The Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) held a workshop on redrafting the 2030 Transit Plan on Wednesday, November 17 at the Charlotte Chamber, following an earlier address by US Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood.

Key take-aways from the 6 hour session, centered around a financial analysis of the 2030 plan, last amended in 2006.  In summary, the local financial match from the half cent sales tax is now projected to be insufficient to build the LYNX system as originally envisioned.

Consultant Jeff Parker, japarker.com, presented an analysis of the LYNX system construction and operations, and indicated that current and projected revenues are not adequate to construct the system.  Changes are necessary, he said.  In essence, Parker presented a scenario in which both a revised Blue line and the Red line can become a reality, with certain assumptions.

First, the Blue line is a priority for CATS/MTC but should be engineered to cost in the $800 million, not the projected $1.12 billion.  Then, there could be an innovative public/public/private arrangement for the Red line, which could receive some CATS subsidy, attract Federal credits, take advantage of joint construction savings, create a new public entity to issue bonds, resulting in a funding gap for the Towns, developers and other parties of around $200 million.

Later in the meeting, Transit Exec Carolyn Flowers suggested an agenda to amend the 2030 Plan, incorporating a number of these suggestions.   If these elements can be coordinated and attained over the next year or two, there is a scenario where the Red line can be operational in 2015.  Much more on this later.