Huntersville leading the charge against CATS new train dreams

In a follow up to Thursday morning's post, aShortChronicle got a quick email from Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla.

Mayor Aneralla pointed out some interesting notes from Monday's H'ville town board meeting as it relates to the CATS plan to spend $6 billion on three simultaneous light rail projects.

Check out the last item under section "IX Other Business".  The notes are in bold.

Discussion on Charlotte Area Transit System request to study a fixed rail alternative to the current Red Line plan.(Mayor Aneralla)

General consensus of Board to have Mayor prepare resolution for the Board's consideration rejecting the current CATS budget proposal for a Red Line alternative and instead endorse a plan to use the study money for improved bus and related transportation needs.

This shows a great deal of common sense, and it would be great to see the other North Mecklenburg towns join in this effort through the newly formed North Meck Alliance.  While among the three towns, Cornelius often takes the lead in opposing bad ideas, it's nice to see Huntersville jump in on this one.

Getting Davidson to do the right thing will likely be the heavy lift however - as it always is when it comes to regional boondoggles.

Davidson Mayor Woods has been the staunchest of defenders of the failed Red Line.  Back in 2011 he won the "Citizen of the Year" award from the Lake Norman Citizen for his Don Quixotesque efforts to push that project forward.  When listening to the Parsons Brinkerhoff consultants running that show back then, one got the distinct impression Davidson staff spent a lot of time and energy on that failed effort.

Here's hoping Davidson's Board doesn't allow that kind of thing to happen again.