In This Issue

	Light Rail Revives Charlotte’s South End
	Judge Favors TxDOT’s Toll Road Campaign
	Losing I-35W Bidders File Protest

Light Rail Revives Charlotte’s South End

North Carolina - Growth is booming in the south end of Charlotte City ever since construction began on the South Corridor light rail line, city planners say. Residential growth has been particularly high over the last few years, reviving the area. Realtors in the uptown area of Charlotte say light rail is definitely one of the biggest draws for new projects.

“There has been an increased interest in the South End within the last two years,” said Tim Manes, planning coordinator with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission. “We are starting to see more projects in the preliminary design stage, rezoning stage and even formal transit-oriented development approval stage.”

A four-story condominium building is under construction just 500 feet north of the Bland Street light rail stop, and work has begun on an 11-story high-rise apartment building facing the South Corridor light rail line.

Judge Favors TxDOT’s Toll Road Campaign

Texas - Public money can be used legally to promote toll roads, according to a ruling by an Austin judge, after an anti-toll road group requested a temporary restraining order to stop the Texas Department of Transportation’s campaign.

The San Antonio anti-toll group, Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, claims it is against state law to use tax dollars for activities such as lobbying Congress. That request was declined Monday by Travis County District Judge Orlinda Naranjo. She said the law allows TxDOT to educate the public about toll roads and other transportation needs.

TxDOT’s plans to spend from $7 million to $9 million promoting toll roads has triggered widespread criticism from state representatives, city officials and newspaper editorial columns. A hearing on the lawsuit itself is scheduled for next week, said state officials.

Losing I-35W Bidders File Protest

Minnesota - Two losing bidders for the contract to replace the I-35W bridge in Minnesota submitted an administrative protest last week, questioning MnDOT’s decision to select a company with a more costly bid and later completion date.

Two of the region’s largest firms, C.S. McCrossan Construction Inc. and Ames/Lunda jointly filed a claim stating they were “misdirected” by MnDOT “regarding the type of proposal required by the state,” according to their attorney. The firms state that if they had known what MnDOT was looking for, their proposals would have contained similar designs to the winning bidder, but for tens of millions of dollars less and a shorter construction period. The firms claim MnDOT’s methods for rating proposers technical abilities was flawed, calling the comparatively low scores they received “arbitrary and capricious and not supported by any credible or substantive evidence.”

With the highest technical score, Flatiron Constructors and Johnson Bros. Construction jointly won the contract, with a bid that was $57 million more than the lowest bid, and 70 days longer than the fastest construction time proposed. The Flatiron received the highest technical score, and MnDOT spokesman Kevin Gutknecht said the state stands behind its process, which was done in accordance with state law.