,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said. “What is being built in Miami has the chance to be a gold standard bus-rapid transit system, unlike anything that is currently in the United States, and we owe it to our community to understand what is possible and what it would take to build a world-class transit system for Charlotte.”
Attendees are seeing the South Dade TransitWay BRT solution firsthand. This project spans 20 miles, includes 14 new stations, and includes amenities such as weather protection, bike-sharing facilities, park-and-ride options, and spaces for ride-hailing services. The electric vehicles used on the TransitWay provide safe, reliable, and sustainable service to the people who live, work, and play along the corridor that will be served.
The TransitWay will provide greater connectivity to downtown and other economic, educational, health care, and transit hubs throughout the region.
“This trip offers leaders across Mecklenburg County an up-close look at the opportunities available from investing in high-capacity transit vehicles as part of an overall multi-modal transportation plan,” Joe Bost, chief advocacy officer at the CLT Alliance, said.
The group is hearing from key leaders championing Miami-Dade County’s transportation efforts. Eulois Cleckley, director and CEO of Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, is updating the Charlotte delegation on how his department has moved forward with BRT as a critical part of the overall transportation system in Miami.
The trip presents an opportunity to explore innovative options as Charlotte considers its transportation future. The proposed transportation plan for the Charlotte Region includes significant investments in mobility, with 60% allocated to roads and buses and 40% to rail.
“We have a duty to investigate all viable options which can help us deliver high-quality transit to our residents,” Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman said. “We have a lot of due diligence ahead of us. This is just the beginning.”
The CLT Alliance has unified the business community in support of this transformational transportation proposal and has played a key role in educating the public about alternative options that offer flexibility to communities, while preserving the permanent infrastructure crucial for attracting transit-oriented development.
Charlotte City Council will continue to review the proposed plan, and a Sept. 3 council meeting is planned for consideration of authorizing purchase of the Red Line property and adoption of a resolution supporting the draft proposal.
