City of Charlotte not doing enough to eliminate deadly crashes, audit says (WSOC-TV)

A scathing internal audit calls into question how effective Charlotte City Council’s efforts have been to ensure our streets are safer for everyone. Some advocates are hoping this is a wakeup call.

The audit found Charlotte Department of Transportation hasn’t provided an update since 2020. It says Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s traffic enforcement is distributed evenly around the city instead of focusing on severe corridors. It also found city staff and contractors were regularly blocking sidewalks and bike lanes.

Sustain Charlotte’s Eric Zaverl says Charlotte can only go up from here. He says the city needs to double down on its efforts to ensure streets are safe and prioritize alternate modes of getting around.

“We really need to focus on transportation options and choices beyond driving and making it safer,” he said. “Prioritizing safety above all.”

Watch the WSOC-TV segment.