Asheville roads reopen following flooding

Asheville Public Works crews cleaned mud off the streets of Biltmore Village today, following flooding.

2 p.m. update Aug. 19

All City roads closed by flooding have reopened with the exception of Riverside Drive at the railroad trestle in the River Arts District.

 

 

4:30 p.m. update, Aug. 18

While a Flood Warning remained in effect for the French Broad River throughout today, Aug. 18, the sun shone upon Asheville as though nothing had happened Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred made their north into the Ohio Valley.

 

The storm dumped more than 5 inches of rain on Asheville, causing flooding around the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers and prompting the closure of 18 streets around town. By late Wednesday afternoon nearly all were reopened.

Streets reopened

  • All of Biltmore Village Streets are open
  • Thompson Street is open
  • Iris Street is open at London Road
  • Florida Avenue
  • Fairview Road at Sweeten Creek Road
  • Caledonia Road at Swannanoa River Road
  • Short Michigan at Amboy Road
  • State Street at Amboy Road
  • Lyman Street
  • Riverside Drive from the roundabout at Lyman to Craven Street 

 

Soon-to-be-reopened

These roads are currently being cleaned and should be reopened sometime this evening:

  • Druid Drive
  • Azalea Road 

 

Still closed

Riverside Drive at the railroad trestle

 

9 a.m. update

Storm recovery assistance

If you need help with storm recovery, please call 2-1-1 to connect with local helping resources.

You can also find disaster recovery information on the N.C. Emergency Management website at this link.

 

Street closures

The following streets are closed because of flooding:

  • Amboy Road from the I-240 to Lyman Street
  • Bottom of State Street to Amboy Road
  • Short Michigan Avenue to Amboy Road
  • Azalea Road
  • Biltmore Avenue from Meadow Road to Hendersonville Road
  • Lodge Street from Hendersonville Rd to Sweeten Creek Road
  • All Souls Crescent in Biltmore Village
  • Swan Street in Biltmore Village
  • Swannanoa River Road at the Tobacco Barn
  • Fairview Road at Sweeten Creek Road
  • Caledonia Road at the Tobacco Barn
  • Thompson Street
  • Sweeten Creek Road
  • Druid Drive
  • Iris Street at London Road
  • Riverside Drive at the railroad trestle
  • Florida Avenue
  • Inglewood at Elk Mountain Scenic Highway

Please DO NOT ever drive around a closed road barricade.

As flood waters recede, streets will need to be cleaned of silt and debris before vehicles can travel safely on them. We ask that people please do not cross barricades or enter closed streets until they have been reopened.

 

ART bus service alerts

Due to flooded areas and fallen trees, detours are in place for several ART bus routes.

Please check the Service Alerts section on the website for latest updates:
https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/transit-service-alerts

 

Downed trees

Public Works has responded to 18 downed trees, many of them with power lines entangled. We would remind everyone to stay away from downed power lines.

If you encounter a downed tree blocking a road in the City of Asheville, call 828-259-5852. Please note that City Streets crews cannot clear a downed tree with power lines until the power company clears the lines.

 

Blue Ridge Parkway

Announcement from the Blue Ridge Parkway: Portions of the Asheville corridor are closed due to downed trees or standing water. If you travel along the Parkway in this area, please find an alternate route.

 

Please check back for updated information.

 

Aug. 17  updates

Update 8:30 p.m.:

From Buncombe County: Due to flooding from Tropical Storm Fred, Buncombe County Emergency Services is hearing multiple reports of evacuations taking place across our community. A temporary shelter is open at Trinity Baptist Church at 216 Shelburne Road, Asheville, for those who have been or need to evacuate from their homes.

 

Update, 8 p.m.:

Due to flooded roads, ART bus routes S1 and S5 will be detoured for a while. Please check the Service Alerts section on the website for any updates:
https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/transit-service-alerts

 

Update, 7:30 p.m.:

The following streets are being closed because of flooding:
All Souls Crescent in Biltmore Village
Fairview Road at Sweeten Creek Road
Swan Street in Biltmore Village
Swannanoa River Road at the Tobacco Barn
Caledonia Road at the Tobacco Barn
Thompson Street
Druid Drive
Azalea Road
Iris Street at London Road
Riverside Drive at the railroad trestle
Sweeten Creek 
Florida Avenue
Inglewood at Elk Mountain Scenic Highway
 
Please check back for updated information.
 

Update, 6:45 p.m.:

The following streets are being closed because of flooding:
Druid Drive
Azalea Road
Iris Street at London Road
Riverside Drive at the railroad trestle
Sweeten Creek 
Florida Avenue
Inglewood at Elk Mountain Scenic Highway
 
Please check back for updated information.
 

Update, 6 p.m.:

Asheville Fire Department is responding to multiple water rescues due to flooded roads. Reminder: Do not try to drive through or walk across flooded areas. Do not approach any downed power lines.

 

Asheville Fire Department: Stay Home and Stay Safe! Do not go out unless you have to evacuate. Conditions are severe, rivers are cresting, roads are flooded, powerlines are down, trees are falling. Call 911 with any emergency.

 

Here is a link to flooding video from the Biltmore Village area posted on Twitter by @BillMcMannis around 6:15 p.m.

 

Original post:

City of Asheville offices will close at 4 p.m. today in advance of expected flooding forecast by the National Weather Service.

 

Tropical Storm Fred mapAsheville Public Works has staff members monitoring streams, rivers, storm drains and roads for flooding today, and will throughout the evening and the overnight hours to provide storm response as needed. 

 

“Our employees and equipment are ready and we will work with the other departments to provide safety-based operations for the community,” said Public Works Director Greg Shuler.

 

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for the Asheville area

 through Wednesday morning as the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred move inland through the mountains. As much as 5 inches of rain could fall within 24 hours, creating the potential for flooding conditions.

 

Turn around, don’t drown

🚗 Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.

🚗 A foot of water will float many vehicles.

🚙 Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) and pick-ups.

🚗 Play it smart, play it safe. Whether driving or walking, any time you come to a flooded road…Turn around, Don’t drown!

 

And please, DO NOT ever drive around a closed road barricade. This not only could put you in danger, it also can put our first responders in harm’s way coming to your rescue.

 

If you encounter a downed tree blocking a road

Call 828-259-5852. Please note that City Streets crews cannot clear a downed tree with power lines until the power company clears the lines.

How to stay plugged into City of Asheville information about road closures during flooding events

 

Power outages

To find out about power outages in your area, visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages. To report an outage, text 57801.

Duke Outage instructions

 

Resources for our residents

A good source of information is the City of Asheville’s Climate Resiliency Guide. Published in June 2019, the guide provides advice on short- and long-term flood planning measures, including:

  • Finding out if your home is in a designated flood zone at this link;
  • Preparing a flood plan and evacuation routes, and building a flood kit;
  • Purchasing flood insurance;
  • Taking emergency and permanent methods for flood proofing your home or business;
  • Elevating and securing valuable documents and property;
  • Incorporating techniques for reducing runoff and redirecting stormwater, including clearing drains, protecting stream buffers, collecting rainwater and maintaining natural vegetation; and 
  • Having an emergency plan in place for moving to higher ground once flooding occurs so that emergency personnel do not have to perform rescues.

 

All public safety services, including police, fire and emergency response, will operate according to normal schedule — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

For your own safety, please stay off the roads as much as possible during storm events.