As part of the ongoing I-26 Connector project, the North Carolina Department of Transportation plans to close the Patton Avenue eastbound ramp to the Patton Avenue eastbound frontage road (Westgate Bridge) in late June. In anticipation of this change, two ART bus stops will be closed beginning June 22.
For more details on NCDOT’s work, visit NCDOT’s project page or email the project team at i26connector@ncdot.gov.
Eastbound Closures
As a result of this permanent ramp closure, the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) bus routes W5, WE1 and WE2 will bypass the Patton Avenue eastbound frontage road (Westgate Bridge) by continuing east on I-240 from Patton Avenue and exiting the highway at Exit 4B Patton Avenue Downtown.
Stop 914, Patton Avenue at Fed Ex, and Stop 915, Patton Avenue at Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, will close on June 22. For eastbound service, use Stop 913, Patton Avenue at Florida Avenue, or Stop 316, Patton Avenue at Clingman Avenue, as an alternate. The City posted closure signs at these stops on June 8 to give riders advance notice of this change.
Westbound Closure
The previously announced ramp closures on April 16 at Riverside Drive and Hill Street impact ART’s westbound service. Stop 154 at Riverside Drive and Hill Street will remain closed and passengers should now use the nearby Stop 311 at Atkinson Street and Hill Street.
The Westgate Shopping Center on the north side of I-240/Patton Avenue remains accessible at Stop 891 to passengers traveling westbound on bus routes W5, WE1, and WE2.
For the latest ART schedules, routes and alerts, visit ridetheart.com or sign up for iRide email notifications.