Scaleybark station explained

Scaleybark
Style:CATS
Type:LYNX light rail station
Country:United States
Coordinates:35.1908°N -80.875°W
Connections: CATS: 12, 30 [1]
Structure:At-grade
Tracks:2
Bus Stands:2
Architect:Ralph Whitehead Associates
Opened:November 24, 2007
Accessible:yes
Owned:Charlotte Area Transit System
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail-light
Zoom:15

Scaleybark is a light rail station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The at-grade dual side platforms are a stop along the Lynx Blue Line that serves the nearby neighborhoods of Colonial Village, Collingwood, and York Road.

Location

The station is located in the median of South Boulevard at Whitton Street and is accessible by pedestrian crossing at intersection. The immediate area is currently in the midst of a redevelopment, spearheaded by Beacon Partners; which will transform the area into a 15acres mixed-use development called LoSo Station.[2] [3] Nearby, several breweries and distilleries are located in the area.

Artwork

Furrow, completed in 2007, was created by Raleigh artist Thomas Sayre, are six disks each are in height and weigh in at 11 tons each. Commissioned by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), as part of the CATS Art in Transit program, the shapes of the sculpture resembles that of a plow's disk harrows, and are located at the ends of the median approaching the platform. The materials utilized in the creation of the disks included 72 cubic yards of dirt excavated from the site of the I-485/South Boulevard station. The dirt was mixed with concrete tinted with iron oxide and applied to the steel discs in the Scaleybark parking lot. Each disc measures only in width, and have been engineered to withstand hurricane-force winds. Originally, Sayre's vision called for a disk near Clanton Road and three additional disks, ranging between to in height at Scaleybark.[4] [5]

A canceled public art project for Scaleybark called for the restoration of the neighboring Queens Park Theater tower sign. To be created by New York City artist R.M. Fisher, the restored landmark was to have featured lighted panels at the base with backlighted paintings of long leaf pines, the North Carolina state tree.[6] The project was eliminated in January 2005 due to escalating overall costs for the project as a whole.[7]

History

The station officially opened for service on Saturday, November 24, 2007, and as part of its opening celebration fares were not collected.[8] Regular service with fare collection commenced on Monday, November 26, 2007.[8] Although it is named the Scaleybark station, it is actually located opposite Scaleybark Road across South Boulevard at its intersection with Old Pineville Road in a wide median.[9] It has side platforms, which sit on either side of the tracks, and a 315-space park and ride to the west across South Boulevard.

In 2019, the park and ride was temporarily relocated to a new location along Dewitt Lane, while the former lot location along Whitton Street was redeveloped as part of the LoSo Station mixed-use development. Beacon Partners, which is leading the 15acres project, says that the park and ride will eventually be reincorporated.[2] The three bus stands along Whitton Street were also relocated and reduced to two bus stands along southbound South Boulevard, catercorner to the station at Whitton Street. In April 2022, the agreement between Beacon Partners and CATS regarding the park and ride officially ended and was closed to commuters, with the temporary lot to be developed.[10]

Incidents and accidents

Station layout

The station consists of two side platforms and six covered waiting areas; other amenities include ticket vending machines, emergency call box, and bicycle racks. The station also features several art installations including Bas-reliefs entitled Hornbeam, by Alice Adams. Mexican Bingo motifs on both the pavers and shelters, by Leticia Huerta; and track fencing with sweetgum leaves, by Shaun Cassidy.[13]

Two bus stands are located along southbound South boulevard, catercorner to the station at Whitton Street.[1]

SouthboundLynx Blue Line toward (Woodlawn)
NorthboundLynx Blue Line toward

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Scaleybark Station . . May 19, 2017.
  2. News: Big development in works for Lower South End, near Scaleybark light rail station . Esposito . Gina . January 30, 2019 . . Charlotte, NC . October 10, 2021.
  3. News: Here's what's planned and underway after string of real estate deals near Lynx Scaleybark Station . Fahey . Ashley . May 26, 2021 . . October 10, 2021.
  4. News: Maschal . Richard . Sculptures rise amid transit debate . The Charlotte Observer . 1A . September 25, 2007.
  5. Web site: BLE Artist Sayre . Charlotte Area Transit System . February 20, 2021.
  6. News: Whitacre . Dianne . Light rail artists craft functional forms . The Charlotte Observer . 1B . September 9, 2004.
  7. News: Whitacre . Dianne . Light rail: Higher prices, later arrival . The Charlotte Observer . 1A . January 11, 2005.
  8. News: Steve . Harrison . Kristen Valle . Light rail, heavy traffic - Thousands wait in lines for a free ride on 1st day . The Charlotte Observer . 1A . November 25, 2007 .
  9. News: Whitacre . Dianne . Changes for drivers too: Median to split part of South Boulevard . The Charlotte Observer . 1B . January 26, 2006.
  10. News: Smoot . Hannah . Scaleybark Park and Ride lot closed to CATS riders. These are the other options. . April 12, 2022 . . April 12, 2022.
  11. News: Bethea . April . LYNX train kills man . The Charlotte Observer . 1A . November 12, 2007.
  12. News: . Flash mob blows bubbles to brighten commute . The Charlotte Observer . 3B . July 11, 2009.
  13. Web site: Scaleybark Station: Art in Transit . Charlotte Area Transit System . 2008-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080518075123/http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/LYNX/Scaleybark+Road+Station.htm . May 18, 2008.