On Monday Nov. 16th, North Carolina and the Federal Highway Administration will host a public hearing on the the I-26 Connector at the Renaissance Hotel Grand Ballroom, 31 Woodfin St.
Asheville on Bikes encourages people to participate in the public hearing. The format is set up to be a drop in event to learn and discuss the connector. The public hearing format will be:
4pm – 6:30pm: Pre-Hearing Open House to answer questions and receive comments on the project.
7pm: Formal public hearing
AoB encourages people to RSVP to the public hearing and share the event with your circles.
The I-26 Connector Project, which has been organized by Mountain True, has a page which enables people to post public comment and sign on to the I-26 ConnectUs Vision principles. The I-26 Connect Us Vision principles is:
To ensure the long-term health and success of the economy, citizens, and environment of Asheville and the surrounding area, the final design and construction of the Asheville I-26 Connector should achieve:
- safe travel for interstate and local traffic;
- improved connections between neighborhoods and from neighborhoods to major roads for all modes of local traffic – pedestrian, bike, car and bus;
- minimal destruction of neighborhoods, homes, and businesses and remediation of past highway project impacts on minority and low-wealth communities;
- maximum return of land to Asheville’s tax base for the City’s use and benefit;
- minimal harm to air and water quality; and
- improvements that match the scale and character of Asheville.
For more reading on issues with the I-26 Connect:
Don Kostelic of Kostelic Planning published an editorial in the Asheville Blade, “Chicken Little’s laboratory”.
“Community Pushing Back Against Plan to Widen Interstate Through Asheville,” Streeblog USA.
“DOT decisions on I-26 Connector in Asheville loom,” Asheville Citizen Times.