Charlotte Area Transit System's board has approved revisions to the proposed Lynx Silver Line light rail route, including extensions to Union and Gaston counties.
Wednesday's vote by the Metropolitan Transit Commission, which oversees CATS, means design work can continue on the 29-mile, east-west line through uptown Charlotte. It comes after months of public workshops that examined possible route alignments in six focus areas.
Revisions include extending the line west to Belmont in Gaston County, and southeast to Stallings and Indian Trail in Union County. The newly approved map also shows how the line will flow above ground through uptown: running east from Wilkinson Boulevard, just north of Bank of American Stadium, to 11th street and then south along 11th Street to Independence Boulevard.
The Silver Line also would include a stop at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Design work will continue under a multi-year $50 million contract with consultant WSP USA.
There's no timetable for construction. Many questions still have to be answered, including how CATS will pay the estimated $3-4 billion construction cost. CATS officials have said they hope to do so with a mix of federal, state and local funds.
CATS spokeswoman Ajonelle Poole said next steps for the project include a study of potential transit-oriented developments and land use along the line, and identifying station locations.
She said CATS plans another series of public workshops on those issues this summer.
