Charlotte City Council unanimously approved $37.9 million for the next phase of design on the proposed 25-mile Red Line commuter rail connecting uptown to northern communities.
The city says this investment will bring Red Line design work to roughly 30% completion by the end of 2027. The design phase will finalize station locations, engineering details, and updated cost estimates so the project can be delivered responsibly.
The Red Line will build on existing tracks the city purchased from Norfolk Southern in 2024 for $91 million—a move made a year before voters approved the transportation sales tax. Council members say the gamble paid off.
Mecklenburg County voters will begin seeing the tax increase in July, expected to bring $19 billion over 30 years to fund road, rail, and bus projects. State law requires the Red Line to come first under this tax, so construction is still years off, but councilmembers say this is an important stop on the journey.