The West Corridor is one of the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) five rapid transit corridors.  The proposed West Corridor project is a 6.4 mile alignment that will operate Streetcar from Trade St to Cedar St to West Morehead St, then along Wilkinson Blvd to Harlee Ave, terminating at the airport employee parking lot on Harlee Ave.  The Streetcar will travel in mixed traffic in the curb lanes.  Ten stops have been identified.  No park and ride lots have been included.  The Streetcar will operate at 10-minute headways in the peak period, and 15-minute headways in the off-peak times and weekends.  Nine Streetcar vehicles will be required to operate this service.  This alternative assumes that the West Corridor Streetcar line would use the Center City Streetcar vehicle maintenance facility.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) reviewed study results for the proposed West Corridor transit project and adopted the following multi-phased approach for the West Corridor in August 2006:

1. Adopting Streetcar from Center City to the Airport as the long-term Locally Preferred Alternative
2. Implementing the current proposed / funded CMAQ project to upgrade bus service to the Airport (immediate)
3. Implementing Enhanced Bus improvements in the Wilkinson Boulevard, West Boulevard / Tyvola, and Freedom Drive corridors (near to mid-term)

On November 15, 2006, the MTC set the course for rapid transit for the next 24 years in Mecklenburg County by approving the 2030 Corridor System Plan and prioritizing the four remaining transit corridors and the streetcar with a schedule for advancement into design and construction.  The schedule proposed for the West Corridor project is as follows: