Right down the middle—study says Silver Line should change course
Written by RT&S Staff
Right now, the proposed Silver Line in Charlotte, N.C., skirts around the uptown area.
Cutting right through the heart of uptown is a lot better than a bypass.
That is the conclusion of an Urban Land Institute study on the Silver Line light-rail route in Charlotte, N.C. City officials currently have the original route avoiding Charlotte’s uptown segment due to cost concerns. However, the Urban Land Institute has suggested running Silver Line trains along a portion of Blue Line tracks through uptown.
Some transit advocates have questioned the planned route because there would not be a station close to where people worked in the city.
The study also called for more research to determine if the interline route is indeed the best. The Urban Land Institute said a previous analysis did not look into estimated costs, ridership, or how federal officials would evaluate the project. A line through the heart of Charlotte would have a better chance of winning federal funds, according to Urban Land’s study.
Instead of using some of the Blue Line tracks for the Silver Line route, the current plan calls for a bridge to be built over the Blue Line. Sharing a line would eliminate the need for the bridge, which could cut costs.
Charlotte may not reconsider based on the study. Many officials believe taking the route around the uptown area would stimulate economic development. However, the Silver Line is expected to cost $6.2 billion, and the hope is the federal government would provide half of the money. An uptown route would improve the Federal Transit Administration rating, which is used to allocate funding.
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