Earlier this year, the City of Asheville announced a two-phase ART Transit Station improvement project. The first phase, completed in the first half of the year, replaced the stormwater drainage system in the bus travel lanes and sidewalk. The next phase, renovation of the ART Station itself, is about to begin!
At their July 23 meeting, City Council authorized a budget amendment of $1.08 million to fund the second phase of the ART Transit Facility Renovation Project. Funding includes $214,000 from the Federal Transportation Administration and the rest comes from the City’s assigned fund balance.
The project is now expected to get under way in a few weeks and last through the end of the year, possibly into winter 2020.
The renovation will improve the passenger experience by renovating the passenger waiting area and bathrooms, updating digital displays, and updating the lighting. Of note, this phase of the project will also incorporate the installation of solar panels on the ART Station passenger canopy, making this the City of Asheville’s first fully renewable energy project.
The City will make every effort to mitigate impacts to our valued riders and the buses will run as scheduled. As with the first phase of the project riders will, at times, need to be loaded onto buses on Asheland Avenue.
We appreciate your patience — and especially your ridership — while we make these important upgrades and renovations to the ART Bus Station.
Here is a link to the staff report presented to Council prior to their vote. Find more information at this link on the City of Asheville website.