If you’re interested in seeing how the Monroe Road corridor can be more bike and pedestrian friendly, plan to attend the Silver Line Rail Trail – Open House:
Monday, March 27
6 – 7:30pm (drop in)
Independence Regional Library
Open House
CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System) invites you to an Open House on Monday night at the Independence Library. Drop in between 6 and 7:30 pm to review alignment options and to give your feedback on priorities for the Village Lake / Woodberry Forest segment of the Silver Line Rail Trail.
How would you bike or walk to the Village Lake Station from where you live or work?
The Rail Trail will not only be used for transit access, but for jogging, cycling, commuting, dog walking and a variety of other activities. It will also connect to more than a dozen local and regional trails and open spaces.
Read on to learn more.
What is the Silver Line Rail Trail?
When completed, the Silver Line Rail Trail will be a 29-mile user-friendly route that accommodates walkers and bikers of all abilities. Ultimately, the path will extend from Belmont, NC to Indian Trail in Union County. But first, Phase A, would begin at the Charlotte Gateway Station in Uptown, and extend to the town of Matthews (covering 15-miles; including 18 stations & 1 maintenance facility).
The Silver Line Rail Trail will be…
- A continuous east-west route that is comfortable for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Comfort means that the trail will be user-friendly – separated from motorized traffic where possible, easily accessible from many points, and intuitively navigable.
- A premier trail experience! The trail will accommodate a variety of users, not just commuters, and will seek opportunities to offer moments of discovery, play, education, and exploration. High-quality amenity stations, public art, a comprehensive wayfinding approach, and thoughtful integration with station areas and surrounding land uses will all contribute to a unified trail experience.
- An attraction for new residents and businesses along the corridor. The trail will broaden the customer base and foot traffic for businesses looking to cater to trail and transit users, and new businesses will subsequently attract more trail users who like that there are places to eat, drink, or shop along the way. The trail will also connect to major employment centers along the corridor, making it easier for commuters to bike to work.
The Big Picture
There are three projects within the Silver Line Light Rail:
- LYNX light rail track design and operations
- TOD (transit-oriented development): station area planning and neighborhood connectivity
- Rail trail bike and pedestrian corridor planning
Rail Trail Phase 1
Phase 1 of the Silver Line Rail Trail Study was completed in June 2021. It provided vision and guidance on how to integrate a rail trail that will not only provide transit access to transit riders, but will also provide access, mobility, economic and recreational opportunities to communities within the future LYNX Silver Line corridor. The Phase 1 study outcomes include a conceptual rail trail alignment that complements the light rail alignment; amenity and placemaking recommendations; and corridor preservation recommendations.
Rail Trail Phase 2
Phase 2 for the Silver Line Rail Trail Study aims to advance and refine specific segments of the trail alignment within the Phase A light rail extent (from Charlotte Gateway Station eastward to the Town of Matthews). Segments being studied were identified during Phase 1 because they may have needed additional planning work, coordination with the design team and agencies, and/or community engagement to define a preferred trail alignment.
Segments in this phase include:
- The Village Lake/Woodberry Forest segment: Conference Drive to Monroe Road (approx. 1.5 mi)
- Plaza Midwood segment: Central Avenue station to Pecan Avenue station (approx. 0.75 mi)
- Coliseum segment: Morningside station to Amity Gardens station (approx. 1.75 mi)
Look for an Open House focusing on the Coliseum segment of the Silver Line Rail Trail in Summer of ’23. We’ll share as soon as we have details.
Monroe Road Advocates (MoRA) is grassroots group of volunteers from Monroe Road neighborhoods, businesses, nonprofits, and schools. We’re connecting community in the corridor from Lupie’s/7th Street to NC-51.
