Charlotte’s next rail line will cost billions. Where should the Silver Line stop?

The Charlotte Area Transit System will hold a series of five meetings, starting next week, to solicit public comment on the route and station locations of the proposed 26-mile light rail line called the Silver Line.

As proposed, the line would have 28 stations between Matthews, past uptown Charlotte, to Belmont in Gaston County. Charlotte City Council in November approved an initial $50 million over five years to begin design work.

The meetings will also address the development that’s expected to spring up around the rail line and development of a bike and pedestrian trail that would run beside it.

Despite initial funding by city council, it’s still unclear how the city would pay the estimated $3 billion to $4 billion for the rail line. Regular public meetings are required in order for CATS to compete for federal funding, which paid for about half of the Blue Line that opened in 2007 and its extension in 2018.

Meeting times and locations:

▪ Tuesday, 7-8:30 p.m., Mathews Town Hall, 232 Matthews Station St.

▪ Wednesday, noon-2 pm., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Main Library, 310 N. Tryon St.

▪ Thursday, 7-8:30 p.m., Central Piedmont Community College’s Harris Auditorium, 3210 CPCC Harris Campus Dr.

▪ March 17, 7-8:30 p.m., Warehouse 242, 2307 Wilkinson Blvd.

▪ March 19, 7-8:30 p.m., International House, 1817 Central Ave.