Projects

​Uptown CycleLink City of Charlotte

UPTOWN CYCLELINK

Program Overview

Charlotte has about 190 miles of bikeways and continues finding ways for cycling to serve as a transportation option for our growing population. In recent years, the city has focused on building an Uptown bicycle network. The Uptown CycleLink is the result of years of planning, public engagement and an evaluation of every block and corridor in Uptown Charlotte. The initial result of that evaluation was the Uptown Connects study,which was published and presented to City Council in the summer of 2017.

The Uptown CycleLink is an approximately 7-mile-long network of separated bike lanes that, once complete, will connect more than 40 miles of bikeways into and across center city Charlotte. A feasibility study has been completed by city staff and consultants. One segment, the 5th Street/6th Street Protected Bicycle Lane, opened to the public in April 2022. Remaining segments are in Advanced Planning & Design.

 

 

Uptown CycleLink

​Program Funding

​To be determined

Funding is currently available for advanced planning only and is not yet funded for implementation. Projects in advanced planning are high-priority projects that are identified as candidates for potential future funding. This process, which typically takes 12 to 18 months, will eventually produce a cost estimate and will be considered for inclusion in a future budget. Learn more about the Advanced Planning Program.

Map of Completed and Planned Road Segments

The city is studying the best ways to modify earmarked streets for the Uptown CycleLink. This is a thoughtful task that requires block-by-block evaluation, design and coordination with adjacent properties, private development and city service providers. The plan is to pursue the implementation of various segments as conditions and funding allow.
​A map of finished and planned segments of the Uptown CycleLink

Program Contacts

Kristie Kennedy, EI
Senior Engineering Project Manager
General Services
704.591.3954
kristie.kennedy@charlottenc.gov 

Erin Pratt, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Charlotte Department of Transportation
980.240.3165
erin.pratt@charlottenc.gov

Uptown CycleLink segments 

Length: 2.3 miles 

Limits

  • Pearl Park Way / Baxter Street from Little Sugar Creek Greenway to McDowell Street (Note – This portion is funded through the Belk Greenway Connector Phase 1 project) 

  • McDowell Street from Baxter Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (Note - This portion is funded through the Belk Greenway Connector project and private development)

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Davidson Street to College Street 

  • College Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Hill Street from College Street to Mint Street (Note – A portion of this is funded through a public-private partnership.) 

  • Mint Street from Hill Street connector to Graham Street (Note – Also see Mint Street/ Pine Street segments) Cedar Yards / Graham Street connector from Graham Street to Wesley Heights Greenway

Concept Plans

McDowell Street

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
College Street
Hill Street
Graham Street connector

Length: 0.25 miles

Limits: Davidson Street from 4th Street to 6th Street

Status:  This project is not yet funded.

Concept Plan: Davidson Street

Length: 1 mile

Limits: Mint Street at Palmer Street to Pine Street at 6th Street

Status: This project is not yet funded.

Concept Plans: Mint Street and Pine Street

Uptown CycleLink FAQs

​The Uptown CycleLink is a ~7-mile network of separated bike lanes that will connect over 40 miles of bikeways into and across center city Charlotte, enabling safe and comfortable bicycle commuting in a transformative new way. It is a critical focus of Charlotte’s effort to create a “AAA” (All Ages and Abilities) bike network and transform Charlotte into a world-class bicycle city.

The Uptown CycleLink alignment is the result of 4 years of planning, public engagement, and an evaluation of every block and corridor in Uptown Charlotte. The initial result of that evaluation was the Uptown Connects study, which was published and presented to City Council in the summer of 2017.

The Uptown CycleLink alignment was chosen in part because it has the least anticipated impact on vehicular traffic. Other key factors include connections to existing bikeways, access to major Uptown destinations, coordination with adjacent land uses, and input from the cycling community and other stakeholders.

You can ride a portion of it today! The CycleLink along 5th Street and 6th Street is open and available for public use, as well as Davidson Street from 4th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Davidson Street to McDowell Street. Other segments are moving along on separate timelines as funding and resources allow. 

In a word, yes. The primary goal of this project is to create safe and comfortable bike commuting options for cyclists of all ages and abilities. There is no space available in Uptown to create a “AAA” bike network without some impacts on vehicle traffic and parking. The Uptown Connects Study revealed that there are currently 34 continuous lanes for vehicles running east-west through the Uptown and zero for cyclists. This project helps to address that imbalance by reallocating some space that is currently used for vehicles.

After evaluating every block and corridor in Uptown Charlotte, the Uptown CycleLink alignment was chosen in part because it has the least impact on traffic. For example, a 2017 pilot project on 6th Street demonstrated that there was only a 5-minute average increase for drivers traversing the length of the Uptown.

Evaluating potential tradeoffs is a part of every city transportation project. In the case of the Uptown CycleLink, the City determined that the significant safety benefits for cyclists and other Uptown travelers, and the opportunity to connect over 40 miles of bikeways into and across Uptown Charlotte, is worth the relatively minor impact to drivers. That tradeoff is consistent with the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, the Strategic Energy Action Plan, and our commitment to providing safe and comfortable transportation choices for all Charlotteans, no matter how they choose to travel. Also, separated bike facilities have been shown to benefit businesses, promote public health and wellness, reduce emissions, and encourage more people to ride a bicycle.

Additional Resources

​Key Connections to Other Bikeways

The Uptown CycleLink network is anticipated to connect over 40 miles of bikeways into and across center city Charlotte, enabling safe and comfortable bicycle commuting in a transformative new way. The Uptown Cyclelink project team is currently working towards completion of the feasibility study which will determine the preferred side of the street and review cross-sections and overall traffic operations. The Uptown CycleLink corridors will connect important existing and planned facilities including:

Video Gallery