Three city bonds totaling $226 million appear to have easily passed in Charlotte, based on more than 250,000 votes.
That means the city will be allowed to borrow the money from investors and spend it on three focus areas: local transportation, housing and neighborhood improvement.
All three bonds passed by wide margins. Preliminary vote totals Wednesday morning show 77% of Charlotte voters approving the transportation and neighborhood improvement bonds, and 74% approving the housing bond.
Thank you, voters, for supporting our city bonds! Looking forward to the work we’re going to do to support our city’s growth! #Election2022 https://t.co/ZwQU9IoBso
— Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) November 9, 2022
$146.2 million for transportation
The largest bond will direct $146.2 million to a wide array of location transportation projects.
That includes street and intersection improvements, upgrades to the city's traffic control system, walkability and pedestrian safety measures, and repairs and construction of new bridges, sidewalks and bikeways.
Rea Road could also get improvements, and the Eastway Drive and Shamrock Drive intersection could get a redesign.
The bonds will also fund more sidewalks and bike paths in the Independence Boulevard corridor, and a collection of projects intended to improve pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist access to the CATS Blue Line extension.
$50 million for housing
This is the third time Charlotte voters have approved a $50 million housing bond. The last two times were in 2018 and 2020.
The money will go straight into the Charlotte Housing Trust Fund, which the city uses to subsidize various affordable housing projects.
That includes construction or rehabilitation of apartments, homeownership programs in low-income neighborhoods and housing for seniors, disabled and homeless people.
The city can also spend the money on acquiring properties for developing mixed-income communities.
$29.8 million for neighborhood improvement
The final bond will invest $29.8 million in neighborhood and economic improvement projects.
A portion of that money will be invested in six corridors in Charlotte:
- Beatties Ford/Rozzelles Ferry
- Central/Albemarle
- Freedom/Wilkinson
- I-85/West Sugar Creek
- North Tryone/Graham
- West Boulevard
The money could be used for new sidewalks, intersection improvements and safety initiatives in those areas.
The city could also spend a portion of the money on workforce and business development projects, including Ballantyne infrastructure, Centene development, Innovation District infrastructure for Atrium Health, and public/private partnership for 7th and North Tryon.
Brian Francis managed the "Vote Yes For Bonds" campaign in Charlotte, and said Wednesday morning his group was elated with strong showing of support from voters.
"That tells you that these bonds are supported across the political spectrum, and folks of all political stripes came together to invest in Charlotte's future," Francis said. "You're going to see more bike lanes, more efficient intersections, pot holes are going to get fixed, and we're going to have more affordable housing across the spectrum."
