Temporary Street Closures

Last updated or reviewed on March 14, 2023

Notice:  Effective July 1, 2022, there will be a $100 application fee for all temporary closure permits. The permit fees are also changing and will be based on duration.  See full details of fee changes on page 13 at this link.

The City of Asheville allows citizens and others to temporarily close entire or portions of city streets and/or sidewalks for various purposes including utility street cuts, construction on adjacent property, dumpster placement, portable storage unit placement and in conjunction with outdoor special events as permitted by Asheville Parks and Recreation.

For example, a temporary closure permit is required for:

  • Outdoor special events permitted by Community and Economic Development taking place on city streets or sidewalks, including festivals, demonstrations, block parties, etc. More information on applying for closures in conjunction with special events is available by contacting Jon Fillman (828) 259-5738 or jfillman@ashevillenc.gov.
  • Placing a dumpster in downtown on-street parking spaces or on any street within the city limits for the purposes of removing debris from a building renovation or other private property.
  • Placing a portable storage unit in downtown on-street parking spaces or on any street within the city limits for the purposes of loading or unloading household goods.
  • Ensuring the safety of the traveling public when building construction or renovation work will take place above a sidewalk or roadway.
  • Placing a lift or other heavy equipment in order to complete work on a building or property.
  • Street cuts that require the closure of the full width of the road. Street cut permits can be obtained from the Engineering Department through a separate process; if the cut does not require a closure of the full width, then a street closure permit is still required in addition to the street cut permit for partial closure of the street, lane or sidewalk.
  • Moving a house or modular home.
  • Photo or video shoots.

For more information about when a closure permit is required, contact the City of Asheville’s Transportation Department at:
828-259-5476 or dkeitt@ashevillenc.gov.

 

Application Procedure

 

In order to apply for a temporary closure permit, applicants must submit a Temporary Closure Permit application and a traffic control plan or a sketch of the areas to be closed (which can be attached at the bottom of the application). For more information on the application terms and procedures, please download the application and read the first section entitled “Terms and Conditions.” If you need assistance with downloading or completing the form, please contact the City of Asheville’s Transportation Department and Traffic Engineering Division at  828-259-5476 or dkeitt@ashevillenc.gov.

 

Application Fees

 

Temporary Street and Sidewalk Closure permit fees will be determined by the City of Asheville after review of the permit application.

General costs for street closures include:

Notice: Effective July 1, 2017, $50 per permit for 30 days or portion thereof. Meter Bagging is $22 a day per space.

Additional charges may apply for closures that require large amounts of city staff time including closures where city staff will actually set up the closure.

 

Updated 01/20/2020