/ The city experimented with a bus-only lane on Central Avenue, but more than 1,200 people signed a petition in opposition. Will the idea spread elsewhere in Charlotte?
For six months, commuters and residents near Central Avenue in east Charlotte faced an unfamiliar sight: “BUS ONLY” emblazoned on one general-purpose lane in each direction, in the city’s first large-scale experiment with giving buses priority over cars.
It’s an idea the city is now considering on other busy bus corridors throughout Charlotte. On Central Avenue, transit advocates and riders were excited to see a new tactic tried in a Sun Belt city that’s long grown by following private cars into the sprawling suburbs.