Both would affect University City residents.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission will set its priorities for the future at a meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center after a public hearing on the issue. The MTC has plans for six corridors of the city and county.

The big question now is whether the North Corridor should be built at the same time as the Northeast line, or postponed. If it becomes a priority, then the MTC would have to fill a $70 million funding shortfall for the $260 million North line.

University City leaders have lobbied the MTC to build the Northeast Corridor line next. It would help relieve traffic congestion in the area, which has steadily worsened in recent years.

The Northeast line, which would be an extension of the South line, is expected to cost up to $800 million. Despite the cost, it's likely to be the next leg of the line built, officials said.

The Northeast Corridor light rail line would run in the median of North Tryon, for the most part, connecting uptown to University City.

When combined with the South line, riders would be able to travel from I-485 in University City to I-485 in South Charlotte completely via train.

City officials believe both lines will spur redevelopment along the North Tryon corridor.

University City leaders have developed plans to create a second downtown on North Tryon with businesses fronting on the road, sidewalks and street parking. That plan depends on light rail coming.

The Northeast line is expected to qualify for federal funding because it projects a ridership of about 18,000, which is comparable to the projections for the South Corridor line.

"The Northeast Corridor probably has the best chance for rail," said Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, a member of the MTC.

Meanwhile, northern Mecklenburg County leaders are fighting to keep North Corridor commuter rail line as a priority. They say it will ease traffic congestion on Interstate 77. The North line would extend about 25 miles from uptown Charlotte to Mount Mourne with stops in University City, Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson.

The North line would only cost about $260 million to build, but it is already expected to be about $70 million short in funding because it is unlikely to qualify for federal funding. Funding shortages could delay its construction.

Mayors from cities in northern Mecklenburg County have been pushing for the North Corridor project, saying it will restore public trust in the MTC following serious problems with the South Corridor line, which has gone over budget because of design errors.

Huntersville Mayor Kim Phillips, a member of the MTC, said that the North Corridor line should get high priority.

"We have lost some of the public trust in this process," Phillips said. "The North Corridor has the least amount of price fluctuation and can be delivered the most easily. We need to remember that we need to regain the public trust by delivering something."

She said completing the North Corridor commuter rail line would have a large impact on a wide area. And the promise of that line has already influenced about $70 million worth of investment in the northern part of the county in the form of new transit-oriented residential development and improvements to N.C. 73.

McCrory said he wants to consider ways to build the North Corridor line cheaper such as getting used rail cars from other cities or postponing construction of some of the stations.