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4/24/2018
Ridership on Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) LYNX Blue Line light-rail service increased 48 percent in March compared with the same 2017 period, thanks in large part to last month's opening of a 9.3-mile extension, according to a CATS press release.
Service for the LYNX Blue Line extension began on March 16 and also contributed to a 6 percent year-to-date increase in light-rail ridership over the same 2017 period.
The largest infrastructure project in Charlotte's history, the $1.1 billion extension runs from the 7th Street Station in the Center City area to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus. The extension features 11 new stations.
“These ridership numbers demonstrates the community’s acceptance and desire for increased transit options as an alternative to traffic congestion,” said CATS Chief Executive Officer John Lewis. “CATS continues our commitment to enhancing transit services in the region and look forward to expanding transit options in the future.”
Along with the boost in overall rail ridership, average weekday light-rail ridership increased 38 percent compared with March 2017's total, and the average passenger count on Saturdays registered a spike of 107 percent.