Johnson C. Smith University station

Johnson C. Smith University
CityLynx streetcar station
Streetcar stop along Beatties Ford Road
General information
Location	162 Beatties Ford Road Charlotte, North Carolina United States
Coordinates	35°14′35″N80°51′30″W / 35.24300°N 80.85839°W / 35.24300; -80.85839
Owned by	Charlotte Area Transit System
Line(s)	CityLynx Gold Line
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	CATS: 7
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Bicycle facilities	Bicycle racks
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	August 30, 2021 (2021-08-30) [1]
Services
Preceding station CATS Following station French Street Terminus CityLynx Gold Line Bruns towards Sunnyside Avenue
Location

Johnson C. Smith University is a streetcar station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The at-grade island platform on Beatties Ford Road is a stop along the CityLynx Gold Line, serving Johnson C. Smith University and Five Points.

Location

Johnson C. Smith University station is located on Beatties Ford Road, flanked by nearby Mechanics and Farmers Bank (M&F Bank) and Johnson C. Smith University. Five Points, the intersection of Beatties Ford Road, Rozzelles Ferry Road, State Street, West Fifth Street, and West Trade Street, is one of the oldest intersections in the Mecklenburg County and the gateway to West End. With the university and various businesses at its core, it connects the historically black neighborhoods of Biddleville and Seversville, while also being one mile (1.6 km) from Uptown Charlotte. ^[2]

History

Johnson C. Smith University station was approved as a Gold Line Phase 2 stop in 2013. In tandem with the project, the Five Points Public Plaza project adds improvements to the area including a new public plaza, landscaping, pedestrian lighting, wider sidewalks, and various artwork; total cost of $5.5 million (2021 US dollars). ^[3] Construction began in Fall 2016 and was slated to open in early-2020, but various delays pushed out the opening till mid-2021. ^{[4] [5]} The station opened to the public on August 30, 2021. ^{[1] [6]}

Station layout

The station consists of an island platform with two passenger shelters; a crosswalk and ramp provide platform access from Beatties Ford Road. The station's passenger shelters house two art installations by George Bates. The windscreens are titled: The Worth of That, is That Which It Contains and That is This, and This With Thee Remains. The title comes from a 1954 JCSU yearbook excerpt referencing Shakespeare's sonnet 74. The micro and macro figures and images share the specific and general history of the area. ^[7]

References

1. "CityLYNX Gold Line". Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). Retrieved August 30, 2021.
2. "Five Points". Historic West End Charlotte. July 2, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
3. "Five Points Public Plaza". City of Charlotte . Retrieved September 19, 2021.
4. "CityLYNX Gold Line Street Car Project, Charlotte". Railway Technology. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
5. "CityLYNX Gold Line Phase 2: Update for June 19, 2020". City of Charlotte. June 19, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
6. WBTV Web Staff (August 30, 2021). "CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar officially up and running". WBTV . Retrieved August 30, 2021.
7. "George Bates". City of Charlotte. Retrieved September 19, 2021.

External links

• Media related to Johnson C. Smith University station at Wikimedia Commons
• Historic West End