Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Announces Research Team for Economic Impact Study of Transformational Mobility Network
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance announced today that the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) with North Carolina State University was selected to conduct an Economic Impact Study of the proposed Transformational Mobility Network projects recommended by the Charlotte MOVES Task Force earlier this year.
“As the largest economic development project in state history, this is a necessary and vital step in ensuring we are creating the right solutions that will drive responsible and equitable growth for the entire Charlotte Region,” said Kelly O’Brien, Chief Advocacy and Strategy Officer for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. “A project of this caliber and magnitude needs to be well-researched and thoroughly explored, and we are confident NC State’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education is the esteemed team to do that.”
The ITRE Economic team for the Transformational Mobility Network Economic Impact Study includes the following experts:
- Daniel Findley, PE, PhD – Senior Research Associate
- Steve Bert, MA, AICP – Team Lead, Economic & Policy Assessment Group
- Leta Huntsinger, PE, PhD – Director of Research, Systems Planning & Analysis
- Michael Walden, PhD – William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
This ITRE Economic Team has a long-standing history of conducting successful, in-depth economic studies for North Carolina and the Charlotte Region, including the State of Aviation report (2021) for the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation, the Modernizing North Carolina’s Infrastructure Through Sustainable and Diversified Revenue Streams (2020) for the North Carolina Chamber Foundation, and a series of economic impact studies of North Carolina’s greenways including Little Sugar Creek Greenway (2017).
“We have a strong team of dedicated researchers and economists who will apply the latest methods and models to develop a robust analysis for the proposed transportation improvements in the region. This team has completed more than 25 economic analyses for North Carolina transportation assets over the past 10 years and I’m confident that this team will be able to successfully deliver a useful study for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance,” said Dr. Daniel Findley.
A full report of the study is expected to be complete in late Summer 2021, and will be used to inform communities, stakeholders, and public officials of the economic outcomes of the recommended projects.
“The study will look not only to analyze the economic influence these projects could have within Mecklenburg County, but for all 15 counties within our bi-state region,” said O’Brien. “Our state has never seen an economic development project of this scale, so knowing the range of impact these historic plans could have on our region is a crucial part of the research process.”
Representatives from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and Institute for Transportation Research and Education will have Media Availability on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. Both Dr. Daniel Findley and Kelly O’Brien will be available for questions. To participate, members of the media should RSVP to Kaitlin Rogers at Krogers@CharlotteRegion.com.
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