If CATS doesn’t receive federal money for the Silver Line, it’s doubtful the project can move forward. The federal government paid for half of the Lynx Blue Line. They also didn’t explore which route would make it most likely to secure federal dollars. Funding questions unexploredĬATS officials did not discuss which route would have the most riders at Monday’s meeting. The Urban Land Institute said that would make it more likely to receive federal funding, which is crucial for the project to move forward. “If you go back and look at the investment that South End has seen over the last cycle, you are talking about a billion dollars of investment,” Dodson said.Įarlier this year, CATS said the shared Blue Line route would draw higher ridership. The Charlotte Area Transit System considered three alignments for the proposed Silver Line.īut Tracy Dodson, the city’s economic development director, said the northern route could do for the north side of uptown what the original light rail line did for South End. The northern route would pass by about 56,000 jobs. The Gold Line route would pass by about 100,000 jobs, while the Blue Line alignment would go by about 91,000 jobs. The whole Silver Line has been estimated to cost at least $8.1 billion, but that's a preliminary figure.ĬATS officials also said the northern route would go closer to where more people live, but would be farther from where they work. In a presentation to council members, the Charlotte Area Transit System said the northern route would cost about $600 million more than using the Blue Line or Gold Line tracks. Several rail transit systems have lines share tracks, a process known as “interlining.” The city also considered using the existing Gold Line streetcar tracks on Trade Street. The reason: Officials hope to ignite another South End-style building boom in a part of uptown that’s long been underdeveloped.īut earlier this year, the Urban Land Institute proposed the city use the existing Blue Line tracks through uptown. The northern route has been the city’s preferred plan. ![]() Or should it share the existing Lynx Blue Line or Gold Line streetcar tracks to bring passengers through the center of uptown, and closest to Trade and Tryon?.Should it run alongside Interstate 277 north of uptown to spur more development?.The Charlotte City Council’s transportation committee voted 4-1 Monday to back a route for the Silver Line light-rail that would have it skirt uptown instead of going to the heart of center city.įor several years, the city has had a back-and-forth over how the proposed Silver Line from Matthews to the airport should go through the city's center:
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