The prospect of developing a light rail line between Matthews and Uptown along Independence Boulevard was initially evaluated in 1985. By 1997, the Charlotte City Council voted, at the recommendation of an independent transit panel, for the development of a busway in the median of Independence in lieu of light rail. The decision to develop a busway over light rail was based on overall costs of $126 million for a busway versus $300 million for light-rail. However, by 1999 delays in the construction of the busway resulted in a renewed grassroots effort of rail advocates to have light rail placed along Independence. As a result of this campaign, Representative Robin Hayes, who served as a member of the House Transportation Committee, to design the busway in such a manner as to be adapted for light rail when it can be economically justified. In 2002, the Metropolitan Transit Commission recommended that the Independence corridor see the construction, but that as part of the initial engineering studies, light rail accommodation be considered. By 2006, a study released by the Charlotte Area Transit System indicated that the cost of light rail along the corridor would be roughly double that of a busway and have fewer riders. The estimates stated light rail on Independence would be in length at a cost of $585 million, with a projected ridership of 14,400 in 2030; and stated a busway would be in length at a cost of $315 to $325 million, with a projected ridership of 16,000 in 2030. In September, the MTC voted to delay on determining whether a busway or light rail should be built along the corridor until 2011. By October 2012, the MTC had voted in favor of a busway on interior lanes of the highway. However, in May 2013, a 30-member funding task force suggested a light rail line instead, at an estimated cost of $1.7 billion. The 2006 study had estimated the line would be 13.5 miles and be complete through Idlewild Road by 2022, to Sardis Road North by 2024 and finally to CPCC Levine by 2026. Additionally, the line would contain 3,350 parking spaces and 16 stations along the corridor at a cost of $582 million. In September 2016, after three years of further studies and consultations with area residents, CATS settled on light rail as the most viable option for the Silver Line. At the time, however, CATS lacked any further sources of funding to invest in future projects. John Lewis, the system's CEO, said he would wait for the Blue Line Extension to begin service in August 2017 before resuming discussions on how best to fund the new lines. A possible option could be to have neighboring counties contribute towards project costs. The Silver Line would come within less than a mile of the Union County border at the CPCC Levine Station. Lynx Silver Line will have 13 stations with about 10 having park-and-ride lots. In January 2019, CATS announced that the Silver Line would cross from Independence Boulevard over to 11th Street, run parallel to I-277 to North Graham Street, then turn south to link to the planned Gateway Station and continuation along the West Corridor.
West Corridor
The West Corridor was proposed as a streetcar line to serve as an extension for the LYNX network in Charlotte, North Carolina, initially slated for completion by 2034. It would connect Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in west Charlotte with the Charlotte Transportation Center in Uptown Charlotte. It was to follow a primarily east-west path along West Morehead Street and Wilkinson Boulevard, through west Charlotte. The first phase was estimated to be 6.4 miles with 10 stops. It was to be completed between Uptown and Ashley Road by 2029 at a cost of $163 million. The second phase between Ashley Road and the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport was scheduled for completion by 2034 at a cost of $324 million. In July 2018, CATS began a reevaluation of the West Corridor, which replaces the originally planned streetcar into two possible light rail routes from Belmont and Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Charlotte Center City and continuation along the planned Southeast Corridor to Matthews. The process involves a series of public meetings and various surveys to know where the public stands regarding the West Corridor and how each of the alternative options rank. In January 2019, CATS reaffirmed that the West Corridor would be a continuation of the Lynx Silver Line, from the planned Gateway Station, in Uptown, to Belmont. It was also confirmed that the route would travel along Wilkinson Boulevard, dropping the alternative routing along Alleghany and Tuckaseegee roads. On February 27, 2019, the Metropolitan Transit Commission unanimously approved to merge the West Corridor into the Lynx Silver Line.
