WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr announced the Department of Transportation awarded $100 million to the City of Charlotte for the design and construction of the Charlotte Blue Line Extension project. 

This light rail project is a 9.3-mile extension with 11 new stations to the Blue Line, bringing its total up to 26 stations on 18.9 miles of track. The extension connects the University of North Carolina Charlotte directly to the city center. The light rail line runs along an exclusive right-of-way and is projected to carry a daily ridership of 24,500 by 2035.  

“The City of Charlotte’s Light Rail has been a project built upon over the years, dating back to my time as Speaker of the House and appropriating millions of dollars as it was first beginning,” said Senator Tillis. “Now that the project has shown success and continues to expand, I am proud to work with local, state, and Congressional leaders to advocate for funds on the federal level. I thank the DOT and Secretary Chao for the $100 million grant for the Charlotte Blue Line Expansion that will allow the Light Rail to reach thousands of more North Carolinians in the Charlotte region.”

“I’m pleased to see another much-needed investment into North Carolina’s infrastructure and transportation system,” said Senator Burr.  “Charlotte, the state’s largest population center, will receive $100 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help complete the extension of the light rail system called the Lynx Blue Line. This important transit system will eventually ferry thousands of workers and students every day, and I thank Secretary Chao for her consideration on this matter.”

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