CATS will hold public online meetings on new Silver Line light rail corridor

The Charlotte Area Transit System will hold a series of six virtual public meetings, beginning Tuesday, on the alignment of the proposed Silver Line light rail route between Matthews and Belmont.

CATS will present route options for each of six legs of the 26-mile line, followed by question-and-answer sessions with the project team.

Charlotte City Council approved a $50 million contract last November to begin work on the project despite unanswered questions on how the city will pay its multi-billion-dollar cost.

The project has entered a phase of planning under the Federal Transit Administration that allows the public to comment before environmental studies of it begin. Public comments made through Oct. 14 will help the project team refine the alignment of the rail line and will be registered with the FTA.

More information on the project and how to attend the online meetings is at RideTransit.org/LYNXSilverLine.

All virtual meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m. The meeting schedule by focus area:

Tuesday: Wilkinson Boulevard (Belmont to Interstate 485).

Wednesday: Wilkinson Boulevard (I-485 to West Morehead Street).

Thursday: Center City (West Morehead Street to Charlottetowne Avenue).

Sept. 22: Independence Boulevard (Charlottetowne Avenue to Idlewild Road).

Sept. 24: Independence Boulevard (Idlewild Road to just south of I-485 at CPCC Levine).

Sept. 29: Union County Extension.