[8] As a result of this campaign, Representative Robin Hayes, who served as a member of the House Transportation Committee, to design the busway in such a manner as to be adapted for light rail when it can be economically justified.

[9] In 2002, the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) recommended that the Independence corridor see the construction, but that as part of the initial engineering studies, light rail accommodation be considered.

By 2006, a study released by the Charlotte Area Transit System indicated that the cost of light rail along the corridor would be roughly double that of a busway and have fewer riders.

[5] In September 2016, after three years of further studies and consultations with area residents, CATS settled on light rail as the most viable option for the Silver Line.

[14][15] The West Corridor was proposed as a streetcar line to serve as an extension for the LYNX network in Charlotte, North Carolina, initially slated for completion by 2034.

[16][17][18] In January 2019, CATS reaffirmed that the West Corridor would be a continuation of the Lynx Silver Line, from the planned Gateway Station, in Uptown, to Belmont.

[20] In early 2021, CATS released the refined locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Silver line, accompanied with a series videos and a website showing what they considered and why they choose the routing and stations identified.

[4] The following is a breakdown of the refinement, broken into six focus areas, all of which is subject to change: On April 28, 2021, the MTC adopted the locally preferred alternative.