On Aug. 22 last year, Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death on the Lynx Blue Line light rail. The tragedy drew national attention, putting Charlotte and its leaders in transit and public safety under scrutiny. Months later, a second stabbing occurred on the Blue Line.
Corrective action, both immediate and long-term, was promised by city officials in the wake of these events. Since the August stabbing, reviews were initiated at multiple levels, from internally to a state audit and a federal government investigation into the security and safety plans of the transportation system.
Also last year, with the voter-approved 1-cent sales tax, $19.4 billion is expected to be generated over a 30-year period for transportation use. The plan includes $17.5 billion for rail transit and bus service. CATS interim CEO, Brent Cagle, along with the newly formed Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, will oversee spending of the transportation plan.
Meanwhile, CATS has announced construction beginning on a new Blue Line station in South End. The announcement promises modern amenities and community-focused infrastructure. That station is targeted to be open for service in 2028. Construction will interfere with transit services and have some impact on walking that section of the Rail Trail, a popular walking path.
On this episode, we sit down with CATS interim CEO Brent Cagle to discuss the many changes coming to CATS after a series of high-profile safety incidents, ongoing audits and a major new wave of transit investment shaping the system’s future.
GUESTS:
Brent Cagle, interim CEO of Charlotte Area Transit System
