Norfolk Southern is raising concerns about the proposed $452 million Red Line Regional Rail project that plans to run commuter trains on its tracks from Charlotte to southern Iredell County beginning in 2017.
The dual commuter-freight plan is fundamentally incompatible with the company's plans to grow its rail freight business in the state, John V. Edwards, Norfolk Southern's general director of strategic planning, wrote recently to Paul Morris, deputy director of the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Current publicity and discussions indicate that Norfolk Southern has agreed to, endorsed, or otherwise has consented to the Red Line project, which is simply not the case, Edwards wrote.
The Observer obtained a copy of the letter last week.
Among Norfolk Southern's other concerns, Edwards said the railroad designs, builds, maintains and dispatches its own lines, which may be inconsistent with the Red Line project. He said a new environmental review would have to be done and that Norfolk Southern has concerns over plans to form a public authority to oversee the Red Line.
Even if Norfolk Southern eventually were to back the project, Edwards said, 2017 is too soon to expect the line to be up and running.
Because of Norfolk Southern's concerns and a 5-0 vote by Iredell county commissioners Jan. 17 against the current rail finance proposal, Mecklenburg County Commissioner Karen Bentley asked that Mecklenburg cease any further consideration of the proposal until all concerns are addressed with the state.
Friday, Mecklenburg General Manager Bobbie Shields sent an email saying that the county's staff would stop work on the proposal until those concerns are addressed. Shields wrote that Iredell's participation is key. Their 5-0 vote rejecting the finance plan in its current form confirmed to us that we do not need to spend more time analyzing the current plan, Shields wrote.
In his letter, Edwards doesn't rule out that the Red Line could happen. He said he looks forward to more information from the state. He also offered input at a meeting Wednesday of the Red Line Task Force, which the Metropolitan Transit Commission established in June 2010.
This is just the beginning of a long process, former Mooresville Mayor Bill Thunberg said Friday. Thunberg is a task force member and executive director of the Lake Norman Regional Transportation Commission.
Whether Norfolk Southern says this is where they are today, doesn't mean this is where Norfolk Southern will end up, Thunberg said.
Norfolk Southern's points are legitimate, and we fully intend to address their concerns, DOT spokesman Ted Vaden said. (The project) has nine partners, and we consider Norfolk Southern to be a 10th partner.
The project would upgrade 25 miles of Norfolk Southern rail line from a mile south of the Lowe's headquarters in Mount Mourne to the planned Charlotte Gateway Station uptown. The line could eventually extend north to Interstate 40 in Statesville.
Under a proposal unveiled in December, the state and the Charlotte Area Transit System each would pay 25 percent of the Red Line cost, or $113 million apiece. The seven governments - Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Mooresville, along with Mecklenburg and Iredell county governments - would pay the other half.
Supporters say the line would spur development along the busy Interstate 77 corridor in the Lake Norman area and southern Iredell County. But Iredell commissioners voted against the finance proposal, saying it lacked details and will lead to higher taxes.
All seven governments along the corridor must approve the project for work to proceed, officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation and members of the Red Line Task Force have said. The Metropolitan Transit Commission has asked for several months of study and public hearings, followed by votes in the spring. Reporter David Perlmutt contributed
