Update on the City of Asheville’s recommendation for the NCDOT’s planned Merrimon Avenue resurfacing project.

merrimon avenue traffic intersection
Merrimon Avenue

The Asheville City Council will consider entering into an agreement with North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) that supports the Department’s vision for the future of sections of Merrimon Avenue. 

The multi-modal alternative was developed through a collaborative partnership between the City of Asheville and NCDOT, and began with a request from the City to study alternatives for the corridor in an October 18, 2018 letter shared with NCDOT. 

At the request of City staff, the agreement is tentatively scheduled for a vote at the regularly scheduled Tuesday, May 24 City Council meeting.

NCDOT PROJECT

The N.C. Department of Transportation and the City of Asheville proposed to reconfigure a section of Merrimon Avenue (U.S. 25) as part of the NCDOT’s upcoming resurfacing project. The proposed limits of the project include the area between W.T. Weaver Boulevard and Midland Road. The consideration was whether to implement a four-lane to three-lane conversion, sometimes referred to as a “Road Diet,” with the goal of improving safety and providing more equitable transportation options. 

 YOUR INPUT at WORK

The City assisted NCDOT by providing a platform for information sharing and public input. A community Open House was hosted by NCDOT and the City February 28, 2022. The City of Asheville also created a project page, designed to inform the community.  Finally, NCDOT and the City distributed a public survey, allowing community voices to be heard. That information was shared with NCDOT  to help inform their final decision.