REVITILIZING THE RIVERFRONT Last updated or reviewed on January 26, 2025 Skaters and bicyclists enjoy an afternoon on on the Wilma Dykeman Greenway, where they are often joined by families with children and dogs. Asheville’s riverfront is a special place. Whether you are interested in connecting to the State Farmers Market, The Arboreteum and Bent Creek along the western and southern sections of the legendary Wilma Dykeman Riverfront Master Plan, or spending time along the urban riverfront corridors where years of partnerships delivered on a vision to convert underutilized or transitional properties into parks and greenways, including unique districts for creative commerce and culture like Biltmore Village, Southside, and the River Arts District; or your concerns are fishing, paddling, nature based education and the environmental health of our region- the French Broad and the Swannanoa riverfronts are a place for you. Coming Soon: Planning for the riverfront in after the storm The City is working on a foundational report that will help the community with future planning efforts that can restore and strengthen the French Broad and Swannanoa riverfront’s status as a special economic, environmental, and cultural asset to the region. Since Helene, our community has generally needed to focus on immediate response efforts to support all of our regions residents. We are now getting close to the time when a collective planning effort can be designed and implemented. Stay tuned for more information. What the heck is the RADTIP? If you hear someone refer to RADTIP: The acronym stands for River Arts District Transportation Improvement Project, and it was a major design and construction project to re-build the transportation network along the east side of the French Broad River in the River Arts District. It was the centerpiece of a larger, decade-long effort with the community to renovate the greater River Arts District so that it supports its businesses, residents, artists, and the larger Asheville community’s vision as adopted in the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Master Plan. We used the transportation project as a springboard to reconfigure unsafe road intersections for better traffic flow, create a multi-use path along the river, build a new stormwater management network including 2 constructed wetlands for stormwater management, upgrade the area’s power transmission network, provide wide sidewalks for pedestrians, add bike lanes including the City’s first protected bike lane (Lyman Street section), add almost 200 new public parking spaces, provide about 9 acres of new parkland and install several new pieces of public art. Funding partners included the US DOT, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, the NCDOT, NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund, NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, and the City of Asheville. During that decade-long revitilization effort the number of artists and creative businesses in the River Arts District more than doubled. For construction related questions about the RADTIP contact Dustin Clemens. For questions about the design and planning of public spaces in the area, and the history of the City’s riverfront investments contact Stephanie Dahl, Planning and Urban Design Director News - Riverfront Redevelopment Adopted Plans and Illustrative Maps French Broad River Tree and Riparian Restoration Plan Wilma Dykeman Riverway Masterplan Riverside Drive Development Plan Comprehensive Plan Public Art Masterplan Map Tiger VI Construction RADHAM Map Resources RAD Form Based Code Riverfront Development Review Outdoor Special Events Asheville Area Redevelopment Commission The Asheville App 8 River Arts Place You can view the video recording of the 2020 Online Get-Together to celebrate the Grand Opening of the facilities in the River Arts District here. YouTube has removed parts of the video due to the use of certain songs. We are working to get permission to have the entire video available. The full recording includes an amazing house band, remarks from our Mayor Esther Manheimer, live poetry, remarks from the community, thanks to the funders, an interview with Charles Small, former Assistant U.S. Transportation Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs and more. Contact Information Stephanie Dahl, Director of Planning and Urban Design 828-337-4111