CATS to Shut Down Lynx Blue Line Service During Obama Visit

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CHARLOTTE, NC — President Obama’s visit Wednesday afternoon is expected to cause travel headaches starting around lunch time.  We’ve learned Cats will shut down Lynx Blue Line service into Uptown from 12:30 to 4:30pm.

UPDATE:

The Charlotte Area Transit System will temporarily interrupt LYNX Blue Line Service on Wednesday, April 15.  The service interruption will begin at 12:30 p.m. and end no later than 4:30 p.m.  Train service will not be provided during this time to stations beyond Carson Station. Train service will operate every 10 minutes between the I-485/South Blvd. Station and Carson Station.

Customers can make a connection from Carson Station to the Charlotte Transportation Center (CTC) via the LYNX Connector bus.  The bus will load and unload passengers at Bay V located on the Brevard Street side of the CTC.  Other LYNX stations in Uptown, including 7th Street Station, will not be served by the LYNX Connector.  Each affected station will have signage directing riders to the nearest bus stop.  Look for the bus stop that says “LYNX Connector.”  When the bus approaches, the headway sign will say “LYNX Connector.”  It will operate every 10 minutes from Carson Station and the CTC.  Ambassadors will also be at stations to assist riders with directions.

Regular local fare will be required and serves as a transfer. Tickets can be purchased at the open LYNX stations from the ticket vending machines. Customers paying for their ride on the bus will need cash and exact change. The bus driver cannot make change and the fareboxes do not accept credit cards.

The President and Air Force One are expected to land at Charlotte-Douglas, then the motorcade will travel to Uptown for a town hall meeting at the ImaginOn Library, where Obama will talk about economic and family issues.

We caught up with Charlotte blogger Jen Decurtins who’s been invited to the event and plans to ask the President about equal pay for women in the workplace.

“Many of my clients, students and readers are greatly impacted by the pay discrepancies, and they find themselves in situations where the men they work with may be being paid more than they are, but there’s no transparency and they’re not encouraged to talk about it in the workplace,” said Decurtins.

Decurtins says she never thought her blog would give her this opportunity to meet the President.

You can count of WCCB Charlotte for live coverage of the President’s visit on air and online.  We will be at the Air National Guard base when Air Force One lands Wednesday afternoon.  We will also bring you President Obama’s remarks from ImaginOn.