Charlotte, NC — Construction Setback

December 2014

WCNC television reports that the contractor laying streetcar track had to rip out a section of track laid to the wrong gauge, about one-half inch too narrow for the 4 foot, 8.5 inch standard gauge track on which the cars will run. The contractor will bear the cost of re-laying the rail, but area residents and businesses will have to put up with the disruption of a longer construction period.

A total of 700 feet of track on Trade Street were affected.

In mid January it was determined that opening of the line will be delayed by three months until June 2015 due to this problem and some other delays. The city says the contractor, a joint venture of Balfour Beatty and Blythe Development, is being fined $1000 per day for the delay starting on December 23 according to the Charlotte Observer.

With the delay, the city expects construction to be complete by the end of February after which testing will begin.

The project cost $37 million. Federal grants covered the largest part of the cost, $25 million. The construction total is $26 million, with the balance of the funding to real estate purchases, consulting, and start-up costs.