As a follow up to Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s visit to Charlotte in December, Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham penned an op-ed in QCityMetro highlighting how President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will make significant improvements to the Queen City’s public transit system amid rapid growth. 

While every member of North Carolina’s Democratic congressional delegation, including Charlotte’s Congresswoman Alma Adams, voted for the historic bill, the entire Republican U.S. House delegation voted against it. Republican candidates for U.S. Senate Ted Budd, Pat McCrory, and Mark Walker all oppose the infrastructure investments, too.

QCityMetro: Malcolm Graham: Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law, big changes are coming to Charlotte’s public transit systems

• Last month, Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Charlotte to tout President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Vice President boiled the importance of their visit for the Queen City down to a singular point: “For millions of Americans, public transportation is part of their day — every day. And a bus stop within walking distance can make all of the difference versus a bus stop you have to walk for half an hour to get to.”

• Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Vi Lyles, who convened the Charlotte MOVES Task Force in December of 2020 to address transportation issues in the Charlotte area, there are many plans underway to build new light rail lines, bike lanes and better roads and bus routes across our city. For instance, the city’s plan to build a new light rail line from Matthews to Charlotte Douglas International Airport would be a game-changer for Charlotte-area residents. Additional projects, like extending the Gold Line streetcar and building more Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) electric buses will create economic mobility for low-income workers.

• By providing North Carolina with more than $900 million to improve transit systems across our state, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing the resources to expand Charlotte’s public transit budget. In addition to building new light rail and bus options, the bill provides billions of dollars to rebuild bridges, roads and highways – finally giving us the funds to improve nasty commutes on I-85 and more.

• The Biden-Harris administration is hard at work to execute the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and allocate funding for cites across the country. In Charlotte, we can expect big changes to our public transit systems, and overall infrastructure, starting as soon as this year. These are changes that are not only exciting but extremely welcomed as we continue to grow and increase opportunity for all.

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