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Charlotte leaders reach agreement with Norfolk Southern for Red Line project

The project has been in the works for over 25 years.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Norfolk Southern and the city of Charlotte have agreed to terms regarding the rights to the O-Line, a key component in the Red Line project that aims to connect Mecklenburg and Iredell counties by rail. 

The agreement was confirmed to WCNC Charlotte on Wednesday by a Charlotte city councilmember. The full details of the plan have not been released.

The Red Line plan is more than 20 years in the making, leaving many people frustrated that the project's development isn't as rapid as the transportation it would provide. 

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The proposed project calls for 10 stations where people could park and ride. The 25-mile track would run through the future Charlotte Gateway Station in Uptown, as well as Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Mooresville. 

Issues derailed the project several times since it was originally approved in 1998. The project regained optimism when emails were revealed between Norfolk Southern officials and Charlotte leaders that showed expressed interest in getting a deal done with the O-Line.

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