How will a new rail line run from Matthews through uptown Charlotte?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Area Transit System officials said staff has been working for more than a year to build a multibillion-dollar rail line from Matthews to uptown Charlotte.

The Silver Line would run from Matthews and eventually out to the airport. But the big question is, how will it enter uptown?

[LINK: New LYNX Silver Line proposal]

The Metropolitan Transit Commission is deciding from among four options, which include a tunnel under uptown or traffic permanently cut off from a busy road.

"We looked at a tunnel,” CATS CEO John Lewis said. “We looked at going along the current blue line interlining with the gold line streetcar.”

CATS recommended another option they call the Lynx North Corridor.

[PAST COVERAGE: CATS considers options to connect Charlotte Douglas to uptown]

"Further explore the north alignment, which will take us along the 11th Street area running parallel with the Norfolk Southern rail line,” Lewis said. “Accessing Charlotte Gateway station, which is under development, and then connecting to Wilkinson (Boulevard) to the airport and beyond."

It doesn't include a tunnel, but it would include graded separation, meaning there will be places where the tracks are above street level and could even go over highways.

"There are other areas particularly as we're going over rail lines or highways where we're actually bridging over,” Lewis said.

CATS estimates that if approved, the silver line to Matthews and the red line to Lake Norman could cost between $6 billion to $8 billion.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission is expected to vote next month on the recommendation.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group