The Board of MI-Connection, the cable company owned by the towns of Davidson and Mooresville met last week to hear the latest numbers on its operations . Fortunately, while the company is still a long way from being profitable, the numbers are at least headed in the right direction. A press release provided by Christina Shaul, Davidson’s Public Information Officer provided the following positive news.
“April Bell of auditing firm Dixon Hughes Goodman shared results for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015. She stated that MI-Connection is seeing a very positive trend in financial results.
During his review of the financials, MI-Connection CEO David Auger shared that revenue is up 3.74% in Q1 2016 versus Q1 2015. Expenses are favorable in Q1 FY 2016 versus Q1 FY 2015, by .62% . EBIDA (Earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization, a key metric used by cable operators to measure performance) grew by 17.41% from Q1 FY 2015 to Q1 FY 2016.”
That’s definitely what taxpayers who have been subsidizing the company want to hear, rather than things are headed in the opposite direction. It is validation that the operational improvements at the company over the past few years are paying off.
The release went on to say MI-Connection will soon offer whole-home DVR, the ability to stream content on any iOS or Android device, and the ability to remotely program your DVR.
Again, that's good to hear, but those are new services for the company, not new to the industry. As a small company, innovation will always be the company’s Achilles heal.
A recent telecom industry announcement exemplifies that and should hopefully ensure the political decision makers keep their eye on the ball and continue working to get the company ready for sale at some point in the relatively near future.
The impact of this recent announcement actually was foreshadowed here locally a few years ago.
Back in 2011, I remember sitting at a political event in Davidson just as election season was ramping up. Davidson Commissioner Rodney Graham, was making some comments about Mi-Connection. Graham had made an unsuccessful attempt at the Board in 2007 as one of the few candidates at the time to question the idea of the town getting to the cable business. He was getting ready to make what would be a successful run in 2011.
At that meeting I remember Graham holding his phone in the air and talking about some day being able to get internet speeds over wireless that rivaled what one could get from a cable company. That would be the day things started to look much more difficult for the municipally owned cable operation.
Well, that day may have quietly gotten a significant step closer with an announcement by T-Mobile three weeks ago for its new "Binge On" service.
While wireless phone carriers can't offer data speeds that match the newest offerings being rolled out traditional cable companies – including Mi-Connection’s, the newest 4G LTE wireless networks offer speeds sufficient for high quality video streaming as well as many other uses. The one drawback has been the cost of streaming lots of data over these wireless networks – until now.
T-Mobile’s “Binge On” product removes that barrier by allowing unlimited DVD quality video with the purchase of a minimum wireless data package. All of the top name streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are available with “Binge On” as well as Sling TV which offers many of the top live TV channels including ESPN. Now, a customer can become truly mobile with their video, voice, and data all coming from a single provider, and that provider is not the traditional cable company.
Are there drawbacks and limitations to going fully wireless? Yes, there certainly are. If you are into lots of gaming or have other high-bandwidth needs for business uses, going completely wireless may not be for you – today. Long-term this type of continued change in technology could make it a different story.
Commissioner Graham was holding his phone at that meeting just four years ago. What will things look like four years from now. Hopefully, our current crop of political leaders won't make us find out.
Bonus Observation:
Ran out of room for this in the version for the Herald Weekly.
Not only will MI-Connection be facing more competition from new technologies in the future, but they will also have to go head-to-head against Time Warner. In a conversation with the developer of a large new neighborhood underway in the MI footprint, it was made clear that both MI and TWC have been offered the opportunity to supply service to the new neighborhood.
The developer wished to remain anonymous because details had not been finalized. However, it does show that competition is going to be growing particularly around the edges of the MI footprint.
How MI stands up to the challenge will be critical. New customers from new neighborhoods have been critical to the company's recent growth in subscribers. The Langtree development at Exit 31 would be the prime example.
Can the company continue attracting large numbers of new customers in these neighborhoods if it has to face real competition with relatively unlimited resources? That will be the big question going forward.
This post first appeRed in this week's Herald Weekly at HuntersvilleHerald.com
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
#NCGA House-92: It is ALL about the HOT lanes.
At least that is what you would think from looking at Democrat challenger Chaz Beasley's website. The only issue mentioned on his campaign site home page is his opposition to I-77 HOT lanes project.
Beasley says he intends to file this Thursday at 12:15 p.m. according to his Facebook page. He will be the first challenger for incumbent Republican Rep Charles Jeter of Huntersville who currently holds the seat.
Beasley repeatedly says "we" have opposed the HOT lanes project since the beginning. However, it is a bit unclear exactly what Beasley means by "we".
A search of the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook page does not show a single comment by Beasley nor does one find anything else where he is on the record as opposing the project or has worked at all with the groups of activists trying to stop it. That would include on the sites for the Mecklenburg Young Democrats where Beasley served as the immediate past president - a position that would have allowed him a platform to espouse his supposed opposition.
Regardless, his emphasis on the project shows the importance of it as a campaign issue.
NC-92 is one of the few competitive districts between the parties in the entire state, so any number of issues could swing the election to one party or another. If voters believe that Jeter is not doing absolutely everything possible to stop the project, then it could cause enough voters to swing to Beasley simply because he says he opposes it.
Proof of Beasley's actual opposition may not be required.
Beasley says he intends to file this Thursday at 12:15 p.m. according to his Facebook page. He will be the first challenger for incumbent Republican Rep Charles Jeter of Huntersville who currently holds the seat.
Beasley repeatedly says "we" have opposed the HOT lanes project since the beginning. However, it is a bit unclear exactly what Beasley means by "we".
A search of the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook page does not show a single comment by Beasley nor does one find anything else where he is on the record as opposing the project or has worked at all with the groups of activists trying to stop it. That would include on the sites for the Mecklenburg Young Democrats where Beasley served as the immediate past president - a position that would have allowed him a platform to espouse his supposed opposition.
Regardless, his emphasis on the project shows the importance of it as a campaign issue.
NC-92 is one of the few competitive districts between the parties in the entire state, so any number of issues could swing the election to one party or another. If voters believe that Jeter is not doing absolutely everything possible to stop the project, then it could cause enough voters to swing to Beasley simply because he says he opposes it.
Proof of Beasley's actual opposition may not be required.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
#NCGA House 95 - Following the money for the next round of anti-toll driven elections
With filing for the 2016 elections opening on Tuesday, the race for NC House 95 is shaping up to be ground zero for the next round of anti-toll activist fury. The current issue of Cornelius Today alludes to such, referring to an email from Greg Wallace of the I77 Business Plan with the subject "Target Acquired". The "target" is apparenly NC-95 Rep John Fraley.
At the end of October former long-time State Rep Robert Brawley of Mooresville announced his intent to setup a rematch from the last round of legislative elections. Fraley edged out Brawley in the primary last cycle by just a little more than 100 votes.
(Brawley recently said he was also looking at the Governor's race, but we think a better choice would be this rematch.)
Both Brawley and Fraley are Republicans, and this is a heavily Republican district, so the real election will occur in the March primary. With that in mind, we took a look at the campaign filings for the 2013 primary to see if there was any indication of what we could expect.
What we saw in Fraley's filings was not pretty!!!
When Fraley filed in late 2013 to challenge Brawley, there was widespread speculation among anti-toll activists that he was put up to it by pro-toll forces in the Raleigh establishment. Fraley recently came fully out of the pro-toll closet with his comments in this article from the Mooresville Tribune. However, a close look at Fraley's finance reports provides validation of those concerns from back in 2013.
Fraley kicked off his 2014 campaign fundraising by "loaning" his campaign a whopping $75,000. The mega-loan to a campaign by well heeled candidates has become all too common in local elections. As we've written before, it is intended to shock and awe potential opponents (and those who might donate to them) into dropping out or not running at all. The massive "loan" also begs the question "what will Fraley do to pay himself back?"
During the 2014 primary, Fraley spent over $11,000 on "polling". In fact, his first campaign expense was a $6,000 expense for polling work prior to his actually filing for office. For a legislative race in a district that a covers only one county, that kind of spending sure seems indicative of someone who doesn't know what his neighbors want and is just holding his finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.
Fraley also had other eyebrow raising expenditures.
There are numerous expenses to several different individuals listed under the category of "Field Representative". Another way to read that would be "Paid Campaign Worker". Notably, few to none of these people appear to be from the district. Again, when you have to pay people to work for you rather than having enough volunteers to get the job done, what does that say about a candidate's connection to the local area?
However, the most disturbing expenditures in Fraley's primary campaign reports are he massive expenditures to The Stewart Group. In this short cycle Fraley's campaign sent $64,062.20 to this Raleigh political consulting outfit. The Stewart Group is highly connected to the Raleigh Republican Establishment. Read up on the outfit's founder Dee Stewart in these stories from the DailyHaymaker.com here, here, and here. (Make sure to read the comments.)
Any candidate who hires these guys to work for them should be highly suspect. Having them on a campaign's payroll should induce any voter to run the other way, and run fast.
All of that is just some of the ways Fraley chose to spend his campaign cash. Where Fraley got his campaign cash beyond that mega loan from himself is also interesting.
The first thing that jumps off the page from his campaign's original filing covering the period until the end of 2013 is the large amount of out of state cash Fraley raked in. Numerous donations rolled in from New York to Florida, from Massachusetts to Tennessee - as well as several other states. The largest individual contribution was a $4,000 check from someone in Florida.
It is one thing for residents in Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville to take an interest in elections in a fellow Lake Norman town like, oh let's say Huntersville. One has to wonder though why so many people from across the country would spend money to get a state legislator elected in another state.
But maybe the most interesting contribution of all was a $2,000 donation that came with an address in Cornelius. It was the largest local campaign contribution in the 2013 year-end filing. The address listed also happens to be the same address listed on Cornelius Mayor Chuck Travis's 2009 campaign organization form. That would be the same Mayor Travis named last year to the state Turnpike Authority by Thom Tillis. That's the body in charge of the state's toll roads. It would also be the same Mayor Travis who recently returned from Texas to tell us how great Cintra's toll roads are working in the Lone Star State.
However, the name on this donation is not that of the Cornelius Mayor, but it does match that of his wife.
One can learn a lot about a candidate by looking at where they get their money and how they spend it. Rep John Fraley's campaign reports should tell anti-toll voters all they need to know.
At the end of October former long-time State Rep Robert Brawley of Mooresville announced his intent to setup a rematch from the last round of legislative elections. Fraley edged out Brawley in the primary last cycle by just a little more than 100 votes.
(Brawley recently said he was also looking at the Governor's race, but we think a better choice would be this rematch.)
Both Brawley and Fraley are Republicans, and this is a heavily Republican district, so the real election will occur in the March primary. With that in mind, we took a look at the campaign filings for the 2013 primary to see if there was any indication of what we could expect.
What we saw in Fraley's filings was not pretty!!!
When Fraley filed in late 2013 to challenge Brawley, there was widespread speculation among anti-toll activists that he was put up to it by pro-toll forces in the Raleigh establishment. Fraley recently came fully out of the pro-toll closet with his comments in this article from the Mooresville Tribune. However, a close look at Fraley's finance reports provides validation of those concerns from back in 2013.
Fraley kicked off his 2014 campaign fundraising by "loaning" his campaign a whopping $75,000. The mega-loan to a campaign by well heeled candidates has become all too common in local elections. As we've written before, it is intended to shock and awe potential opponents (and those who might donate to them) into dropping out or not running at all. The massive "loan" also begs the question "what will Fraley do to pay himself back?"
During the 2014 primary, Fraley spent over $11,000 on "polling". In fact, his first campaign expense was a $6,000 expense for polling work prior to his actually filing for office. For a legislative race in a district that a covers only one county, that kind of spending sure seems indicative of someone who doesn't know what his neighbors want and is just holding his finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.
Fraley also had other eyebrow raising expenditures.
There are numerous expenses to several different individuals listed under the category of "Field Representative". Another way to read that would be "Paid Campaign Worker". Notably, few to none of these people appear to be from the district. Again, when you have to pay people to work for you rather than having enough volunteers to get the job done, what does that say about a candidate's connection to the local area?
However, the most disturbing expenditures in Fraley's primary campaign reports are he massive expenditures to The Stewart Group. In this short cycle Fraley's campaign sent $64,062.20 to this Raleigh political consulting outfit. The Stewart Group is highly connected to the Raleigh Republican Establishment. Read up on the outfit's founder Dee Stewart in these stories from the DailyHaymaker.com here, here, and here. (Make sure to read the comments.)
Any candidate who hires these guys to work for them should be highly suspect. Having them on a campaign's payroll should induce any voter to run the other way, and run fast.
All of that is just some of the ways Fraley chose to spend his campaign cash. Where Fraley got his campaign cash beyond that mega loan from himself is also interesting.
The first thing that jumps off the page from his campaign's original filing covering the period until the end of 2013 is the large amount of out of state cash Fraley raked in. Numerous donations rolled in from New York to Florida, from Massachusetts to Tennessee - as well as several other states. The largest individual contribution was a $4,000 check from someone in Florida.
It is one thing for residents in Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville to take an interest in elections in a fellow Lake Norman town like, oh let's say Huntersville. One has to wonder though why so many people from across the country would spend money to get a state legislator elected in another state.
But maybe the most interesting contribution of all was a $2,000 donation that came with an address in Cornelius. It was the largest local campaign contribution in the 2013 year-end filing. The address listed also happens to be the same address listed on Cornelius Mayor Chuck Travis's 2009 campaign organization form. That would be the same Mayor Travis named last year to the state Turnpike Authority by Thom Tillis. That's the body in charge of the state's toll roads. It would also be the same Mayor Travis who recently returned from Texas to tell us how great Cintra's toll roads are working in the Lone Star State.
However, the name on this donation is not that of the Cornelius Mayor, but it does match that of his wife.
One can learn a lot about a candidate by looking at where they get their money and how they spend it. Rep John Fraley's campaign reports should tell anti-toll voters all they need to know.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Feds taking comments on CRTPO...give 'em an ear full.
In the aftermath last week's "I77 Summit", the region's primary transportation planning body, the CRTPO, has become the center of attention when it comes to the I77 HOT lanes project.
The Governor is hiding behind the group, saying the only way he'll consider stopping the project is if the CRTPO tells him to do it. The NCDOT is saying any newly constituted CRTPO body would not be able to reasonably decide the issue quickly because the body could have several new faces after this month's elections. If any actionable item did come out of the "Summit", it was Rep Charles Jeter's stated intention to file a bill to reduce Charlotte's influence in the CRTPO when the Legislature reconvenes for its short session next year. The Charlotte Observer has even recognized that the City's decision to skip the summit looks bad and jeopardizes the legitimacy its current setup as a decision making body.
Charlotte has long used its weighted voting power to effectively make decisions in all but unilateral fashion for the entire region. As we said in this story here back in 2013, Charlotte often acts like the playground bully effectively saying "we'll take our ball and go home if we don't get our way".
Frankly, there has been little that individuals can do about that setup. That is, up until now.
WidenI77.org is encouraging the public to send the below email (or any respectful email of your choosing) to the Federal Department of Transportation before December 15. The quadrennial review period for the CRTPO is currently underway at the Federal level and the DOT is taking comments.
Send your email to Loretta.Barren@dot.gov and let the Feds know how the current setup is effectively allowing Charlotte to milk the surrounding region while not allowing the surrounding region an effective mechanism to stop it - or at least to be treated fairly.
Sample email below...
The Governor is hiding behind the group, saying the only way he'll consider stopping the project is if the CRTPO tells him to do it. The NCDOT is saying any newly constituted CRTPO body would not be able to reasonably decide the issue quickly because the body could have several new faces after this month's elections. If any actionable item did come out of the "Summit", it was Rep Charles Jeter's stated intention to file a bill to reduce Charlotte's influence in the CRTPO when the Legislature reconvenes for its short session next year. The Charlotte Observer has even recognized that the City's decision to skip the summit looks bad and jeopardizes the legitimacy its current setup as a decision making body.
Charlotte has long used its weighted voting power to effectively make decisions in all but unilateral fashion for the entire region. As we said in this story here back in 2013, Charlotte often acts like the playground bully effectively saying "we'll take our ball and go home if we don't get our way".
Frankly, there has been little that individuals can do about that setup. That is, up until now.
WidenI77.org is encouraging the public to send the below email (or any respectful email of your choosing) to the Federal Department of Transportation before December 15. The quadrennial review period for the CRTPO is currently underway at the Federal level and the DOT is taking comments.
Send your email to Loretta.Barren@dot.gov and let the Feds know how the current setup is effectively allowing Charlotte to milk the surrounding region while not allowing the surrounding region an effective mechanism to stop it - or at least to be treated fairly.
Sample email below...
Subject: CRTPO Public Involvement Process
Dear Ms. Barren-
The CRTPO is in need of reform. During the past several years they have minimized or ignored public input. With a very lop-sided voting structure, one city benefits greatly while the needs of the other towns and the region are ignored.
For example:
Dear Ms. Barren-
The CRTPO is in need of reform. During the past several years they have minimized or ignored public input. With a very lop-sided voting structure, one city benefits greatly while the needs of the other towns and the region are ignored.
For example:
- During the July 2015 public comment period, CRTPO received over 700 individual comments opposing the P3.0 TIP. CRTPO approved the TIP citing, among other reasons, the fact that the TIP had to be approved quickly or they risked losing federal allocation in October. Therefore, the public comment period was moot.
- While developing the P4.0 project list, CRTPO received over 250 public comments urging adoption. At their September 16, 2015 meeting, CRTPO took the extremely unusual step of postponing approval. In direct opposition to public comments, CRTPO subsequently removed a project from the list and approved the list at their next meeting.
- On May 23, 2013 CRTPO (then MUMPO) Chairwoman Sarah MacAulay unilaterallydenied all citizens the opportunity to comment during the public comment period. Eighteen had signed up to speak on the controversial I-77 private toll project.
- At their December 12, 2013 CRTPO meeting, TCC staff recommended against including a public comment period for TCC meetings. CRTPO accepted this recommendation. A public comment period for TCC meetings does not exist.
- The public comment period policy for MUMPO meetings used to be three minutes per person and ten minutes per group. CRTPO revised this to limit the public comment period to twenty minutes total, regardless of the number of speakers or groups.
- Groups wishing to make a formal presentation must notify CRTPO ten days in advance.
- Mr. Ned Curran serves as an alternate delegate for NCDOT Divisions 10 & 12. Curran is also Chairman of the NCDOT Board and CEO of Bissel, a major land developer and property manager in South Charlotte. On August 19, 2015, Curran voted for the P3.0 TIP as the Division 12 delegate. I believe it is a conflict of interest for a major land developer to decide road and transportation improvement projects.
- Ms. Sarah McAulay serves as Chair of CRTPO. On August 19, 2015, McAulay introduced a motion to approve the P3.0 TIP which includes seven Huntersville projects. McAulay owns or co-owns three properties with direct frontage to at least one or more of the projects and six properties in close proximity to one or more projects. I believe it is aconflict of interest for a CRTPO member to decide road improvement projects from which they may directly benefit.
Sincerely,
Name
Town
Friday, November 27, 2015
Davidson growth set to explode...no catalyst needed.
As staff and elected officials in the Town of Davidson continue to ponder the proposed Downtown Catalyst Project, there is a looming wave of explosive growth just on the horizon. This is growth that will happen whether or not the town's own project "catalyzes" anything. Frankly, knowing this is going to happen it is hard to believe the Town itself is looking to promote even more growth through its own efforts. Maybe the town should change the Catalyst's name to something like Accelerant.
The first project if it materializes could have the most direct impact on the supposed need for something like the Catalyst project in the town center. In the past we've told you about potential development at the old Davidson Clinic site on South Main. That previous development plan fell through this past summer, but that property - as well as the adjacent two parcels - are now showing as "active contingent" on real-estate sites - meaning a sale and new development could be imminent.
At almost six acres this site is nearly double the size of the Town-owned land proposed for the Catalyst Project. Whatever this site on South Main eventually becomes, it will certainly be big (and controversial), but it will also achieve the town's goals of 'connecting' South Main in ways the Catalyst never would by creating a center of gravity at that end of Main Street. Also, there will almost certainly be a significant retail/commercial component of any development that size which meets another stated town goal for the Catalyst.
As of last week, a proposed development plan had not been submitted according to Planning Director, Jason Burdett. There is also nothing on the town website as of this writing. However, this is definitely something to keep a close eye on. Things appear to be in the works and could move fast.
The second major development is closer to coming to fruition. That regards what is going on out at Westmoreland Farm. We originally told you about surveying activity at the site almost three months ago.
A records request to the town turned up some additional information.
The below picture called a "bubble diagram" was put together by staff at Commissioner Brian Jenest's firm during the discussions leading up to passage of the planning ordinance rewrite earlier this year. The purpose of the diagram was to provide a conceptual picture of what could be built under the new ordinance. To be very clear it is not a proposal. However, it does give a sense of the scale of any development that could be on the way.
A week after the Town Board passed the planning ordinance rewrite back in April, a planner from ColeJenest & Stone contacted Town staff saying "we are working towards a schematic site plan for the Westmoreland property along Davidson-Concord Road and have a few questions/requests".
That combined with the work seen recently and the counts on that bubble diagram would indicate another development with potentially hundreds of units is on the way.
That combined with the work seen recently and the counts on that bubble diagram would indicate another development with potentially hundreds of units is on the way.
While again, like the South Main project no site plan has been submitted, it is clear something is in the works.
Finally, this coming Monday, November 30th, the Davidson Planning Board will hear a request from the developers of Summerswalk regarding removal of the planned neighborhood retail at the front of the neighborhood along 73 to be replaced with more townhomes.
The proposal, also submitted by ColeJenest & Stone, appears to have the approval of the Town Planning Department. The staff recommendation says "this master plan amendment is appropriate and in line with the town’s current development policies".
One of the stated reasons for the Catalyst Project is to increase the commercial tax base for the town. Removing a planned commercial area - even if it may not be built out for some time would seem to run counter to that goal.
One of the stated reasons for the Catalyst Project is to increase the commercial tax base for the town. Removing a planned commercial area - even if it may not be built out for some time would seem to run counter to that goal.
If the recent pushback from town residents was not enough to convince Town Hall that the Catalyst Project is not needed or should be drastically scaled down, maybe this looming wave of growth will do it.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Thanks for a great 6-months!
With this being Thanksgiving week, I wanted to take a moment to thank the readers of aShortChronicle for a great last six month's.
In the nearly 4-year run for this blog, the last six months have been special. To the site's long-time regular readers, thanks for your support over the years, and to the newer readers thanks for making the site's growth happen. A special thanks goes to the members of the E28R Facebook page. The large number of shares, likes, and comments has added significantly to the overall reader base.
Here are a few stats that show what has happened recently. In the past 6-month period...
For a site that started out with a target audience of local elected officials, town staffers, and a relatively small number of local politics news junkies, this kind of growth is validation the stories covered here interest a wider audience.
Certainly, there has been no shortage of stories to cover this past half year. That can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, I suppose. Regardless, our local political scene has provided lots and lots of material.
I am thankful to be able to cover it, and thankful readers seem to think it is worthwhile.
Happy Thanksgiving!
In the nearly 4-year run for this blog, the last six months have been special. To the site's long-time regular readers, thanks for your support over the years, and to the newer readers thanks for making the site's growth happen. A special thanks goes to the members of the E28R Facebook page. The large number of shares, likes, and comments has added significantly to the overall reader base.
Here are a few stats that show what has happened recently. In the past 6-month period...
- the average monthly page views is up more than 500% over the previous six month period.
- 9 of the all time top 10 posts for the site have occurred since June 1st.
- the site has had several days with over
1000 page views - something that had never happened even a single time before.
For a site that started out with a target audience of local elected officials, town staffers, and a relatively small number of local politics news junkies, this kind of growth is validation the stories covered here interest a wider audience.
Certainly, there has been no shortage of stories to cover this past half year. That can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, I suppose. Regardless, our local political scene has provided lots and lots of material.
I am thankful to be able to cover it, and thankful readers seem to think it is worthwhile.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
The Charlotte Streetcar's Costly (and Bogus) Success
Monday's Politico had a blurb about the Charlotte Strretcar that reiterated the old canard that it was actually a good idea.
From Politico...
Charlotte already had a mass transit option which arguably was providing the bulk of this service before the streetcar was built. It is called the Gold Rush Red Line.
Prior to the streetcar opening, the Gold Rush Red Line ran the full distance from Presbyterian Hospital to Johnson C Smith university. According to this late 2012 document from Charlotte Center City Partners, it carried 65,000 riders per month.
When the streetcar opened in 2015, the Gold Rush cut its route roughly in half because the east end of the route was now serviced by the streetcar. A few months later, the streetcar was trumpeted as a huge success carrying 47,000 passengers per month.
The problem is that since the new streetcar covered roughly 1/2 the same territory as the old full Gold Rush line, it stands to reason that a big chunk of the streetcar riders were actually former Gold Rush riders.
Using that same ratio of 1/2 and accounting for some growth since 2012, roughly 32k-35k of the streetcar's ridership was likely just canibalized from the old Gold Rush line. That means the streetcar is really just prividing just 12k - 15k "new" rides per month.
When you factor in that people go both to and from a place that translates into just 6k - 7.5k new round trips per month. Then if you figure most people using this for work ride daily that is roughly 25 trips per month - translating to just 240-300 new individuals riding the streetcar regularly per month who weren't already using the old Gold Rush. (The number could be lower because some people may make more than on trip per day.)
The cost of the current streetcar was $37m. That translates into $123k - $154k per new person using the streetcar who was not already using the Gold Rush.
The real kick in the teeth to all this is that the folks in the Charlotte government center think this is great, and they want to spend $150m more to extend the streetcar - all while forcing LKN residents to pay for a toll road and massive infrastructure improvements that benefit the city as much or more than anyone else.
Charlotte is willing to fight for money to benefit just a few hundred while being willing to condemn 10s of thousands to the misery of tolls for 50 years on I77 through its control of the CRTPO.
That is not right and it needs to change.
From Politico...
In July of 2013 — after Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx had left his mayoral seat in Charlotte to be a Cabinet official for the Obama administration — the secretary returned to his home town to help christen a streetcar he’d fought hard to get going, arguing that the investment wasn’t “a project to nowhere.” Writing this month for POLITICO Magazine’s “What Works” series, Charlotte Magazine Executive Editor Michael Graff explains that no step before or since the streetcar’s approval “has been without controversy. Supporters, mostly Democrats, lovingly call it a 'streetcar,’ and they’ll tell you it’s a valuable instrument that now transports 47,000 riders a month — about double expectations. Opponents, mostly Republicans, condescendingly call it a ‘trolley,’ and they’ll tell you that it cost $37 million just for this phase with $100 million more to come for extensions in the next decade.”
The problem with that?Charlotte already had a mass transit option which arguably was providing the bulk of this service before the streetcar was built. It is called the Gold Rush Red Line.
Prior to the streetcar opening, the Gold Rush Red Line ran the full distance from Presbyterian Hospital to Johnson C Smith university. According to this late 2012 document from Charlotte Center City Partners, it carried 65,000 riders per month.
When the streetcar opened in 2015, the Gold Rush cut its route roughly in half because the east end of the route was now serviced by the streetcar. A few months later, the streetcar was trumpeted as a huge success carrying 47,000 passengers per month.
The problem is that since the new streetcar covered roughly 1/2 the same territory as the old full Gold Rush line, it stands to reason that a big chunk of the streetcar riders were actually former Gold Rush riders.
Using that same ratio of 1/2 and accounting for some growth since 2012, roughly 32k-35k of the streetcar's ridership was likely just canibalized from the old Gold Rush line. That means the streetcar is really just prividing just 12k - 15k "new" rides per month.
When you factor in that people go both to and from a place that translates into just 6k - 7.5k new round trips per month. Then if you figure most people using this for work ride daily that is roughly 25 trips per month - translating to just 240-300 new individuals riding the streetcar regularly per month who weren't already using the old Gold Rush. (The number could be lower because some people may make more than on trip per day.)
The cost of the current streetcar was $37m. That translates into $123k - $154k per new person using the streetcar who was not already using the Gold Rush.
The real kick in the teeth to all this is that the folks in the Charlotte government center think this is great, and they want to spend $150m more to extend the streetcar - all while forcing LKN residents to pay for a toll road and massive infrastructure improvements that benefit the city as much or more than anyone else.
Charlotte is willing to fight for money to benefit just a few hundred while being willing to condemn 10s of thousands to the misery of tolls for 50 years on I77 through its control of the CRTPO.
That is not right and it needs to change.
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