Charlotte’s Silver Line light rail may extend further east, but Matthews is still out of reach, officials say

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Possible changes to Charlotte’s planned Silver Line light rail could extend the project farther east, but doing so may require significant adjustments to the current plan.

The Charlotte Area Transit System is exploring options that could reduce costs while improving efficiency, with the goal of potentially pushing the line deeper into east Charlotte.

“It’s very exciting to move forward with the Silver Line project,” Andy Mock, the senior project manager for the LYNX Silver Line, said.

The current plan calls for a 10-mile line running from near Charlotte Douglas International Airport to the Bojangles Coliseum area.

Now, five different options are being considered — all of which will require public feedback.

“The first option or strategy is a consolidation of stations on the west side,” Mock said.

That could mean combining stations such as Remount and Berryhill, a move that could also speed up service.

Other options include removing the Summit station due to limited access in a tight corridor near Interstates 77 and 277, shifting tracks along 11th Street and eliminating the First Ward station. On the east side, officials are also considering moving the Coliseum station from behind the Bojangles Coliseum complex to a more visible location along Independence Boulevard.

RELATED: Matthews mayor lashes out after being left out of rail expansion: ‘Everyone in Mecklenburg County should be outraged’

Even with those potential changes, officials say the savings would not be enough to extend the line to Matthews.

“We remain a little frustrated. There is just simply not enough money to bring the light rail all the way to Matthews,” Mayor John Higdon said. “It would require, I think, another $2.4 billion and a tax increase, and that’s something we don’t have the stomach for, especially those of us in Matthews.”

If adopted, the proposed changes could allow the Silver Line to extend one or two additional stops, which would be Sharon Amity and Conference, but the project would still require further study and review before any final decisions are made.

CATS is taking comments on this until May 1. Click here to learn more. 

Contact Walker Lawson at wlawson@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

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