LYNX Silver Line Light Rail

Welcome to the LYNX Silver Line Light Rail Online Open House! Here you will find updates on the ongoing planning and design efforts for the proposed LYNX Silver Line light rail. The comment period closed on November 28, 2021. The team is reviewing public input and will present results to CATS’s policy board, the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC).

The refined Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) was adopted in April 2021 by CATS’s policy board, the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC). The refined LPA is a proposed 29-mile light rail alignment from the City of Belmont in Gaston County, through Center City Charlotte and the Town of Matthews in Mecklenburg County, and into Stallings and Indian Trail in Union County. Public engagement will continue as CATS seeks valuable input for further refinement of the LYNX Silver Line light rail alignment and station locations.  

The project team continues to study and refine the planning-level alignment and station locations with the intention that MTC will adopt the proposed refinements and CATS will progress a light rail project through preliminary design and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The project team has been comparing the relative merits of refinement options through a framework of benefits and risks. This is similar to the process discussed during previous planning and public engagement efforts, including Early Scoping in the fall of 2020. 

Since April 2021 when the refined LPA was adopted by the MTC, the project team has continued to progress design and gather information from stakeholders related to improvement options. When options were identified, the project team conducted a comprehensive review of the benefits and risks to compare the adopted LPA to potential improvement options. If a potential option was identified as both the “least risk” and “most benefit,” then that option became the proposed refinement (or staff recommendation). If an option had high benefits but also high risks, then additional consideration was given to understanding whether the higher benefits outweighed the risks.

Based on the benefits and risks evaluation, these are the key factors leading to project team recommendations. As a result, there are five proposed refinements along the corridor that are being considered. These five refinements, detailed below, include adjustments to either stations or the alignment location that differ from what was previously adopted. As described above, the proposed refinements are being considered due to their ability to reduce the risk of potential negative impacts, their ability to increase the potential benefit provided by the alignment, or in some cases both. Continue scrolling to read more about the five proposed refinements.

• The previously approved Suttle Station would be moved to Berryhill Road and there would not be a station at Suttle Avenue.
• The Berryhill Station location allows for enhanced and safer station access across the existing roadway network from residential areas on either side of Wilkinson Boulevard.
• Stakeholders expressed support for shifting the station to Berryhill Road.
• There are few distinguishing risks in this station shift.

• An additional station at Summit Avenue provides enhanced access to the Wilmore neighborhood, the Gold District, and access to areas that would not be directly served by the currently adopted refined LPA.
• The feasibility to add a station at Summit Avenue is dependent upon what is included in the proposed NCDOT interchange modification. 
• Adding a new station to the alignment will increase the overall cost.

• A station in First Ward between Caldwell Street and Davidson Street creates a direct connection with the First Ward community and the many residents in the area.
• The proposed station addition provides higher quality transit access for low-income and minority residents nearby.
• Adding a new station to the alignment will increase the overall cost.
• There are existing residential uses in close proximity to the proposed station.
• Station spacing is consistent with an urban environment.

• The alignment would shift toward Fugate Avenue as shown by the dashed line on the map.
• The shifted alignment preserves an opportunity for adaptive reuse of the 8-story Golden Green Hotel building.
• Additionally, the shifted alignment costs less than the refined LPA alignment because it avoids a major business relocation.
• A shifted alignment may result in potential impacts to residences on the northwest end of Fugate Avenue.

• The alignment would shift from the center of Monroe Road to the rear side of the properties along Monroe Road as shown by the dashed line on the map.
• This shifted alignment reduces the number of property impacts and has fewer anticipated utility and real estate relocations; therefore, it costs less than the refined LPA.
• This alignment avoids reconstruction of Monroe Road in this area and the resulting temporary and permanent traffic impacts. This means less roadway closures and traffic detours associated with reconstruction efforts.
• The rear-side running option maintains a larger amount of space for potential redevelopment on properties fronting Monroe Road. 
• The rear-side running option provides more direct access to parcels and neighborhoods south of Monroe Road and also keeps Monroe Road more walkable.

Major transit investments such as the LYNX Silver Line typically are implemented in phases due to funding constraints. The 29-mile corridor would be one of the longest light rail corridors in the country; as such, it is appropriate to consider a phased approach to implementation.

CATS receives funding for operations of current transit services and the capital program (infrastructure projects) from rider fares and a combination of local, state, and federal funds. For service in Mecklenburg County, the local funds are from a county sales tax dedicated to public transit. Counties surrounding Mecklenburg County currently do not have dedicated funding for transit; therefore, only Mecklenburg County portions of the refined LPA are currently advancing at this stage of planning and design. Additional local funds will be needed in the future for later design stages, construction, and operations. Once the local funding source is secured, CATS will submit the LYNX Silver Line for a federal grant through the  Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) New Starts program . New Starts is a highly competitive program in which FTA will evaluate local financial commitment and project justification.

There are several factors that weigh into this phasing decision. Major considerations include:

Based on the factors listed previously, Phase A is recommended to begin in Center City at the Charlotte Gateway Station (CGS) and extend southeast to one of three alternative Southeast termini:

1) Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) Levine Campus

2) Downtown Matthews 

3) Matthews Township Parkway

Phase B would extend from CGS west to I-485 at Wilkinson Boulevard. Phase A would be planned, designed and constructed first.

Your input continues to be an important part of the planning process. Please review the information in this online open house. The meeting recordings below present information on:

• LYNX Silver Line status updates,
• proposed alignment and station refinements, and the
• proposed implementation and phasing strategy.

Both live virtual public meetings include the same presentation.

• Tuesday, October 19, 2021 Virtual Public Meeting Recording

Wednesday, October 20, 12 noon Virtual Public Meeting Recording

The comment period has closed. To contact the project team directly with your questions or to request printed materials, use the  email , phone numbers, or mailing address provided.

 Email   LYNXSilverLine@publicinput.com 

Phone 704-336-7433 (RIDE)

Project Voicemail 704-461-4441 Code:6636

Mail Charlotte Area Transit System

C/O Ms. Juliann Sheldon

600 E 4th Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

Call 704-336-7433 for the following translations: Tiếng Việt, 中文, français, русский, ગુજરાતી, 한국어, िहनदी, etc. Para Español,  haga clic aqui .