Transportation investment key to improving upward mobility in Charlotte, UNC Charlotte professor says

Context: Economist Raj Chetty and his Harvard research group Opportunity Insights released the study in July.

State of play: Zuñiga, whose research includes transportation planning, was one of four panelists at an event Friday at UNC Charlotte's Uptown campus discussing the study's findings.

• The "Changing Opportunity: Understanding The Data Behind The Latest Economic Mobility Study" panel also included Benjamin Goldman of Opportunity Insights, UNC Charlotte assistant professor of economics Kelly Vosters and Khalil Salim of United Way.

Zoom out: Earlier this month, the managers of "a majority" of municipalities agreed on draft legislation that would place a 1-cent sales-tax referendum for transportation on voters' ballots as early as 2025, Axios' Alexandria Sands reported.

• It was a major move toward a tax increase to fund road and transit projects. Much of the funds would go toward roads, with 40% allocated for rail and 20% for bus.

The intrigue: Meanwhile, Independence Boulevard, which is among Charlotte's most congested roads, could begin widening starting in 2027 — to the tune of roughly $958 million, our news partners at WBTV report.

• Potentially widening Independence Boulevard is "very disappointing," Zuñiga tells Axios.

• "Once you expand freeways, it just induces demand," she says. "It may alleviate traffic for a little bit, but eventually those roadways are just going to clog up again."
• "I think there just needs to be much more prioritization of public transit by way of buses, light rail, carpooling and other micro-mobility options," Zuñiga says.

The big picture: Charlotte needs safe and reliable transit options that are available for all users, but especially the city's most vulnerable population, according to Zuñiga.

The bottom line: Transit isn't the only area that will keep Charlotte from regressing or staying stagnant.

• It will take policy changes and state leadership, Zuñiga says, as well as engaging with the community, volunteering, building relationships, thinking big and voting.