PAVE Act
Coverage (13 articles)
MTC Closes CATS Fare Plan Comment, Cash-Rider Question Open
At the final public hearing on the Charlotte Area Transit System's Fare Modernization Program, public commenter Carson Cohn told the MTC that CATS had promised him an answer over a month ago on whether the new system would force cash riders to pay double for transfer trips, and had not delivered it. CATS staff anticipate requesting MTC adoption at the May 27 meeting, the body's last before the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority assumes operational control on July 1. The proposal eliminates paper transfers for cash riders while introducing fare capping, a two-hour electronic pass, and an expanded reduced-fare program.
Charlotte's Silver Line Explained: A $3.3B Line That Shrank
The original plan was 29 miles of light rail from Belmont to Indian Trail, through the airport, through Uptown, and into Union County. Charlotte got federal money. What followed was a lesson in what $19.4 billion buys when ambition meets infrastructure reality.
Red Line Explained: Charlotte's Commuter Rail, 25 Years On
Charlotte owns the railroad tracks, has a design contract, and a state law mandating the Red Line gets built before anything else. What it doesn't have yet is a train, and this commuter corridor has been 25 years in the making.
What Happened to CATS? Charlotte Transit's Move to the MPTA
By July 1, 2026, CATS as a City of Charlotte department will cease to exist, absorbed into the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority. Here's how Charlotte's transit system went from city department to regional authority, and what it means.
How Charlotte's Transit Tax Works and Who Controls the Money
Mecklenburg County voters approved a one-cent sales tax increase in November 2025. The PAVE Act splits the revenue 40/40/20 between roads, rail, and bus service, generating roughly $490 million annually. Here is how the money works and who controls it.
What Is the MPTA? Charlotte's Transit Authority, Explained
The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) is Charlotte's new regional transit authority, created after voters approved a one-cent transportation sales tax in November 2025. It assumes control of CATS on July 1, 2026, at the center of a $19.4 billion, 30-year transportation plan.
Charlotte's $50M Housing Bond Is a Non-Starter, Council Says
City staff proposed cutting Charlotte's affordable housing bond from $100 million to $50 million in the FY2027 budget. Council members from across the dais rejected the number, with Mayfield requesting modeling at $200M–$300M and Graham calling $50M a non-starter. The November 2026 bond referendum is the deadline.
Gateway Station: Two Council Members Press for an Update
At Monday's FY2027 budget workshop, Council Members Anderson and Graham pushed for a Gateway Station progress update and connected it to the stalled CTC redevelopment and the former EpiCentre. With PAVE Act revenue arriving July 1, the 25-year-old transit project has new funding, and new political pressure.
Who Will Run Charlotte's Transit Authority? Inside the MPTA
Charlotte's new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority will control nearly twenty billion dollars in transit and road spending. Here is who appoints its 27 members, who is already in the seats, and what they can actually do.
MPTA Appointments Advance After a Marathon Process
Charlotte City Council confirmed four new members to the long-anticipated Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority board after a multi-day interview marathon.
Malcolm Graham, District 2: Record, Transit and 2025 Ballot
Malcolm Graham chairs Jobs & Economic Development, represents Charlotte's Historic West End, and has a long record on transit, corridors, and high-profile votes. Here's what he's done and what's next.
Mecklenburg Sets November Vote on 1-Cent Transit Sales Tax
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners; City of Charlotte; Mecklenburg Public Transportation Authority (proposed); Southern Coalition for Social Justice; Action NC; Charlotte Area Transit System
Mecklenburg Advances One-Cent Transit Tax Referendum
Mecklenburg commissioners advanced a 1-cent sales tax question despite word-smithing wars. Critics call it fuzzy math; supporters say state law ties their hands.