A train on the LYNX Blue Line Extension is seen in Mecklenburg County. The Metropolitan Transit Commission in Charlotte on Feb. 27 approved a long-term plan to extend a new light rail route into Gaston County.
CATS/Special to the Gazette (TNS)
Leaders of the large and complex project to bring to connect Gaston County to uptown Charlotte via light rail held a virtual meeting Tuesday evening to provide an update.
Most recently, leaders brought the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) LYNX Silver Line project into the pre-project development phase. Once completed, the Silver Line will stretch 26 miles from Belmont to Matthews, through uptown Charlotte.
Gaston County residents could board the light rail along Wilkinson Boulevard in Belmont and not only commute to their uptown Charlotte jobs, but also visit popular Charlotte destinations, such as Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, BB&T Ballpark, Bojangles' Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium.
Project leaders are actively making refinements to the proposed alignment of the light rail -- also called the locally preferred alternative (LPA) -- as well as looking at ways to incorporate residential and retail opportunities along the light rail in a pedestrian-friendly manor.
The pre-project development phase is scheduled to continue through 2024. The estimated cost of the entire Silver Line and finalized design plans will likely be presented after 2024.
Alignment of light rail
On the Gaston County side, the Silver Line would start near the intersection of Park Street and Wilkinson Boulevard – in the area formerly occupied by Sub Corral -- continue along the north side of Wilkinson Boulevard and cross the Catawba River.
The Silver Line would cross Browntown Road, Crest Drive, Wallace Avenue, Priscilla Street, Patterson Street and Hazeline Avenue in Belmont, and would not require the reconstruction of Wilkinson Boulevard.
"We don't have to rebuild the road and that has a lot less impact and cost," said Andy Mock, senior engineer for the Wilver Line project. "Having a side-running conditional allows for the platform to be directly adjacent to the parking, which just takes out some barriers for folks to get out of their vehicle and get into the train."
However, many cross streets and driveways in Belmont, as well as just east of the Catawba River, must be reconstructed and rerouted.
Mock said projects leaders are also considering staring the Silver Line between the two entrances of the Montcross shopping center along Wilkinson Boulevard.
This option would start the Silver Line either in the median of Wilkinson Boulevard or on the north side of the road.
Similar to many busy Charlotte intersections along the Blue Line, the light rail would cross over Park Street on a large, aesthetic bridge if the Silver Line began west of Park Street.
"Those are some different ideas we've been kicking around," Mock said. "We do recognize that there are significant traffic issues there."
Running the Silver Line in the middle of Wilkinson Boulevard would require the complete reconstruction of the road. Mock added that two more bridges would be needed to cross in and out of the median on either side of the Catawba River.
"The pro of that option is that it does maintain the side streets and driveways," Mock said.
The proposed Sliver Line alignment avoids impact to Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park, which sits just south of Wilkinson Boulevard at the Catawba River bridge.
Several studies dating back to 1998 led up to the Silver Line team identifying the proposed light rail alignment.
Mock said it's too early to tell not only the cost of the entire Silver Line but also how many properties will be impacted by construction.
"We're very far from understanding the footprint of this project and what the right of way needs will be," Mock said. "Flash forward a couple years and we do complete the design... we will then approach each particular property owner with a proposal for the property that's needed and we would seek to reach a settlement with each property owner acquire the property necessary for the project."
Train to Gastonia
CATS leaders are also helping with a study alongside te Centralina Regional Council and Connect Beyond to eventually expand off the Silver Line project to connect 12 counties outside of Mecklenburg County, including Cleveland, Lincoln and York counties.
"Any kind of connections to downtown Gastonia or any jurisdictions along the U.S. 74 corridor would be a part of that effort," said Jason Lawrence, CATS senior transit planner. "We will be wrapping up that study by the end of next year and will be coordinating with the LYNX Silver Line efforts."
Gastonia City Council already agreed to provide $20,000 for the study, as well as $50,460 equivalent of employee staff time, according to previous reports.
Part of the study means honing in a unified vision for public transit across the region, according to Jason Wager, principal planner for the Centralina Council of Governments.
"We're talking about over 5,000 square-miles and about 2.6 million people," Wager said. "Trying to weave together across several different transit agencies and counties and jurisdictions, what does that regional vision look like? Right now it's fairly wide open."
You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette.
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(c)2020 Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, N.C.
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