CATS to build 500-space park and ride in Huntersville for bus rapid transit commuters
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rendering: CATS
Charlotte Area Transit System is designing a 500-space surface lot off Hambright Road in Huntersville.
Why it matters: At the Hambright Park and Ride, between Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road and I-77, bus passengers will park their cars and then take speedy and uninterrupted bus rides down the interstate toll lanes to Uptown.
- The site will also act as a hub where bike and pedestrian amenities meet and where riders can call microtransit, an Uber-like service that CATS plans to offer soon.
Between the lines: The hub parallels the future Red Line commuter train's route. CATS leaders see that project, once labeled a pipe dream, as closer to becoming a reality.
- Bus rapid transit has some advantages over rail, although it's perceptually less sexy, due to its lower costs and flexibility over a fixed train line.
The big picture: Hambright is one of the areas that's seen more development since the Red Line was first envisioned.
- A 70-acre development called Town 1 will bring more than 700 multi-family units and 419,000 square feet of commercial space to the area.
What's next: The design phase will continue through next year. The park and ride will be built between July 2025 and December 2026, opening by 2027.
- CATS has three other new parks and rides planned along the bus rapid transit route: Westmoreland, Davidson and Langtree.
Go deeper: Huntersville traffic will get worse before it (maybe) gets better