The LYNX Blue Line Extension’s first trip in March 2018 signaled dramatic change for UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte community.
For students, the new light rail line means a quicker connection to jobs, internships, and cultural and entertainment options in Uptown Charlotte. Students also can take the train to classes, public lectures and cultural offerings at the UNC Charlotte Center City campus. For faculty and staff, the new line can mean a less stressful commute and convenient activities at the uptown campus. For community members, light rail similarly brings easier access to intellectual offerings and cultural and artistic assets at both campuses.
For researchers Isabelle Nilsson and Elizabeth Delmelle, the new line and the neighborhoods it passes through between Uptown Charlotte and the main campus represent a living laboratory for research exploring how transit investments affect neighborhood change and the implications for residential mobility and income segregation.
This story originally was published in the spring 2018 issue of the College’s Exchange print magazine.