Uptown Cycle Track coming to Charlotte sooner than we thought!
We have some exciting news! We are proud to share that the first half of the Uptown Cycle Track is going to be built a lot sooner than any of us thought — i.e., IN TWO MONTHS, and in time to be explored by YOU for Bike! Charlotte Week and Shifting Gears!
Renderings from Phase 2 of the Uptown Cycle Track!
What’s a cycle track?
A cycle track is fancy term to describe a bike lane that is physically separated from cars with a vertical barrier. You might have heard this type of facility called a protected bike lane or a buffered bike lane.
Sustain Charlotte petitioned the City to build a protected bike lane (before the term cycle track was cool) through Uptown back in 2016 with our IBIKECLT campaign. Over 4,000 people signed the petition to connect Little Sugar Creek to Irwin Creek Greenways with a safe seamless bicycle facility running through the heart of Uptown.
After three years of advocacy on our part and project planning by the city (click here to read CDOT’s full Uptown Connects Study) including two temporary installations in partnership with CDOT and Charlotte Center City Partners, installation of the first phase is now scheduled for April 2019!
The concept shared through our Biketoberfest Presented by the Charlotte Knights protected bike lane demonstration project will soon become a reality!
The City will be resurfacing the 7th Street bridge to accommodate two-way bicycle traffic from Little Sugar Creek to 6th Street by way of McDowell Street. The first phase will allow cyclists of all ages and abilities to safely reach the Rail Trail crossing close to the 7th Street light rail station.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Cycle Track.
Phase 2 will be the completion of the project from the Rail Trail to the Irwin Creek Greenway including a concrete median that will separate people on bikes and people in cars next year. This will result in a continuous greenway to greenway connection spanning all of Uptown!
Check out this awesome simulated flyover of the Uptown Cycle Track on 6th Street from Brevard Street to North Tryon Street to get a better sense of it!
Click the image to watch the video!
Better yet, the entire project is now fully funded. These funds are coming from the $4 million in transportation bonds that Sustain Charlotte and others –including many of you– advocated for during last year’s budget season.
Want to Ride It? Come to Shifting Gears on May 1!
CDOT staff will provide an update and an overview of the Uptown Cycle Track Project. Following the presentation, small group tours will ride to the Uptown rail trail and back via the cycle track. Upon return, you’ll have a chance to answer survey questions about your experience riding the early implementation phase. Sustain Charlotte and CDOT want YOUR input and thoughts!
Click here to register for the workshop and free ride!
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