Independence Boulevard plan adoption stalls

The adoption of the Independence Boulevard area plan was stalled Tuesday when a committee of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission asked planners to consider making revisions.

One of the main areas of concern was the number of transit stations along the corridor. The committee asked Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department staff to consider lowering the number of transit stations from six to three.

The Metropolitan Planning Commission, a division of the Charlotte Area Transit System, has said in its transportation plan for the corridor that it will include six transit stations. But an Urban Land Institute study suggested that the area only needs three transit stations if it will be used primarily by commuters.

Alysia Osborne of the planning department told the committee that the proposed Independence plan does not reconsider transit plans. She said the plan in its current form would allow for flexibility if the MTC decided to include only three transit stations.

Joel Randolph, a planning commissioner who sits on the committee, said Independence Boulevard carries as much traffic as Interstates 77 and 85 and is, in essence, an interstate for commuters. Randolph said he predicts Independence Boulevard to become an interstate in the future.

Committee members have until Monday to present planning department staff with their suggested revisions to the Independence plan. The staff members will then present the plan with possible revisions, or reasons why revisions weren’t adopted, during the May 17 meeting of the planning committee.

Tara Ramsey can be reached at [email protected].