I-26 Connector Project Happening Now Now –The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is pending completion of the biological review with the Record of Decision (ROD) following no sooner than 90 days after the FEIS is issued. Ongoing – The I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Committee will be meeting at the NCDOT Division Office at 55 Orange Street on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Ongoing – Beginning the October 2019 through January, 2020, the I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Committee will also meet on the first Tuesday beginning on 10/1/19 from 2:00-4:30 P.M. located in Room 330 at the Buncombe County Building at 36 Woodfin Street (across from the YMCA). January 13, 2020 – Bowen Bridge Subcommittee meeting 11:00 A.M.-12:30 P.M. at 170 Montford Ave, Asheville NC 28801. Ongoing – The Bowen Bridge/Patton Avenue Subcommittee and the French Broad River Crossings and Flyovers Subcommittee of the I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Committee will be meeting at Fractals every Tuesday until further notice from 9:30 A.M. and 10:25 A.M., respectively. August 13, 2019, from 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. – Design charettes for French Broad River Crossing and Flyovers Subcommittee at 29 North Market Street, Suite 610. August 9, 2019 – The Design Guidelines Subcommittee Meeting of the I-26 Aesthetics Committee will be meeting at 171 Chestnut Street at 11:00 A.M. August 27th and September 3rd, 10th and 24th – The General Design Guidelines Subcommittee (GDG) to meet 10:30 am to 12:00 noon; and the French Broad River Bridge and Flyover Subcommittee (FBR) will meet at 12:00 Noon to 1:15 P.M. Current members of the GDG are Mike Zukoski and Susan Loftis, and current members of the FBR are Michael Adams and Susan Loftis. The public is welcome. October 8 and 22, 2019 – The General Design Guidelines Subcommittee will meet from 10:30 A.M. – Noon at 170 Montford Avenue. December 19, 2019 – A brief design charrette will be held Thursday, December 19, 2019, 11:00 A.M. -11:35 A.M. to finalize some detail design recommendations for the Riverside Cemetery Subcommittee of the Aesthetics Committee focusing very strictly on the physical details of the viaduct and the potential fencing separating the future greenway. The meeting will occur at the lower studio at 171 West Chestnut Street. Park on Montford and walk through the yard at 170 Montford to rear yard lower level of the carriage house. February 19, 2020 – The City’s I-26 Connector project internal working group will meet with the NCDOT and their consultant on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 3:00 pm at the NCDOT Division Office at 55 Orange Street. The purpose of the meeting will be to review the micro-simulation and hopefully the designs for the east side of the French Broad River. February 20, 2020 – The I-26 Working Group will be meeting from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM at the NCDOT Division Office located at 55 Orange Street. February 20, 2020 – The I-26 Aesthetics Committee will meet with NCDOT and AECOM consultants at the NCDOT Division Office at 55 Orange Street from 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM. March 3, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting has been moved to Thursday 3/5/20 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM – location TBD. March 17, 2020 – The regularly scheduled I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting is canceled until further notice. April 6, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting will be convening by GoToMeeting. April 21, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting will be convening by GoToMeeting April 23, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting – 2:30 PM-4:30 PM April 28, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Join by phone +1 414-909-5306 PIN: 487 190 827# May 5, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting – 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Join by phone +1 224-662-0458 PIN: 563 863 473# May 19, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting – 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Join by phone +1 234-719-4080 PIN: 676 224 928# June 2, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting – 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Join by phone +1 216-532-3858 PIN: 708 826 597# July 7, 2020 – I- 26 Aesthetics Committee Virtual Meeting – 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Join by phone +1 402-307-1598 PIN: 676 790 369# July 1, 2020 – Join Us for the I-26 Connector Project Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement Virtual Meeting: Join us for a webinar on Jul 01, 2020 at 9:00 AM EDT. Register now! [attendee.gotowebinar.com] A presentation about the I-26 Connector project and mitigation for historic properties in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Memorandum of Agreement After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. View System Requirements [link.gotowebinar.com] Link to NCDOT Website of Draft of Memorandum of Agreement: https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/asheville-i-26-connector/Pages/project-documents.aspx PUBLIC COMMENT TO NCDOT ENDS THROUGH FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2020. See link to submit comments: https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/asheville-i-26-connector/Pages/photos-videos.aspx I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Committee The I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Advisory Committee was established as an ad hoc committee to gather information and ideas about aesthetics to make the I-26 Connector project a cohesive and integrated part of Asheville. The Aesthetics Advisory Committee shall serve as a voice for interested parties represented by the Aesthetics Committee members and provide recommendations to the City about the aesthetics treatments. The new committee will typically meet on a monthly basis with special meetings on a case-by-case basis for an estimated one year period. Click HERE for the I-26 Connector Project Aesthetics Advisory Committee report to City Council Click HERE for an electronic application form. Supporting Documents Folder for the Aesthetics Advisory Committee I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Minutes 2018-to present April 4, 2020 – Meeting on State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO)/Riverside Cemetery I-26 Aesthetics Committee Report and Presentation to City Council on June 9, 2020. Background The proposed I-26 Connector project was first included in the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as project I-2513 in 1989. A working group was created at the request of the City of Asheville to discuss specific topics; including but not limited to the traffic forecast, visualizations, bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, design refinements, the creation of an Aesthetics Advisory Committee (AAC), noise policies, and abatement measures. Members of the working group include the City of Asheville, NCDOT project team, the consultant project team, Asheville Design Center, Buncombe County, and a minority community representative. The first working group meeting was held on March 24, 2016. Timeline November 16, 2015 – A public hearing was held in Asheville for the 2015 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). December 16, 2015 – The City of Asheville submitted comments for the 2015 DEIS. May 18, 2016 – The merger team chose Alternatives 4B, A, and F-1 as the Least Environmentally Damaging Preferred Alternative (LEDPA). December 4, 2018 – A public hearing was held in Asheville for the 2018 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Supporting Documents and Information I-26 Connector Project History Community Meeting Summaries – Google Folder Working Group Meeting Minutes – Google Folder Asheville City Council Resolutions – Google Folder Other Supporting Documents – Google Folder NCDOT I-26 Connector Project Page I-26 Aesthetics Committee Approved Resolutions I-26 Connector Project General Design Standards as of November 5, 2019 Burton Street Community Working Group I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Minutes from 2018-to present I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agendas with links to supporting documentation January 7, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda December 17, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda December 3, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda November 19, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda November 5, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda October 15, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda October 1, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda-the following links to documents: September 17, 2019 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Minutes; FEIS Comments and City Council Resolution; Report from French Broad River Bridge and Flyover Subcommittee. September 17, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda August 20, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda July 16, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda June 18, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda May 21, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda April 16, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda March 12, 2019 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda January 21, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda February 3, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda February 18, 2020-I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda February 20, 2020 I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda March 2, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda April 6, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda April 21, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda April 23, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda May 5, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda June 2, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda July 7, 2020 – I-26 Aesthetics Committee Meeting Agenda Contact Information Ken Putnam, PE Director, City of Asheville Transportation Department PO Box 7148 Asheville, NC 28802 828-259-5943 Kevin E. Moore, PE Senior Project Manager NCDOT Project Management Unit 919-707-6287 Updated 01/20/2020 Related Services Bicycle services Learn how to safely and securely bicycle in Asheville 3 Services Report damaged signs and street light outages You may use The Asheville App to report or view the status of damaged street signs and street light outages. Streets, sidewalks, lanes, and greenways closures map This map details active filings for street closures submitted to the City of Asheville Park on the street Information about metered on-street parking and loading zones. More Related Services I-26 Connector Project News Following I-26 Aesthetics Committee report, City of Asheville opens survey for residents to weigh in on project Posted on August 13, 2020August 12, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville is looking for input from the community on a report prepared by the I-26 Aesthetics Committee. City Council established the Aesthetics Committee on April 24, 2018, to make recommendations for aesthetic treatments for all aspects of the I-26 Connector project including, but not limited to, shoulders, medians, bridges, retaining walls, signing, and [...] City to resume parking garage fees Aug. 1, continues initiatives to support businesses Posted on July 6, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Beginning Aug. 1, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County will reinstate parking fees for the City- and County-owned parking garages. On March 18, following the State and Local State of Emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, parking garage and metered parking fees were temporarily suspended in order to support more convenient access [...] Elsie’s Bridge Greenway Connector under construction, to be repurposed as community garden Posted on June 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville started the construction of another neighborhood greenway connector project the week of May 25. Elsie’s Bridge is a bridge spanning the Town Branch Greenway that was part of “Elsie’s Alley.” It is located in the Southside neighborhood between the Glenrock Apartments and Mr Green’s Mini Mart on Depot Street. The bridge [...] More I-26 Connector Project News
Report damaged signs and street light outages You may use The Asheville App to report or view the status of damaged street signs and street light outages.
Streets, sidewalks, lanes, and greenways closures map This map details active filings for street closures submitted to the City of Asheville
Following I-26 Aesthetics Committee report, City of Asheville opens survey for residents to weigh in on project Posted on August 13, 2020August 12, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville is looking for input from the community on a report prepared by the I-26 Aesthetics Committee. City Council established the Aesthetics Committee on April 24, 2018, to make recommendations for aesthetic treatments for all aspects of the I-26 Connector project including, but not limited to, shoulders, medians, bridges, retaining walls, signing, and [...]
City to resume parking garage fees Aug. 1, continues initiatives to support businesses Posted on July 6, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Beginning Aug. 1, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County will reinstate parking fees for the City- and County-owned parking garages. On March 18, following the State and Local State of Emergency declarations due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, parking garage and metered parking fees were temporarily suspended in order to support more convenient access [...]
Elsie’s Bridge Greenway Connector under construction, to be repurposed as community garden Posted on June 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville started the construction of another neighborhood greenway connector project the week of May 25. Elsie’s Bridge is a bridge spanning the Town Branch Greenway that was part of “Elsie’s Alley.” It is located in the Southside neighborhood between the Glenrock Apartments and Mr Green’s Mini Mart on Depot Street. The bridge [...]