Planning for a Growing Region
The Charlotte region is among the fastest growing in the nation and is projected to add more than 1.6 million people between 2018 and 2050. Across Centralina’s nine-county region, this growth brings increasing commute distances, limited transit connectivity outside Mecklenburg County, and rising pressure on infrastructure.
CONNECT Centralina: A Regional Approach to TDM
To address these challenges, the CONNECT Beyond Regional Mobility Plan called for a coordinated Regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program—now realized through CONNECT Centralina.
The program supports local governments, employers, and institutions in reducing drive-alone trips and expanding access to sustainable commuting options. See the full Regional TDM Plan HERE.
Pilot Highlights: Turning Strategy into Action
Centralina identified several “TDM Hot Spots”. These are areas with high travel demand but limited access to alternative mobility options. Six pilot sites across Gaston, Mecklenburg, and Union counties were selected to represent a mix of higher education, healthcare, and major employment centers. Each site received a tailored needs assessment and action plan to advance mode shift and reduce congestion.
- Wingate University: Partnered with Disability Rights NC on hands-on transit training to build confidence and independence among students, showing how education can shift travel behavior.
- Mitchell Community College: Promoted carpooling through Share the Ride NC, increased ICATS transit awareness, and used survey data to tackle barriers between campuses.
- CPCC Levine Campus: Enhanced access to multimodal information by updating online resources for CATS and Union County Transit and promoting carpool options.
- Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital: Collaborated with partners to improve transit links, crosswalk safety, and wayfinding, reducing reliance on private vehicles.
- University Area Employment Center: Supported employer-based TDM through employee commute surveys, shuttle promotion, and shared-ride programs to ease parking demand.
- SouthPark Community Partners: Used GIS-based micromobility data and stakeholder coordination to strengthen first/last-mile connections and support mode shift investments.
Building on these successes, CONNECT Centralina will scale these approaches, working to integrate TDM into planning across the nine-county region.
