I-485/South Boulevard station

I-485/South Boulevard is a light rail station for the LYNX Blue Line in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. The station, which features an island platform that sit between the two tracks and the largest park and ride along the line, is located adjacent to Sterling Elementary School off South Boulevard, a major north - south route through Charlotte. Notable places nearby the station include the Carolina Pavilion and Carolina Place Mall.HistoryOriginally, the southern terminus for the Blue Line was proposed for downtown Pineville, near NC 51. In 2002, the southern end was moved approximately 1.5mi to the north along South Boulevard at its present location as a result of low projected ridership figures for the proposed downtown Pineville station. The station officially opened for service on Saturday, November 24, 2007, and as part of its opening celebration fares were not collected. Regular service with fare collection commenced on Monday, November 26, 2007. This is the southern terminus of the Blue Line. In 2015, the island platform was lengthen to allow three-car trains at the station.ServicesThe station was designed for commuters in mind with its location being near the Interstate 485 (I-485), with the construction of a large underground parking garage serving commuters from southern Mecklenburg County and South Carolina. The garage is the only one constructed along the line, and was built in a ravine adjacent to Sterling Elementary School. The 1,120 space garage was completed at a cost of $22.9 million, with the top floor featuring a playing field for the adjacent school. In November 2008, an additional 54 space parking lot was opened to the east of the station platform due to frequent overflow conditions. By August 2009, digital signs were added to the garage to alert motorists as to how many spaces remain prior to entering the facility.