2022 Asheville Candidate Election Responses

Primary Election May 17th, 2022: What do our Primary Election Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

Asheville on Bikes sent a survey to the City Council and County Commissioner candidates on the primary ballot for 2022, asking for their thoughts on multi-modal transportation. We have shared the answers of all who responded. Click on a name to read what each candidate who responded to the survey had to say. Thank you, Mountain True, for helping.

Responses are posted in the order received. Pictures used where provided. Want more? Read the AoB Policy Positions!

Mayoral Candidates

Esther Manheimer
Kim Roney
Michael Hayes
Jonathan Wainscott
Cliff Feingold

City Council Candidates

Maggie Ullman
Nina Tovish
Sheneika Smith
Allison Scott
Grant Millin
Andrew Fletcher
Antanette Mosley
Andy Ledford
Alex Cobb
Doug Brown
Will Hornaday

No response: Michael Hayes, Jonathan Wainscott, Sheneika Smith, Antanette Mosley, Alex Cobb, Doug Brown

Check our 2022 candidates responses
Facebook Event: Get There AVL – Primary City Council Candidate Forum

ASHEVILLE MAYORAL CANDIDATES, PRIMARY ELECTION

Cliff Feingold

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.

No – I will not be able to attend.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

I have not been informed of the date

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

North Asheville, I have lived most of my life in North Asheville and enjoy spending time there.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

Mostly by car, but occasionally I enjoy riding my Harley

How do you feel about the transportation options currently available in our city? Can all of our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what will you do to improve transportation in our city?

Automobiles, motorcycles, Asheville Rapid Transit, Taxis and Ubers, limousines, and available bicycle lanes are all adequate, in my opinion.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

If it is obvious that the new project would benefit the majority of people, i would deem it worthwhile. I do not believe that expensive consultants are necessary most of the time. My consultant will usually be a referendum of the citizens.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[Highest Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [High Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Low Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001)[Lower Impact]
Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street[Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

I prefer not to answer this or the previous question without a lot more information.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

I am a resident of Asheville for the past 70 years. I have never held any political or civic office, but I have had a lifetime of leadership (please refer to https://cliff.yourteamasheville.com). My website will enumerate how I plan to make Asheville cleaner and safer.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

No.

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Merrimon Avenue is a truck route. There are many more businesses on Merrimon than on Charlotte Street. Presently large trucks will often park in the inside lane to load and unload for many businesses. It would be dangerous to the truck drivers to park in a turn lane (if the 4-3 conversion occurs) and cross the one very busy traffic lane to do their duties.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

No.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

As I have said, I am a “newbie” in the political field. This question will require much more study.

Investment in ped / bike facilities has been criticized as an agent of gentrification yet according to the US census lower socioeconomic groups use active transportation at disproportionately higher rates as compared to more affluent individuals. What are your thoughts regarding active transportation investment and gentrification?

I have never considered bike lanes as gentrification. My main concern is safety. Having bike lanes on a heavily traveled truck and automobile route would be dangerous to the bicyclists.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Traffic calming devices are dangerous, cause expensive damage to vehicles, impede emergency vehicles. I would not approve any more such measures and as the existing ones wear out – which they will – remove them rather than replace them.

Esther Manheimer

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

I live in North Asheville off of Beaverdam Road. I live in North Asheville to be near my extended family, however, my husband’s extended family lives in West Asheville, Leicester, Enka/Candler, and Black Mountain. I love to spend time all over the city, especially the River Arts District, and other easily walkable areas.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

I most often get around by car. As a litigator I sometimes have the need to travel to surrounding counties to attend court and other job related meetings. In Asheville, I tend to combine errands rather than taking multiple trips. I prefer to do leisure activities in areas where I can park and then enjoy the area on foot. I am also a bike rider both recreationally and to get around.

We do not have enough options for all people, particularly people with disabilities, and people who would either like to walk, bike, or ride the bus more or for whom walking, biking or riding the bus are their only affordable options. As mayor I have been working to improve transportation options by expanding multimodal infrastructure. I personally worked hard to promote the 2016 general obligation bond package which is and has allowed the city to leverage millions of dollars for multimodal transportation, specifically in the areas of sidewalk and greenway construction.
Transit is also a transportation mode that I am proud to have expanded during my tenure, but which still falls short of meeting all the needs of people for whom a bus is their only affordable option. Since I have been in office the City Council has worked to improve public transportation by continuing to grow the funding of the Transit Master Plan which includes increasing the number of bus routes, the frequency of those routes, adding Saturday and Sunday service, evening service and enhanced bus stops. I will continue to support the improvement of Asheville’s public transportation system toward the ideal of efficient, frequent, reliable service.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

For the purposes of answering your question, I will set aside details like which roads are DOT controlled and which roads are part of MPO planning.

In no small part due to the advocacy and education efforts by Asheville on Bikes and other dedicated members of our community, our city has done a better job when considering infrastructure decisions. AOB does a great job of diplomatically educating candidates, elected officials, and staff and effectively advocating for changes to the city’s transportation infrastructure to better meet the needs of all our residents by better accommodating all modes of transportation.

Specifically, multimodal components and safety are foremost in my consideration. We have seen that when multimodal options are included, the design is much safer than without. Equity, cost, impact on climate change, and other pros and cons of harms and benefits are also considerations. Finally, funding of multimodal transportation is always challenging but by strategically planning for improvements, the city is able to leverage millions of dollars in state and federal funding for projects, which must also be considered when prioritizing spending.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street[Highest Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail[High Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

I am excited about and enthusiastically support the city’s aggressive effort to build out the greenway master plan and include connectivity infrastructure allowing the greenway/bike lane system to be used for transportation purposes and recreationally. This important addition to the city’s multimodal plan will help connect East Asheville to the rest of the city.

Several years ago I traveled to Minneapolis with a contingent of multimodal proponents from Asheville and the region and we rode bikes throughout Minneapolis’ bike and ped infrastructure which includes dedicated bike lanes, rails to trails and other linkages creating a multimodal system that was clearly accessible to all, fun and functional, and one that Asheville should and does aspire to in terms of its comprehensive nature and broad accessibility. Similarly, attending college in Boulder, Colorado, where I got around on bike (I did not own a car), I experienced the form and function of a multimodal infrastructure that is easily accessible and usable by all for the daily life activities of getting to work, school, the grocery store, etc.

These experiences have helped build my advocacy and support for an extensive multimodal system that is practical in its use and accessible to all to people using all modes of transportation.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

As mayor I supported the Charlotte Street Road diet, expansion of major sidewalk projects throughout the city, the greenway and protected bike lanes along the river, extended the hours that our city buses operate, and supported adding bike lanes along city streets, among other efforts to increase safety and transportation options. The outcomes have included more and safer options for people to get around our city for commuting, recreation, and exercise. I personally promoted the 2016 bond package to groups around the city advocating for voter approval of funding that is now being invested in our community to build out the city’s multimodal infrastructure, bring safer modes of travel by foot and bike throughout the city. In addition to the tremendous work we have done to fund and grow the transit master plan over the last several years, I support two potential significant advancements in transit: one, continuing conversations with the county regarding the creation of a transit authority which would provide better dedicated focus on transit not just in the city but out into the county, and two, I support state legislation that would allow a city-wide voter referendum on a ¼ cent sales tax for transit. Sustainable transit funding is key to supporting a robust transit system.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

I am thankful to AOB for their work in educating the community about the Merrimon 4-3 conversion. This somewhat controversial project requires a great deal of listening, education and conversation. I support the road conversation first and foremost for safety reasons. I have lived in North Asheville since 1988, leaving for college and career and returning in 2002. Since that time, I have continuously used Merrimon Avenue for commuting to work, grocery shopping and other activities. I have also run, walked, biked and pushed a stroller on Merrimon Avenue. I have observed countless near vehicular and pedestrian accidents on Merrimon and I have personally had the sad task of writing to DOT to request a light at an intersection on Merrimon after an automobile fatally struck a pedestrian. Merrimon Avenue, once a two-lane road now spread into four lanes, is not a safe street.

But besides my anecdotal experiences, I have reviewed the data regarding traffic volumes and from Weaver Boulevard to Beaver Lake, the area of the 4-3 conversion, and the traffic volumes are similar to those of Charlotte Street. From Weaver south to downtown, the volumes are higher. Because the traffic volumes are similar to that of Charlotte Street in the conversion section, I am confident the conversion will produce the same positive outcomes as we have seen with the Charlotte Street conversion – that is, data indicates almost no reduction in commute times, negligible side street increased used, bike and ped safety improvements and increased use, and dramatically reduced vehicular crash counts. As someone who will continue to use Merrimon every day to commute to and from work, to the grocery store and for most general purposes, I am excited to support the Merrimon Avenue conversion.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

The standards can be a tool to get us closer to ensuring we have complete streets that offer something for everyone who is getting around in our city.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

I would amend the code to allow for a by-right process to build greater density along major urban corridors in the city to allow more housing to be placed in proximity to multimodal modes of transportation that are located near jobs, and other resources needed for daily life. This would allow our city to grow sustainably, better balancing the pressures of growth and the need to preserve what makes Asheville beautiful and liveable, while bringing greater equity and quality of life to residents.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Likely the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance multimodal transportation, greater equity in access, and create greater connectivity is funding the multimodal compliments to the I-26 connector project. The city’s aesthetics committee has provided council with a set of recommendations that include bike and ped features to compliment the state’s I-26 project that will create, in some cases, new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and in other cases, greatly enhance it. A measure of return on investment includes broad and inclusive usage as well as safety outcomes (reduced crashes of vehicles with people on bicycles and walking).

Kim Roney

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

Our family lives in East-West Asheville, a decision we were privileged to make in 2008 to be close enough to Downtown and West Asheville that we could commute without a car. We are within a mile from two bus stops that serve 6 transit routes, though one of the two is at an interstate exit, and is in sore need of accessibility infrastructure.

I enjoy spending time in our garden and with friends in our network of community gardens, and love to see and play live music in our town!

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

I am a transit-dependent pedestrian and cyclist who occasionally carpools, with the majority of my daily commutes being a combination of walking and public transit.

I feel we can and must do better. With location affordability data analysis showing how affordability links both housing and transportation, development of deeply-affordable housing on transit corridors close to jobs, groceries, education, and childcare options will be important for future development in Asheville, but is also important for us to coordinate with the County as part of our Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan’s goal for Responsible Regionalism along with the County’s new comprehensive plan. With access to housing and transportation options being linked to the social determinants of health, it is also part of achieving a Healthy and Well-Planned Community, which is a benefit even for those who do not choose or rely on active transportation.

As a transit rider, the Council liaison to the Multimodal Transportation Commission, member of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and Council representative on the ART-C coalition, I will continue to advocate for: a dedicated funding stream for transit; recruitment and retention of City staff; the demands of our ATU Local 128; and sustainable capital investments for a resilient system. I am committed to supporting our advisory boards so their work and the public engagement at their meetings is elevated to Council. Through collaborative efforts, we can bolster a core Buncombe-Asheville Transit System that can then expand into the regional transit system we need in Western North Carolina.

The Greenway, Accessibility, and Pedestrian (GAP) Plan is in its final draft stage. Streets that work for our most vulnerable users work better for everyone, and lack of ADA compliance is a major issue that needs to be addressed for new and renovated infrastructure. I will seek input from advisory boards and community partners as the GAP plan advances for Council approval, and am committed to ensuring the plan is met with meaningful response, including funding and zoning decisions.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

I continue to advocate for equity and sustainability analyses to be added to all staff reports alongside financial impact, one way to operationalize measurements of outcomes. With new requirements from DOT regarding municipal maintenance for complete street infrastructure, this could be an important tool in addressing the public health and environmental benefits of an improved multimodal infrastructure network designed to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely. In the absence of these operational tools being in place, I apply equity and sustainability lenses with available data when making decisions about our budgets, plans, and policies.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street[Highest Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[High Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

5) Acknowledging the broad plans for economic development in that area, I’m very disappointed that the Future Exit 35 infrastructure funding skipped to the front of the line for projects in the region and that the total project doesn’t prioritize safe travel for all users. We shouldn’t miss the opportunity to ensure economic mobility with equitable, safe access to good paying jobs.

4) The I-26 Connector could be a tremendous benefit by reconnecting West Asheville to Downtown if the local recommendations are realized. We have to watch closely to make sure the process of “value engineering” to address the rising cost of construction doesn’t result in cutting community benefits and safe design features like multimodal infrastructure. I understand there is an opportunity to address the past, present, and future harms of the impact of this project on historic Black neighborhoods like Burton Street and Montford/Stumptown, and I’m committed to listening to impacted neighbors as part of accountability for equitable outcomes within the purview of my role on Council, the French Broad River MPO, and if I am elected as Mayor.

3) The Hellbender Trail will be a tremendous investment will have health and economic impact in the region;

2) There are so many benefits to community-led, creative, and cooperative projects like AVL Unpaved! In addition to the ripple effects on “health and wealth” from the data metrics, I imagine the narrative data will show benefits of building community relationships and trust as neighborhoods are engaged in the processes. I’m excited to support this work through the challenges and success, as I have with the Street Tweaks projects.

1) The corridor study for the Swannanoa River Greenway names the health and economic impacts for users and the area, including 17,000 residents in proximity. Acknowledging my privilege and experience, I walked the spine and multiple side streets before and after the Oakley Neighborhood Association’s Open Streets event last Fall, and though I wasn’t alone in the attempt, it was one of the most nerve-wracking commutes I’ve ever attempted on foot. Completing connections with the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Corridor would connect the people who live in this area of the city with the natural resources in the River Arts District while providing safe access to work, groceries, and education opportunities without having to rely on a vehicle, which addresses many of the issues in our Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

I’ve worked diligently for advancement of an equitable roll-out of the Transit Master Plan because transit is at the intersection of economic mobility, equitable access, and climate justice. We got funding secured for extended evening service hours until 10pm on all routes and additional service on the S3 and S6 during the 2021-2022 budget cycle, but weren’t able to implement the expansions due to staffing shortages. When we do, it will be a game-changer for workers since 30% of our transit routes currently end at or before 7:30pm. During the pandemic, I advocated for safe conditions for transit riders and staff. I’m concerned that current staffing shortages are exacerbated by a lack of accountability for the transit management company during these past couple years.

What I’ve learned through advocacy for advancement of the Transit Master Plan is the importance of community organizing. No one person or group can make necessary systems changes alone–we need each other. I’m running in support of an Open Meetings Policy because removing barriers to participation and increasing access to public processes means shared responsibility for shared successes.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

As a member of Council and the French Broad MPO TAC, I’m working with leadership on the Multimodal Transportation Commission and community groups including Asheville on Bikes in the process of garnering support for the 4-3 conversion of Merrimon Avenue. By improving design speeds and expanding multimodal infrastructure in this section of Merrimon, we have an opportunity to shift to more complete street infrastructure, which means more possibility for all commuters using this corridor to get to their destination safely. I hear concerns about the costs of implementing this change. As Asheville continues to rank highest in the state for bike/ped crashes, I offer a question in response to those concerns: What is the cost of not changing it for our community health and well-being?

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

Yes, they are data-driven best practices, and it will help us meet our goals of Reimagining Public Safety.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

The whole thing. I continue to support community calls for an operational equity audit to identify ways to operationalize equity in our processes, which would need to be a first step in addressing disparities. Given the impact of whole-home short-term rentals on affordability, and new limitations, one of the first things we’re going to have to do is figure out a way to change zoning so we don’t lose significantly more housing to lodging use, especially along transit corridors.

Gaining an understanding of Asheville’s history of redlining, urban renewal, and how our school system has failed our Black students and families means listening to heart-breaking stories of intentional divestment and displacement. I am hopeful when I hear calls to build bridges and remove barriers to participation around our budgets, plans, and policies. The journey to becoming one of the fastest-gentrifying cities in the country didn’t happen overnight, and addressing the issues of vulnerable neighborhoods will be tremendous work. I’m on a journey of learning, and I invite my neighbors in Asheville on Bikes to join, continue, and deepen our listening to and support for the work of Reparations in our community. The City’s newly-formed Reparations Commission begins meeting on April 30th to make recommendations on the impacts of systemic racism in the areas of criminal justice, economic development, education, health, and housing, and meaningful response is required.

I know my neighbors and fellow members of Asheville on Bikes folks to be kind and empathetic, advocating in a spirit of love for community and our natural environment. I remember how we showed up with and for neighbors marching during the Uprisings of 2020, and witnessed cyclists protecting intersections so people of all ages could move safely through the streets while demanding justice after the murder of George Floyd. Let’s keep showing up with and for each other.

We need creative ways to address needs identified in neighborhood plans while implementing anti-gentrification tools, and equity has to be at the center of the solutions from concept to design to implementation to review of outcomes. I hear stories from impacted neighbors sharing their experience attending meetings and filling out surveys, then losing trust when input is ignored. Infrastructure and mobility improvements make a neighborhood more accessible and safer to navigate, and therefore more desirable for new neighbors to move in. Here in Buncombe County, we have got to start acknowledging that property taxes disproportionately impact legacy Black and Brown neighborhoods and that while we’re advocating for infrastructure investment, we must simultaneously advocate for systems change so we don’t perpetuate harm. One example of a creative solution is the Smith Mill Creek Greenway, identified in the Burton Street Neighborhood Plan. The neighborhood has extended invitations to residents, businesses, and organizations to advocate for anti-gentrification tools like a land trust, community garden infrastructure, and economic development initiatives, so let’s roll!

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Our occupancy taxes from our tourism industry should be funding infrastructure sorely needed for the people who live, work, and visit, addressing the environmental and health impacts of moving people instead of prioritizing the moving and storing of cars. The Downtown Circulator identified in the Transit Master Plan is an example of what this could look like. The benefits would be measured in traffic counts for all modes and accounting for parking revenue, which could be increased if the circulator connected with park and ride service centered on the needs of the people of Asheville. A trolley-style service similar to the one in Knoxville would honor our city’s history of having a trolley that my great-great Aunt Faye used here; could be fully electric with a fast-charging system; would be a solution to getting our visitors out of cars while supporting our Downtown businesses and workers; and would look really beautiful in our city.

ASHEVILLE MAYORAL CANDIDATES, PRIMARY ELECTION

Will Hornaday

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

As soon as you set the date I will confirm, I have every intention of being there.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

Albemarle Park just off Charlotte Street in N. Asheville. Every morning my wife & I walk our dogs for about an hour. Some morning it’s downtown, or Sunset Mountain, or we just wander through neighborhoods. There is always something unique to see & we are fortunate to be here for it. We often run into someone we know (past teachers at Claxton, business owners on Charlotte St, neighbors on Sunset Mt.) and chat for a minute or two. These are my favorite places, where communities gather, walk & thrive.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

By car. I bike and walk often as well. My father-in-law loaned me his ebike and that has been great for so many trips. I love when I go to another town and only walk or take public transportation. We just returned from Chicago and experiencing a city only by foot or bus reminded what I missed about travel since COVID, I want more of that for Asheville. Frequent, reliable public transportation is needed and wanted, the more people who voice this the better it is for our city, environment, and health.

Sadly, it depends where you live. We all want to see AVL with greater options that are safe, reliable, & encompassing, now let’s make it a budgeted priority & set expectations. These communities need to be heard on what they need to meet their mobility desires for all modes of transportation. We rank at the top of the most dangerous NC cities for pedestrians & cyclists, we have to address this & look to our city staff & valued Boards & Commissions for guidance. This is a basic city service.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

The proposal impact should align w/stated goals across the Comprehensive Plan and if applicable Small Area Plan, Neighborhood Plans on a Page, & other visioning docs on city shelves derived from community input. These documents are important to lead our city in a predictable, consistent & focused direction of needs. Evaluation must account for entire life-of-project costs not just construction.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents. Rank each project. 1 is the most impactful. 5 is the least impactful.

Hellbender Regional Trail [Highest Impact]
Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street [High Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network) [Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513) [Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

1. Hellbender: My family vacations (8x at least) on Reg/Rail Trails. Hellbender will be an economic driver with Asheville at the hub. 2. Great. Swan.Greenway: YES the final stage that links Asheville to the Fonta Flora (tied for no 1.) 3. Unpaved: love the activation of underutilized enviro sensitive areas all over town. 4. I-26: Ped/Bike path across FBR and greenways is huge and needed. May we all live long enough to see it. 5. Exit 35: number 1 on the NCDOT schedule, number 5 in my heart.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

While president of Charlotte Street Business Association, I worked for two years getting neighborhoods and businesses to be open to the 4 to 3 lane conversion on Charlotte Street that had been festering for 20 years. I worked closely with city staff and was glad when Asheville on Bikes added their strong support to the much needed road diet. The road is now safer and used by bikers, walkers, and cars. Projects like this don’t happen with one person and I needed all of these groups to help move it along. Proud about the role I played and the support we got and continue to get for this improvement. 3>4!

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

PRO: SAFETY; pedestrian, bike, car, slows traffic, less accidents, visibility, safer crosswalks. EMERG ACCESS; center lane open, faster response time. FLOW; consistent, predictable, no lane jockeying. BUSINESSES: improved access by slower speeds, increased property values. ALSO Supported by NCDOT traffic engineers.

CON: May take a few more seconds to get to your destination.

It feels like the current configuration is designed to encourage aggressive driving.”

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

Successes like the street tweaks on Coxe Ave, Martin Luther King improvements, Charlotte Street Road Diet, and pending bike lanes on College are what I want to see more of. Open our public streets to all of the public. Being on Coxe Ave right after the changes were implemented made me proud of Asheville.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

I would encourage zoning to reflect how we want to grow as a city. If that is changing current zoning then the tax payers, businesses and residents need to be involved in that discussion. We talk about Complete Streets, let’s also talk about Complete Neighborhoods. That will only come from deep engagement from the community. I am for that.

Terms and phrases like gentrification, NIMBY and ‘Change-is-hard’ get thrown around too easily and don’t provide much ground for understanding in discussing our differences. Investment in supporting all modes of transportation is critical for our environment and a healthy city. I am pleased that the city has been supportive of non-car centric transportation projects. I want to see additional emphasis on civic improvements in the city we all share.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Expand bus service, increase frequency, additional airport bus service. In addition I would like to see a free hop-on-hop off shuttle service that moves tourists and local from downtown to West Asheville, Biltmore Village, and River Arts. (similar has been proposed since at least 2008). This would help lessen downtown congestion, encourage tourists to not need a car, and help locals get downtown either to work or enjoy. ROI through ridership.

Andy Ledford

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St?
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

South Asheville, Rock Hill Neighborhood. I’ve lived here nearly my entire life. I like to go with my family to Biltmore and spend time with our neighbors.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

Traveling by car is the only choice we have in South Asheville. There are very limited sidewalks, zero bike lanes, and hardly any of the bus stops are covered.

Here’s one big issue with the ATS Bus routes. First, the bus stops do not go anywhere near the stores or shopping centers people want to visit. Here’s an example. If someone living in South Asheville wanted to go to Target or Lowes on Airport Road, they more than likely would be standing at one of the stops with no bench, shelter, or sidewalk. After the bus drops them off past the entrance to the shopping center, it’s about a half-mile walk down there, again with no sidewalks. Hope they don’t have to buy too much stuff and the weather is nice, because here comes another half-mile walk back uphill to Airport Road that they must cross, and then another crossing intersection to get to the northbound bus stop. It seems like a simple concept to actually drop people off in front of the stores they need to go to.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

How would it impact the neighborhood it would be in. For example, Rock Hill Road cuts directly through a neighborhood, my neighborhood, there is no sidewalk, and I have seen it backed up in both directions from one red light to the other. Another cut-through for Sweeten Creek Rd to connect to the road behind the Skyland Walmart would be about 500 feet long, and be all commercial. So for me, it’s all about the impact for the people living there and would they benefit from it and not just the pass-through traffic.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents. Rank each project. 1 is the most impactful. 5 is the least impactful.

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street [Highest Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[High Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

Trails and greenways are always a good thing for our community. My current concern is maintaining them with the lack of city employees and keeping them safe. The I-26 connector has seemingly been going on forever, I don’t know if it’s ever going to get finished. And the new interchange could possibly provide some relief on 26, but to the detriment of Brevard Rd.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

I am new to politics, so I haven’t worked on this.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Since the NCDOT is resurfacing and repainting it already, I don’t think it would hurt to try.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

I could see a measured approach to their standards, and I don’t disagree with them, but the city needs to focus on critical infrastructure problems first. Old water, sewer and storm drains are constant maintenance burden and they have to be the priority.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

Provide incentives to revitalize existing unused properties. By rebuilding in places where there already is a building, we will reduce the amount of land cleared.

I don’t see a problem with that.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Shuttles to downtown from large lots outside. Provide passes for people who work downtown and have them run late night. Singapore had an interesting take on this. Back in the 90’s they built a city wide rail system but people still parked in the city center and didn’t take the train. They increased the cost to park, put free parking at the train stations, and the trains got busier.

Nina Tovish

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

I don’t believe I’ve seen a date for the General Forum, and I don’t find it on AoB’s Candidate Forum webpage. Of course I’ll be sure to participate, if eligible.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

I live in Shiloh. When I moved to Asheville in 2012, I had a very modest budget. I looked at properties all over the City, and made an offer on a little house in Oakley, for which I was outbid. In the end, I was very lucky to find a lot for sale in Shiloh at a price I could afford and built a small “compact cottage.” One thing that appealed to me about the location was that, according to the 2010 Census, my new home was located in the most integrated neighborhood in all of Asheville. It’s also a pretty walkable place. I can walk to my local Ingles and several local restaurants. I can even walk to my doctor’s and dentist’s offices.

I spend a lot of time in my neighborhood; I work from home and enjoy taking long strolls all around our hilly terrain. I’m fortunate to have friends who live all around Asheville, so I enjoy visiting neighborhoods on all the compass points—North, South, East, and West. I used to spend more time downtown than I have lately, partially due to the pandemic, and partially because our influx of visitors can make it feel less accommodating to those of us who live here.

I cherish the green spaces and parks and greenways along the French Broad. I consider the Dykeman Greenway a real success, providing benefits to residents and visitors alike.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

One thing I hadn’t anticipated, when I first moved to Asheville, was how much more car-dependent I would be. (I lived for almost 20 years in Washington DC, previously—and I used public transportation for the overwhelming majority of my in-city travel.) Here, my 2010 Yaris is my primary means of transportation. It gets pretty good gas mileage, and I try to plan my car use so that I can run errands and fulfill other obligations as efficiently as possible.

Because of Asheville’s hilly terrain and my hinky right knee, a bicycle isn’t a practical option for me. I wish it were. When my budget allows, I’m definitely interested in exploring e-bike options. (I recently learned that Denver has an income-sensitive program to partially subsidize e-bike purchases for its residents—what a great idea! https://www.bicycling.com/news/a39786401/denver-launches-nations-best-e-bike-rebate-program/)

Aside from private cars, for those lucky enough to have them, and bicycles (for those fit enough to ride them and brave enough to share the road with automobiles), residents’ options are pretty slim. Our public transportation is infrequent, its schedule is unreliable, and its hours fail to serve many of the people who need it the most (like workers whose shifts end after bus service hours, who end up paying Uber prices to get home). It’s based on a hub-and-spoke model which simply doesn’t adequately serve our population. It operates big, clunky buses which often travel nearly empty.

I’d like to see the City explore a more agile, convenient, responsive, lower-carbon-footprint transit option: smaller, electric shuttles, perhaps dispatched on a predictable schedule on primary routes during peak hours, but also available on-demand on off-peak hours. The technology exists to run what would essentially be a public ridesharing-style service—that could reach deeper into neighborhoods and negotiate hilly terrain better. I can see a service like this becoming really popular, ultimately taking more private vehicles off the road. (Ultimately, one day, these shuttles might be self-driving as well.)

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

The first questions for every large public infrastructure investment are: 1) who and what would it harm? and 2) who and what would it help? (The damage done to Asheville’s Black community, for example, by the construction of I-40 and 240, as well as the “”urban renewal”” that created Charlotte St, was devastating.) If you build infrastructure to support automobile travel, your car traffic will increase. Who does that serve? Who does it harm?

What environmental impact will the new infrastructure have? Will it affect stormwater drainage, will it withstand the increasingly extreme weather due to climate change? Will it serve a broad spectrum of the community: pedestrians, cyclists, those with special mobility needs? Will it contribute to the beauty of our city or be an eyesore? Is it going to serve a currently unmet need, especially for those who have the least access to amenities?

And from a budgeting perspective: how much will it cost and is this the best and most urgent use for those fiscal resources? How will it be paid for, and on whom with the fiscal burden land most heavily?

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street [Highest Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network) [High Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Low Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lower Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

I’ve answered these questions as if you were asking about the health and well-being of ASHEVILLE residents. I don’t believe that I’m qualified to respond for all the residents of WNC—and as a City Councilmember, my first responsibility will be to our residents.

The Swannanoa Greenway has the advantages of being on level terrain and offering ADA-compliant access to all. It has stormwater management integrated into its design and planning. I can see it becoming a very popular route for pedestrians and bicyclists, and for recreational use by people of all ages. I like the idea that it’s intended to provide easy access to public transportation at regular intervals.

The AVL Unpaved network of walking and biking trails shows great promise in providing connections between a variety of neighborhoods and communities, and access to natural environments. The big challenge will be to see how much of it can be made truly accessible for a wide range of users.

The Hellbender Regional Trail is an ambitious project that looks to have both regional and Asheville-local benefits. Providing car-free routes from outlying areas of the city that connect to existing and projected greenways closer in seems like a great way to create broad-based practical and recreational use. I can also see the potential economic benefits from biking enthusiasts looking to do longer tours of our region.

The Future Exit 35 from I-26 is clearly being created in service to the new Pratt & Whitney plant. It may also provide some benefit to car traffic by linking I-26 and Brevard Rd. None of this strikes me as especially helpful to the well-being of Asheville residents.

I’ve rated the I-26 connector lowest because I think it’s going to be a massively disruptive project, negatively impacting the livability of every area through which it passes while under construction. I’ve yet to be persuaded that this connector is even desirable in the first place. It’s likely to enable increased car throughput, which I do not consider beneficial.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

I can’t make any special claim to have made Asheville safer. I did advocate for the Charlotte St. road diet, which was receiving a lot of resistance from some segments of the community. I’m very pleased that now some of the most vocal opponents to the reconfiguration have conceded that traffic flows even more smoothly, and that cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians are all safer. I think the businesses along Charlotte St. also agree that the new configuration has had no downside for them.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Merrimon has a unconscionably high accident and injury rate. The proposed conversion will make Merrimon safer for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. A three-lane conversion will calm traffic flow, make it more predictable, and reduce the opportunities for collision significantly. A less stressful traffic pattern will encourage pedestrian and bicycle use, and local businesses will likely benefit. As mentioned, it worked for Charlotte St.!

This is a clear case where the purported “common sense” idea that four lanes carry traffic more safely and efficiently than three is just plain wrong. The two innermost lanes both essentially function as ‘left-turn aisles,’ holding up traffic in both directions. One center turning lane accomplishes the same result, allows for bike lanes, and promotes safer driving.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

Until I started preparing to answer this questionnaire, I had no familiarity at all with NACTO and its proposals for urban design and transportation. I applaud its mission to promote street design that puts pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation first, and its emphasis on making safe and easy movement through the public landscape a priority for all (including redressing past and present inequities).

I’ve answered “yes,” to this question, because “no” seems too definitive a rejection. But the reality is that I don’t have enough familiarity with NACTO’s design standards to be able to say unequivocally I would vote to accept them *as is,* without any modification. There may be circumstances or situations specific to Asheville that might not lend themselves to NACTO’s guidelines. NACTO also indicates that its guidelines will evolve with practice and experience. I am, however, willing to learn more, and from what I’ve seen so far, they look like a great place to start.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

Honestly, I feel that the City of Asheville needs to revisit the UDO from the ground up. It’s become a patchwork of overlays and exceptions and it needs to be reshaped with smart, climate-resilient, public-transport-friendly, affordable-housing-promoting growth in mind.

But if I could only change one thing, it might be to make the construction of ADUs permissible city-wide on residential property—and perhaps even provide tax incentives for those who build and make them available for long-term rental at affordable rates. We need more affordable housing, and well-considered infill is preferable to sprawl.

If people primarily think of walking and bicycling and public transport as leisure or recreational activities only, then they likely lead lives of relative privilege. For lots of working folks in Asheville, those modes of transportation are the norm.

Gentrification can come with the assumption that everyone has, or should have, a car. But neighborhoods that are close to the city center often become more desirable as people with resources see added value in “walkability” and access to downtown amenities.

I believe government should lift up and support those who have been systemically excluded or mistreated, and those who are most economically vulnerable. I also believe that greenways, bike lanes, and great public transportation will serve not only those for whom active transportation is a primary necessity but ultimately benefit everyone in our community.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

I’d like to take a deep dive into the data of our current ART bus system: learn everything about ridership, scheduling, usage patterns; do surveys of current and prospective users. Then I’d like to devise a short-term, budget-limited pilot program to test the viability of the idea I mentioned earlier: on-demand, ridesharing-style shuttle buses that would be more flexible and responsive to riders’ needs. (Obviously, there’s a technology element, the software to manage the system and the apps for riders to use, that would either need to be leased or developed.)

Return on investment would be measured by surveys of riders’ attitudes about the new service, levels of uptake, the demographics of those who use it, geographic areas of popularity, reduction in car usage, and — if electric vehicles are available for the pilot program — calculations of resulting reduction in the city’s carbon footprint, a valuable ROI. It would also be interesting to compare riders’ time spent getting from point A to B using the current system to the proposed new one. My expectation is that riders’ travel time would be significantly reduced, which I’d consider a great ROI. I’d also expect “fuel” costs to be significantly lower for electric vehicles than ICE buses.

Grant Millin

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

St. Dunstans. I actually walk around here because it is relatively safe and quiet.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

I use ART primarily. Or walk.

As an ART rider I get this. As an honorably discharged veteran I was concerned for other vets as to the WE1 line losing trips. The March 17 and 18 ‘Vision 2036’ strategic retreat revealed loss of staff across multiple departments; not just APD. The Transportation Department has apparently been struggling for some time. The Transit Master Plan seems to be on the rocks.

What I am doing is being willing to say a recent survey from the International City / County Management Association says municipal executives like the COA city manager only get 15-20 years average tenure… not the 15-20 years we have seen locally. Obviously 20 years for Wanda Green was 15 years too long.

In an honoring and appreciative way we can bring up when we start looking for the next city manager. There needs to be an open process over at least 90 days with several candidates meeting the public.

I understand that’s not a direct answer exactly; but I need a city manager who does regular updates on all COA issues… especially on the multimodal front.”

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

“I have a Master of Project Management degree… but this goes to the issue of city manager. My other high level issue is finding out what a high-performance municipality is like. Hoe close is COA to that standard? What are the municipal infrastructure program management best practices? I have some ideas, but since COA and BCG have insular performance criteria… meaning the bar is at wherever local leader prefer… no one has great answers to such questions.

However I am happy to hear from AoB. In my MPM we covered subject matter experts. I am very available to hear from AoB on these kinds of insights. In no way am I running because I think I know everything. At the same time I have been engaging with COA issues for many, many years.

I think the ARPA spending makes a smart person wonder about COA program management. Opportunities like ARPA don’t come around that often.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[Highest Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [High Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513) [Low Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail[Lower Impact]
Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

I can’t answer this properly tonight. I wanted to give this particular questionnaire a lot more focus but events prevented that. I promise to take another look at these prior to your 5/5 event.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

When it comes to multimodal transportation I am on the record with COA as advocating for Citizens with Disabilities. The Close the Gap program tried to inventory some ADA issues. I have called for the Asheville-Buncombe ADA Compliance Transparency Program. That’s not about safety for everyone exactly. And yet ADA and ‘Universal Design’ can mean improvements for able people too.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

This is another one I should be firm on because I know enough details. It came up as I was preparing my campaign agenda. I will say my Asheville-Buncombe Digital Twin solution is about helping all of us with these program management choices.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

If COA is using obsolete standards, and I can imagine they do, I say yes to at least doing an analysis as to how COA Transportation Department implements strategy at present. I don’t dislike Ken Putman, but he has been there a long time.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

I learned a lot looking at UDO 7.11.4 issues; the Open Space Amendment. I talked to Sharon Sumrall recently about all the confluence of strategy directions. Meaning there’s the Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan, the UDO, conditional use zoning, and Vision 2036. I talk about how strategy in part is about congruence, consistency, and coherence. AoB members may laugh as to COA using strategy criteria like that.

This is an idea from San Diego on strategic management:

https://performance.sandiego.gov/

That Vision 2036 level doesn’t seem connected to the UDO; but if there isn’t good connection that means Planning and Urban Design and the Transportation Department aren’t understood and disconnected from what council and the mayor think matters. So again I am skipping around, but if it’s not common knowledge what the COA zoning code SWOT analysis is… why wouldn’t we have that study already done?

Everyone is just running around with varying degrees of understanding otherwise.

Active Transportation and socioeconomics is also something I have never seen COA crack open. Why is that?

I did find this report and the subject totally fits to my Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellness (JEDI-W) mode of Municipal Strategic Innovation I’ll be talking more about trough my business and the national impact 501c3 nonprofit. I agree the other 2022 council members will need to be updated too.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

I say ADA compliance is a biggie. It’s a black hole as to COA ADA compliance. Citizens with Disabilities as well as other minorities and just Low Income Asheville need transportation strategy that fits to their world.

Andrew Fletcher

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – do you have a date yet?

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

WECAN. I live in this neighborhood because when I desperately needed a place to live after losing my old rental to a house flipper, this was on the market and just barely affordable. My favorite neighborhoods are RAD, downtown, North Asheville, West Asheville.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

As a musician with a couple hundred pounds of gear to move around and with my part time job as a piano mover, I can’t make money without a car and a truck. But living so close to town allows me to keep the miles I drive to a minimum, so I drive less than 8,000 miles per year. I’ve taken the bus sometimes to UNC-A this semester, but it wasn’t very reliable so if I had a day full of errands I would rather drive than use hours of my day waiting at bus stops.

Our options are inadequate. The bus service does not cater to riders of choice and our bike infrastructure is not well connected to each other.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

I would ask “who is it for and who is funding it” and I would favor projects with outside funding and local benefit.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street [Highest Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[High Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

At the top of my list, I find that the Swannanoa Green Way will connect disparate greenways and add bike and pedestrian infrastructure to underserved neighborhoods, and that makes them very impactful. At the bottom, the state is using public funds to build infrastructure for a single company (exit 35) and for a single mode of transportation (I-26 Connecter.) I do like the potential to use the Bowen Bridge for local and multi-modal transportation, but am gravely concerned about the destruction of neighborhoods by the unnecessary widening of 240.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

During my time on the downtown commission, I have been a consistent supporter of reducing the amount of asphalt given to cars, guided the placement of street furniture, advocated for wider sidewalks and bike infrastructure and encouraged the implementation of parking maximums outside the CBD. (Except in the case of hotels, which I believe is the only type of use that should maintain onsite parking due to the nature of tourism here and the potential impacts of NOT doing so would have worse impacts on locals.)

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

I do think we need better community buy-in on the project before it can move forward, but this is a communication and neighborhood relationship issue. I have seen the results of the Charlotte Street road diet and I am hopeful that a similarly thoughtful approach will have good results on Merrimon as well. I often commute on Merrimon on my way back from UNC-A and I don’t think the current road design is working very well. Those left turns!

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

This is not a place I am an expert. In cases like this, I would rely on information from community experts like AoB.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

I would incentivize the development of surface parking and abandoned or outdated uses of lots and disincentivize the displacement of existing structures. Development without displacement is the path forward.

This plays into one of my standard questions: “Who is this for?” While I’m supportive of infrastructure and transportation options for EVERY neighborhood, I recognize that when you inject a lot of money and new services and amenities into a neighborhood that has been underinvested in for decades it will often attract new residents that displace the old ones. Knowing this, we need to develop programs that operate adjacent to these investments that are designed to make sure that what we build is for our existing residents first. This could include mortgage assistance, tax rebates or abatement and help for first-time homebuyers who want to own the homes they currently rent.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Bus service every 15 minutes on main corridors at first, and eventually system-wide. A circulator bus would be helpful, and I’d ask that all repaving in future CIP projects be evaluated for opportunities to increase transportation options.

Allison Scott

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

I currently have lived in Montford for five years. Previously I lived in Five Points but was unable to locate a house for sale and the first one to become available in our price range happened to be in Montford. I spend a lot of time downtown where I work. Growing up in Asheville I have so many memories of downtown not really being the place anyone went and now watching it become this cool foodie attraction lets me create new memories. My son and I often ride downtown to get ice-cream and people watch.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

I like to bike or walk to my work and local errands. One of the privileges of living so close to town means most of it is very accessible to me. Also having a child means I often will switch up transportation during the days from one mode to the other.

This question is dependent on so many variables. If someone lives near town and works near town on a typical M-F 9-5 schedule then biking or using the bus may be a real possibility. I think for a lot of people I talk to our public transportation system and living outside of the city proper can make it extremely difficult to use busses daily in their lives. The schedules and routes have too many gaps to make that work. Add in terrain and nonexistent bike lanes in most of the city and biking becomes a dangerous undertaking.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

1. I would evaluate the impact to the community to determine if we are perpetuating inequities against minority populations.
2. Has the project been discussed in the community where it is being implemented. Ideally the project idea was generated through community collaboration.
3. What is the environmental impact to the area? Are we working on something that will decrease pollution or our carbon footprint? Does the project have the possibility of increasing green space and tree canopy cover?

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513) [Highest Impact]
Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street[High Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[Low Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001)[Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking.

1. The I-26 Connector will overall improve the wealth of WNC in the short term it still damages the environment and disproportionally benefits white middle class and above.
2. I believe the Swannanoa Greenway will be very be very helpful to community members and tourist alike in providing alternative forms of travel.
3. AVL Unpaved will undoubtable provide more activities for local and visitor mountain biking which brings in tourism dollars and has a low environmental impact.
4. The Hellbender trail looks amazing and could be a draw on par with the Virginia Creeper trail it will take a lot of follow through for local municipalities.
5. Future Exit 35 will bring in wealth for Pratt and Whitney I do not believe the health of the area will be improved by the construction of this project nor the pollution from industrial trucks that come along with this build.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

My local activity has mostly focused on LGBTQ and minority legal rights. While I have not had the time to work on boards or committees outside of this area I have done everything possible to participate in actions or spreading public awareness on these issues.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

I’ve had a friend who was hit while crossing the street. I also have been in two car accidents on Merrion over the years. With the current road design every form of transportation is dangerous due to people weaving in and out to avoid cars turning. Biking on the road is very dangerous so when I do bike on Merrimon I stay on the sidewalk which creates issues with bikes and pedestrians sharing the same small path.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

While I am far from an expert I love the fact that NACTO takes a modern approach to design that promotes sustainable travel. I have biked to work and for errands and as a native I know the city has not prioritized alternative and multimodal travel. Going to cities all over the world I have seen the difference it can make for the vitality and environmental impacts of cities that invest in this infrastructure.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

Increase zoning to promote urban density, especially in areas that already have large infrastructure in place that can be modified. We need to better utilize existing industrial and urban corridors to promote high-density living with sustainable building and transportation.

I believe investment in ped / bike facilities should be funded in higher proportion to areas with minority populations. I feel it is a fair criticism to say we are funding these projects at a lower rate for historical BIPOC sections of the city. Having more community leadership from these areas would go a long way to changing the story on how projects are funded and built.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

I feel the most impactful one is the one we haven’t implemented yet. I see Asheville trying to recreate systems that work for large cities that have different designs and layouts and we need to get more creative to find solutions that work for our city. This would start with equity and bringing in community leadership and studies to see what is needed in areas with the highest levels of income inequality.

Maggie Ullman Berthiaume

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.

Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

Yes – The date is on my calendar.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

I live in the Claxton Elementary neighborhood with my daughter, husband, and dog. We live as close to where we work, volunteer, and spend time as we can afford so that we can walk and bike as much as possible. We do this because we enjoy being outdoors, getting exercise, being face to face with our neighbors and others, experiencing that close-knit feeling of really knowing your neighborhood and city, and to reduce our impact on the environment.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

My best estimate is that for my personal and family trips: 75% car, 15% bike, and 10% walking and my local work-related trips are 75% bike and 25% car.

Our transportation options are limited, which disproportionately burdens lower-income people and reduces everyone’s opportunities for better health, vitality, connection, autonomy, and a cleaner planet, which is why I’ve been working to expand them through my service on the city’s Multimodal Transportation Commission and a board member of Asheville on Bikes.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

Who would be served by the infrastructure, or who would be better served by the infrastructure? What are the alternatives? How does the proposal take into account all modes of transportation that people may need to use to get from here to there? If it does not, what is the argument for excluding people who use modes that are not accommodated by the project? What, if any, inequities were created or exacerbated by previous iterations of transportation in this area? What inequities could be mitigated by this proposal? Those would be among my first considerations.

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street[Highest Impact]
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)[High Impact]
Hellbender Regional Trail [Low Impact]
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)[Lower Impact]
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001) [Lowest Impact]

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking. My rankings reflect my priority to provide safe, connected multimodal transportation networks.

My rankings reflect my priority to provide safe, connected multimodal transportation networks.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

As a current member of the City’s Multimodal Transportation Commission, my number one priority is improving safety for all transportation users through building complete and connected multi-modal transportation networks. I’ve learned that far more pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and passengers are dying on our streets than I ever would imagine. I’ve learned that families don’t feel safe taking walks and teaching their children to ride bikes. We must do better. Increased safety through complete networks makes multi-modal transportation viable for any Ashevillian, which is essential for us to see the mode shift necessary to address climate change and have even healthier communities in all Asheville neighborhoods. That is the outcome I continue working toward.
To date I have focused my efforts on the following MMTC efforts:
I am the lead MMTC member in the City and NCDOT coalition to improve safety on Merrimon Ave through the consideration of a road reconfiguration. This proposed project will improve safety by (1) reducing vehicle speeds thus reducing vehicle-to-vehicle crashes, (2) adding bike lanes for safe and connected bicycle travel, and (3) adding a buffer between pedestrians and moving vehicles.
I am an MMTC delegate on the City Public Space Management Task Force. In the start of the pandemic the city enacted temporary guidelines to share public space downtown with private businesses for social distancing (namely sidewalks, parking space, and streets). This Task Force will provide recommendations to the City for long-term standards for downtown public space. As an MMTC member, I am advocating for continued and expanded pedestrian-only streets downtown. This matters because demonstrating that previously car-centered public space can be used for other modes is essential to evolve car-centric culture in our community thus opening the community receptiveness to further multi-modal strategies.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

As noted above, I am the lead MMTC member in the City and NCDOT coalition to improve safety on Merrimon Ave through the consideration of a road reconfiguration. This proposed project will improve safety by (1) reducing vehicle speeds thus reducing vehicle to vehicle crashes, (2) adding bike lanes for safe and connected bicycle travel, and (3) adding a buffer between pedestrians and moving vehicles.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

NACTO standards are not a silver bullet for better people centered design in transportation, BUT they are a fantastic resource that would elevate Asheville planning for safer and more welcoming transportation networks for all modes of transportation.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

We know when development sprawls along corridors only built for cars, that neighbors with the least resources have to move the farthest out, increasing commuting, and with terrible impacts to the environment. When we build we need to encourage it along transit corridors and close to jobs and services.

When we talk about gentrification, we must talk about the housing market. The housing market being in the driver’s seat is the number one reason for gentrification in our city. It pushes lower income people out. We can fight gentrification. I will champion building deeply affordable housing, zoning that supports adding small-scale housing into our neighborhoods, and ensure incentives help people most in need—people earning a living wage or less.

My top three issues, based on meeting with hundreds of people during this campaign, are affordable housing, local climate change solutions, and ensuring quality core city services.

Multimodal transportation is part of our climate change solutions and our infrastructure is part of our core city services. We also need to be sensitive to and mitigate the role that infrastructure can play in displacing people. As noted in my response to the question about if someone came to me with a proposal for new infrastructure, specific to bike/ped infrastructure, I will seek the context, the vision, the history, and how the project will address current inequities.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

The most impactful investment: A new long-term dedicated funding source for transit. We need to aim for a thriving transit system with ample routes, that go the places we need, as frequently we need. To do this we need a substantial increase in the investment into our transit system.
How to measure the return on the investment: (1) A substantial decrease in the amount of time it takes transit riders to get from one destination to another. (2) A substantial increase in transit ridership and correlating decrease in trips by single-occupant vehicles.

Will Hornaday

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Tuesday, May 4th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.

Yes – The date is on my calendar.

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum.”

As soon as you set the date I will confirm, I have every intention of being there.

What neighborhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favorite places to spend time in our town?

Albemarle Park just off Charlotte Street in N. Asheville. Every morning my wife & I walk our dogs for about an hour. Some morning its downtown, or Sunset Mountain, or we just wander through nhoods. There is always something unique to see & we are fortunate to be here for it. We often run into someone we know (past teachers at Claxton, business owners on Charlotte St, neighbors on Sunset Mt.) and chat for a minute or two. These are my favorite places, where communities gather, walk & thrive.

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?

By car. I bike and walk often as well. My father in law loaned me his ebike and that has been great for so many trips. I love when I go to another town and only walk or take public transportation. We just returned from Chicago and experiencing a city only by foot or bus reminded what I missed about travel since COVID, I want more of that for Asheville. Frequent, reliable public transportation is needed and wanted, the more people who voice this the better it is for our city, environment, and health.

If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

Which of these projects are most likely to improve the health and wealth of WNC residents?

Hellbender Regional Trail
Swannanoa Greenway / Complete Street
AVL Unpaved (Natural Surface Trail Network)
I-26 Connector (STIP Number 12513)
Future Exit 35, New I-26 Interchange (STIP Number HE-0001)

Elaborate on your impact list. Explain your ranking. My rankings reflect my priority to provide safe, connected multimodal transportation networks.

Hellbender: My family vacations (8x at least) on Reg/Rail Trails. Hellbender will be an economic driver with Asheville at the hub. 2. Great. Swan.Greenway: YES the final stage that links Asheville to the Fonta Flora (tied for no 1.) 3. Unpaved: love the activation of underutilized enviro sensitive areas all over town. 4. I-26: Ped/Bike path across FBR and greenways is huge and needed. May we all live long enough to see it. 5. Exit 35: number 1 on the NCDOT schedule, number 5 in my heart.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for people who use sidewalks, ride transit, and bicycles. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

Do you support the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the Merrimon 4-3 conversion?

CON: May take a few more seconds to get to your destination.

It feels like the current configuration is designed to encourage aggressive driving.

If elected would you vote for the City of Asheville to adopt National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design standards?

Yes

Elaborate on your position regarding the adoption of NACTO design standards.

If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Asheville On Bikes

Cultivating bicycle culture

2022 Asheville Candidate Election Responses

Primary Election May 17th, 2022: What do our Primary Election Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

Mayoral Candidates

City Council Candidates

Cliff Feingold

Esther Manheimer

Kim Roney

Will Hornaday

Andy Ledford

Nina Tovish

Grant Millin

Andrew Fletcher

Allison Scott

Maggie Ullman Berthiaume

Will Hornaday