2020 Asheville Candidate Election Responses

General Election Nov 3rd, 2020: What do our Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

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

City Council General Candidates

County Commissioner General Candidates

Joe Belcher
Parker Sloan
Terri Wells
Brownie Newman
Jasmine Beach Ferrara

No response: Keith Young (City Council); Sandra Kilgore (City Council), Glenda Weinart (County Commissioner), Anthony Penland (County Commissioner), Robert Presley (County Commissioner)

Previous responses from the March 3 Primary Election

ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES, GENERAL ELECTION

Kim Roney

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
I’m running because the work we must do to ensure a resilient community includes urgent action to take better care of the planet & each other. As a necessity bus rider, cyclist, and pedestrian, I have first-hand experience with the inadequacies of our multimodal infrastructure. I have used my experience serving on the Multimodal Transportation Commission, Transit Committee, and Downtown Sub-Committee on Parking & Transportation.

Climate justice with a race & class analysis will include land use policy, reparations, updating our UDO, and a Strong Towns model adapted for Asheville that promotes housing density on major corridors. Public transit is at the intersection of equitable access, economic mobility, and climate justice, which is why fare-free transit is a key tenant of my platform.

Have you signed the “Asheville on Bikes’ Pledge for Changes to Our Streets“? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I have signed the pledge. I am grateful for the leadership of community members like Michael Stratton who brought the work to the City through the Multimodal Transportation Commission and worked with AOB and fellow MMTC members to build support for the initiative citywide. This is an opportunity to increase safe, multimodal transportation access by prioritizing the movement of people, not just the movement and storage of cars. With tactical urbanism and people-powered initiatives, this is a great example of how local businesses and residents can problem solve for greater community resiliency, an important part of ensuring an equitable transition through the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is your perspective on the City of Asheville’s “AVL Shares Space” initiative?
The initiative should be continued since we are still in the pandemic and it’s our first Winter with COVID-19, so we can’t know what is ahead. The feedback appears to be overwhelmingly positive, and we can get more feedback through the cold months to better inform what comes next. We can engage more volunteers, especially those offering professional and lived experience, in our solutions moving forward. An example of tactical urbanism outcomes, some of these changes can be maintained beyond the emergency at hand for long term solutions that ensure our streets work better for the people who live and work here and for our guests.

Hendersonville Rd, Tunnel Rd, and Biltmore Ave are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of these studies?
These corridors are the spines and access points for adjacent neighborhoods. Many commercial spaces are aging out of useful life, so Urban Place zoning and a Strong Towns model to increase density on the corridor will reduce infrastructure costs while increasing accessibility to goods and services for the neighborhoods.

My hopes for outcomes include: Crosswalk signals at intersections which stop vehicular traffic in all directions; design speed features for self-enforcement of target speed limits; ensuring NCDOT’s own NACTO design guidelines are used; and that our City goals and community values are met with tested designs shown to not only advance the safety of the people using the road outside of a car, but also to make streets safer to drive so everyone gets to their destination.

What are your thoughts on the City of Asheville’s “Close the GAP Process”? https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/transportation/current-projects/close-the-gap-planning-process/

This is an exciting opportunity to address accessibility with a transportation network using an equity lens! As the community gets involved with updating our plans, we can get out of silos and start to seriously advance accessibility for people on the move. I think we can also learn from the failures of the Asheville In Motion plan by using the GARE toolkit that the City used with the noise ordinance input.

I support seeking creative models that work to advance our goals, but I still have a lot of questions and will closely follow the GAP plan process to see how we can ensure accessibility for all modes with an equity lens. For a few years now, my question about greenways has been: Would greenway construction and maintenance being brought into Public Works be a better plan for Asheville than contracting out? We could review costs and benefits differently, and could set up an award-winning program for success while creating local, living-wage jobs.

What role does transportation investment play in Asheville’s commitment to reparations?

Our transportation is rooted in infrastructural racism. As we look at the healing process, Dr. Destiny Thomas is among those addressing what cities can do.

I’m eager to hear from the Reparations Commission, and share in calls to divest from policing so we can invest in long term safety strategies. This can look like removing fees as a barrier to transit, ensuring accessibility for neighborhoods decimated by redlining, and protecting neighborhoods like Burton and Hillcrest from the planned I-26 Connector Project.

We must acknowledge concerns that a burst of infrastructure investment in an historically underfunded neighborhood will increase vulnerability to gentrification. Participatory budgeting can be a useful tool in centering equity by empowering the voice of people most affected.

Depends. We’ve made public commitments on how the bonds will be used, so they should stay in the same categories. At this late hour, decisions are going to be made quickly, and we must have a transparent process with public input. The Finance Committee hasn’t met since February, the dashboard doesn’t tell the whole story, and the RADTIP project going over budget is still fresh in my mind.

With housing, I hear and support consideration if funds can be moved to eviction protection. Another solution that wasn’t fully available when we voted on the bonds is the Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust. I would support consideration of moving funding within the housing bonds to the ABCLT purchase of homes and proactive eviction protection to help keep people housed beyond the pandemic.

While I want to see the long-term solutions implemented from what we learned from Street Tweaks on Coxe Ave, I have to acknowledge that the highest return financially is likely with the Swannanoa River Greenway. Greenways connect people with nature, which has tremendous health outcomes and improves quality of life. We also have to be intentional in considering the increase of taxable property values, which will be a positive for our General Fund, but may be a challenge for residents. This goes back to partnering with neighborhoods on resiliency, as well as geographic equity for infrastructure investment since I hear from East Asheville neighbors expressing support for this greenway as a way to increase accessibility and connectivity without relying on inaccessible major corridors.

Rich Lee

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
First and foremost, my experience as a dedicated bus rider in Asheville for four years. After that, I’m most influenced by Asheville’s ranking as consistently among the most dangerous cities in North Carolina for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers, and the inequitable racial distribution of traffic and pedestrian injuries. Lastly, the pressing problem of rapid growth and sprawl in the county, and the way that’s impacting our traffic options.

Have you signed the “Asheville on Bikes’ Pledge for Changes to Our Streets”? If so, why? If not, why not? https://ashevilleonbikes.com/sign-the-pledge-of-support-for-changes-to-our-streets
Yes.

Hendersonville Rd, Tunnel Rd, and Biltmore Ave are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of these studies?
My first hope is that DOT will follow local recommendations, include bike and ped facilities, and prioritize local uses over regional (and beyond) traffic patterns.

What is your perspective on the City of Asheville’s “AVL Shares Space” initiative? https://www.ashevillenc.gov/news/avl-shares-space-extended-to-jan-3-with-winter-guidelines/
Yes. As one of the drafters of the changes, I support them, but I’m also concerned that they’re not enough and they won’t be as impactful to local small businesses entering the colder months.

What are your thoughts on the City of Asheville’s “Close the GAP Process”? https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/transportation/current-projects/close-the-gap-planning-process/
As one of the initiators of this process (as a member of the city’s Greenway Committee and chair of the Multimodal Transportation Commission), I support them of course. My top priority is that they identify safe alternative mode projects in all areas of the city, especially the south, and create tools for the city to gain control of parcels for bike/ped facilities that are rapidly being impinged by development, including easements and development restrictions along future routes. I am also eager for the process to create a framework for citizen-led projects like Street Tweaks and natural-surface trails.

What are your thoughts on the City of Asheville’s “AVL Unpaved” initiative? https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/12/10/asheville-greenway-shortage-paved-vs-unpaved-french-broad-greenway/931903001/
This was my biggest initiative as Multimodal Chair that hasn’t paid off yet. To get ahead of costs and make our trail network more comprehensive faster, we need natural surface trails. Richmond and Knoxville provide good nearby examples of this done right. I’ll note that gravel fines may not be appropriate treatments for our terrain and climate, and the pilot gravel fines trail on Town Branch has already been significantly degraded by weather and poor implementation.

What role does transportation investment play in Asheville’s commitment to reparations?
That’s a really good question! I’m not prepared to prescribe forms of reparations before the Reparations Commission process has even started. However, I would be glad to see that process lead to calls for greater bicycle and pedestrian amenities in underinvested neighborhoods, implemented along with anti-gentrification measures, as part of a package of reparations that also included city-owned land and other programs.

The City of Asheville faces anticipated budget shortfalls over the next year. Given the current funding shortfalls should the new city council consider reallocating bond funds to invest in critical needs? Why or why not?
I think the transportation bond funds from the last issue are being well-spent. I would rather see a second bond referendum specifically focused on transportation go into effect as the previous bonds roll off. I agree we won’t be able to catch up on our infrastructure deficit with regular operational funds. We need more bonds, and they’re the most cost-effective way to go about it.

To your mind what transportation project would yield the highest return on investment and why? Please focus your response on one project. a) Coxe Ave b) Beaucatcher Greenway c) Swannanoa River Road Greenway d) other.
I’ll pick the Swannanoa River Greenway. With the imminent arrival of the Fonta Flora Trail from McDowell County, we’re close to having a true regional bike and ped connection, and Asheville’s piece is going to be the most critical and difficult part of it. We have funds for design and some construction, and a coming DOT redesign of Swannanoa River Road is likely to mean more. This is the connection we’ve been waiting for.

Sage Turner

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?

My concerns about climate change and willingness to make changes in my life and in policies to mitigate the impacts of climate change; my love for the mountains and rivers in our region and my desire to protect them now and for future generations; my experience living in West Asheville for 20 years and being able to walk to restaurants and other local small businesses and to teach my son to bike on our streets; my 20 years of experience on local boards and commissions that consistently identify land use and transportation as key to issues from health to poverty to safety; my experience living in cities that provided extensive transit services; and my personal interest that led to earning my Master’s in Urban Planning–these all influence my thinking on land use and transportation.

Have you signed the “Asheville on Bikes’ Pledge for Changes to Our Streets”? If so, why? If not, why not? https://ashevilleonbikes.com/sign-the-pledge-of-support-for-changes-to-our-streets

I think so. But I just did again in case. I support the concept, I’d like to see it implemented, and I appreciate AOB’s advocacy.

What is your perspective on the City of Asheville’s “AVL Shares Space” initiative? https://www.ashevillenc.gov/news/avl-shares-space-extended-to-jan-3-with-winter-guidelines/

It took longer than hoped to get off the ground and moving. AOB members and I met about it and talked about broader initiatives in April and tried to expedite the process, only to be met with resistance at the City. So we don’t have any closed or partially closed streets, which is a shame. We could be experimenting. That is perhaps my biggest takeaway – that we can experiment more and surprise ourselves with how well things can work, i.e. reduced parking for outdoor dining. Once things got moving with public space updates, the changes worked out well and are being used by 78 businesses at this time. We need to be ready to help them adapt again for the cold season. Recently, Mountain Bizworks organized a mass purchase of outdoor heaters.

Hendersonville Rd, Tunnel Rd, and Biltmore Ave are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of these studies?

Hendersonville Rd is 5.4m of roads up for planning reconsideration. Tunnel is 1.75m, the Biltmore stretch runs through the center of the city and there is an additional corridor: Merrimon, 2.3 miles. Most are 5 lane roads that privilege travel by automobiles by design. Merrimon is 4 lanes, also privileges automobile travel, and has a high crash history. All are missing critical multimodal infrastructure like wider sidewalks and safe bicycle amenities. I hope for traffic calming measures that slow us down, and more accessible, multimodal infrastructure to help get more people out of cars. I support focusing residential growth along major corridors to encourage mass transit use, create infill without sprawling infrastructure, and help us protect neighborhoods, open and natural space.

What are your thoughts on the City of Asheville’s “Close the GAP Process”? https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/transportation/current-projects/close-the-gap-planning-process/

I think it’s appropriate to layer the planning of ADA, greenway, and pedestrian infrastructure; they overlap and will be used more if they intersect, complement each other, and work together. Part of getting people out of cars is having accessible, contiguous access to the goods and services we need. Lucy Crown (heads the planning for this project) will be a strong leader on connecting the dots for us.

What are your thoughts on the City of Asheville’s “AVL Unpaved” initiative? https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/12/10/asheville-greenway-shortage-paved-vs-unpaved-french-broad-greenway/931903001/
I support the initiative and while it may not be ideal to use lesser materials or leave greenways as dirt entirely, it is still a step in the right direction and one we can afford. There are unfortunate impacts for differently abled persons since many areas will remain inaccessible so we need to be sure we are making some greenway systems easily accessible by all bodies and encouraging public use. The reality is that construction costs have increased across all projects–from paving to building affordable housing.

What role does transportation investment play in Asheville’s commitment to reparations?

Access is a component of building equity and building equity is an arm of reparations. In the absence of a federal program that injects actual cash into families that lost access to building generational wealth, we are forced to look locally at what we can do to create and enable wealth building. Primarily, this is done via home and business ownership, but includes secondary initiatives like planting trees in low income neighborhoods to bring down utility costs and multimodal infrastructure to bring down transportation costs. According to the H&T Index, Asheville residents spend as much as 25% of their income on housing. Anything we can do to bring down costs of living while helping build wealth counts towards restoring wealth and reparations.

I think we should continue to streamline and reduce expenses, continue to freeze hires, and look to furloughing workers before terminating departments and impactful initiatives. I could see reallocation of bonds to assist in keeping small businesses alive, and thereby workers employed but only if we’re positive the federal government will take no further action to infuse monies into communities. During downturns in the economy, one maneuver to rebuild is to invest additional capital into infrastructure, particularly items that move us closer to our goals, like solar initiatives, that create jobs along the way.

Coxe Ave. It added to our cultural arts, was innovating, focused on complete streets, and proved that these types of street calming tactics can save lives, slow down vehicles, prioritize multiple modalities, and still serve businesses along the way. Yes, there were some businesses that were upset to lose loading areas. Yes, there were hiccups with the beige paint, but those are lessons and part of the testing process. We can pivot and do better with each attempt.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES, GENERAL ELECTION

Joe Belcher

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
Quality of life is the filter I pour my decisions through. Whether I am looking at affordable housing, recreation assets or infrastructure decisions; I have used this filter to make sure my constituents receive the result they ask for. Also connectivity of our community to schools that allows them to be walkable or where the family can bike together has been part of my record. An avid supporter of Connect Enka I was able to push the DOT to connect Sand Hill rd and the Enka Ballfields and 19/23 and was successful with this project including “complete streets” to be started in spring of 2021. I am also a grand father and look for walkable and recreational solutions that would appeal to them and other families.

What role does transportation investment play in Buncombe county’s commitment to reparations?
As a BC Commissioner it is my role to fund through the budget all communities needs. Taxes are paid and constituents expect to see them. The south slope and areas of asheville where jobs make a difference should be invested in. I have been a supporter, for example, of The Grind; asheville’s first black owned coffee shop. The coffee is amazing and the owners care about their community. CONNECTING this community to county assets requires investing in walkable and bikeable options for schools, health care and business opportunities.

Hendersonville Rd and Tunnel Rd are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of the studies?
There are many models in other cities and counties where you can merge the need of moving thousands and cars and still make it safe for those who walk and bike. The changes needed may include but not be limited to: roundabout installations at key points, compete street incorporation where neighborhoods need connectivity. I have been involved with the FBMPO to help many communities with these concerns. I also have state connections with DOT and have been able to bridge the gap between these organizations and my constituents. I have influence in these areas.

What are your thoughts on the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Hellbender Regional draft plan?
Connecting communities is important and I believe that this project requires reaching out to elected officials such as myself who have a record of getting the consensus to make them happen. For example the “Enka Heritage Trail” was a dream of mine and the community from the beginning when I began working with “Connect Enka”. I stayed on the dream and continued to work until it received funding. You need that type of leadership for these projects. Connections matter.

Do you endorse the “Asheville I-26 Connector Aesthetics Committee Report” and should Buncombe County financially support the recommendations? Why or why not?
I have seen this a coupe of times and was on an original committee that recommended the Jeff Bowen bridge being a gateway to asheville. Studies can tend to show the highest $$ estimates and can scare away many. As a senior member of the BCTDA I can petition for funding.

In 2019 the Buncombe County Commissioners established the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. What, specifically, would you ask this board to accomplish regarding greenways in 2021 and in 2022?
The Enka Heritage Trail will be starting and I would hope to see others begin. Also the Advisory board is also responsible for other assets. I expect ALL BC parks to be overhauled as one of MY next objectives. Recreational assets has been my calling in BC. I have been successful to add many, Bob Lewis Ballfields, the largest expansion of BC Sports park (14 million) including new terf for our soccer fields and the addition of many options for our families. Also we have installed options for our citizens that have different abilities to enjoy our parks. I want more of these options installed and will see that it happens.

The improvements to Swannanoa River Road and the planned greenway beside it have been moved back to 2031 because of the financial crises with NCDOT. This project is critical in establishing an active transportation network for our county. Should county commissioners work with NCDOT to prioritize this project? If so, why and how? If not, why not?
As an 8 year commissioner with connections to the state I have been 100% successful getting the needs of BC met. Whether it was changing the speed limit in a neigborhood or adding a red light a small community to help improve safety. These connections take time and require someone like myself who has a “voice of reason” and can negotiate positive outcomes for BC. Covid has impacted some funding but I will not allow that to be an excuse to delay a project to an unreasonable date. I would negotiate any date that is critical to our community. An example of success is connecting the bridge in enka candler to sandhill road; i have been working on this for 5 years and would not give up; not excuses; stay the course and now the results will be completion in 2021.

Parker Sloan

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
Fighting Climate Change is the biggest driver of my thinking. We know that our society has to electrify everything, like cars, as quickly as possible. However, better land use planning, design, and infrastructure to get people out of their cars is essential–and it is getting the least amount of attention by both the private sector and public policy makers. As the saying goes, “ widening a highway to reduce traffic congestion is just like loosening your belt to fight obesity”.

What role does transportation investment play in Buncombe county’s commitment to reparations?
Redlining, lack of bike/ped infrastructure, and decades of infrastructure neglect impacts us all, but it has impacted the African American community more. It’s important to me that the County put in time and resources towards increasing Black home ownership and increasing Black owned businesses that pay above average wages. Fighting for and investing in better transportation infrastructure, transit, and bike/ped infrastructure improves public health outcomes and I see it as complementary to any reparations efforts.

Hendersonville Rd and Tunnel Rd are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of the studies?
The corridors are urban in nature and so I hope the studies are an urgent reminder to Buncombe County Government that we are very much in the urban planning business. These corridors have been developed and built out over decades with a vehicle-first, 20th century mindset and land use practices. My priorities for these corridors are overall safety, aesthetic improvements (and prevention of poor design) bike/ped safety and access, as well as investing in transit. I’d also like to consider prohibiting the use of lighted billboards across Buncombe County.

What are your thoughts on the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Hellbender Regional draft plan?
My initial reaction after reviewing the draft plan is that the scale of the goal is geographic distribution is exactly what we need to have a more serious conversation about the potential for greenways in our region. And this Hellbender concept, in total, provides a unique foundation for the argument that our community should build greenways not just as a network of linear parks but as a transportation system. My belief is that keeping the discussion within that transportation system mentality is important because it could be the tipping point for public opinion and thus the needed financial investment.

Do you endorse the “Asheville I-26 Connector Aesthetics Committee Report” and should Buncombe County financially support the recommendations? Why or why not?
Yes I do. I think that it’s important that our community come together and fund critical design elements and improvements that we think are important to get the best deal we can while this massive construction project is underway. For me it is important that we provide funding for quality of life / aesthetics improvements in excess of the critical treatment funding “bucket”. Funding for improvements along Riverside Drive and Amboy Road underpass/traffic circle are important in addition to the Haywood Road Bridge and Bowen Bridge.

In 2019 the Buncombe County Commissioners established the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. What, specifically, would you ask this board to accomplish regarding greenways in 2021 and in 2022?
Emphasizing capital investment into bikeways and greenway over the short and long term is what is most called for now. This will need to begin with the relationship building effort and goal of joining with the MPO, TDA, NCDOT, our municipalities, and nonprofit funders to create the environment for sustained financial investment from all involved. I’d like to see the County then commit to an annual investment goal with the expectation that funding from these other sources would be leveraged. I would also ask the Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board, if they have not already, to come up with policy criteria to evaluate what our priority greenway/bikeways segments should be.

I’d seen that NCDOT was blaming COVID for decades of mismanagement and poor budget priorities but the year 2031 is new to me–that is really far off. The Swannanoa River Road greenway is a key proposed multiuse path that would connect much of East Asheville to the jobs, recreation, shopping, and educational opportunities in other parts of Asheville to the west. This greenway will also be a key link to an eventual eastward expansion that will connect the Swannanoa community with those same opportunities.

After the election seems like an opportune time to have a conversation with state leaders and NCDOT about potential resolutions to their financial crisis.

Terri Wells

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
I’m a ninth-generation farmer, and that informs my thinking on land use. I have lived in Buncombe County most of my life, but I’ve also lived elsewhere, including Chapel Hill and Boulder while attending college and graduate school. Both towns have multimodal transportation options, and that also informs my thinking on land use and transportation. We need a broad vision to advance our transportation system. We must address affordable housing density, a more efficient and accessible public transit system, and multimodal greenways connecting Buncombe. When our citizens are healthy and active and able to have transportation options, we will be making progress.

What role does transportation investment play in Buncombe county’s commitment to reparations?
As commissioner, I will ensure that we prioritize communities which have been traditionally disenfranchised when investing in pedestrian, biking, and public transit infrastructure. We must assess community connectivity and neighborhood planning, as well as provide access to quality education and employers. Active transportation has a major effect on a community’s quality of life. It affects public health, economic opportunity and overall livability of a community. Lowered transportation costs, reduced air pollution, as well as the increase in transportation options are beneficial to everyone. I would seek to invest in transportation that serves the people living in their communities, which requires listening to community members to understand and champion their transportation needs.

Hendersonville Rd and Tunnel Rd are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of the studies?
We have an important opportunity to create multimodal corridors that increase quality of life and safety for all residents, as well as attracting economic investment due to the increased value of better land use planning. I value a collaborative process with input from all stakeholders as we proceed to a plan that will address congestion, pedestrian and cyclist safety, and connectivity.

What are your thoughts on the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Hellbender Regional draft plan?
The Hellbender Trail has great potential. This type of regional trail system and outlook will help position our region for greater economic investment by attracting high quality businesses that value these forward looking projects. Greenways improve quality of life and create healthier, more livable communities. You can count on me to help lead on this important quality of life issue that will impact our health, economy, and environment.

Do you endorse the “Asheville I-26 Connector Aesthetics Committee Report” and should Buncombe County financially support the recommendations? Why or why not?
I am appreciative of the thoughtful details that have been provided in this report, as well as the breakdown of the various cost analysis options. I am continuing to critically read through the details of the report. In the meantime, I can say that with the planned construction of the new I-240 and I-26 bridges to the north that there is an excellent opportunity to create a local multimodal access to the city with the Bowen Bridge design. I believe the city has already approved some of the recommended funding, and this is a good opportunity for Buncombe County and the TDA to also work collaboratively with the city to provide funding. Due to unforeseen circumstances with Covid and the impact on budgets this will all have to be closely assessed.

In 2019 the Buncombe County Commissioners established the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. What, specifically, would you ask this board to accomplish regarding greenways in 2021 and in 2022?
I would ask the Recreation Advisory Board to assess and prioritize projects that would provide equitable and inclusive recreational opportunities and greenways in areas that have been typically underserved.

As commissioner, I will seek to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to build a stronger and more resilient Buncombe. It is always necessary to assess and prioritize projects based upon the totality of current budgets and long-term planning.

Brownie Newman

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
Climate protection, gentrification, protecting the ecology of the mountains, economic and racial segregation, maintaining family farms.

What role does transportation investment play in Buncombe county’s commitment to reparations?
I support Buncombe County financially partnering with the City to implement the Transit Master Plan, which would create transit service levels of 15 minutes or better along many of our major corridors. This is essential to better serve the transit dependent members of our community and is also necessary to attract choice riders to use transit, which is critical to air quality, congestion, climate goals and avoiding more expensive and ugly parking decks. I also support the County investing funds to make the entire transit system fare-free as research shows this will significantly increase the number of people who choose transit. These efforts can be part of our community reparations strategy but will have broad benefits for the entire community.

Hendersonville Rd and Tunnel Rd are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of the studies?
As a member of the MPO, I have advocated for and supported funding to carry out more of these corridor studies. My hope is that we can identify opportunities to retrofit these key streets to support Transit Oriented Development and functional rapid transit corridors.

What are your thoughts on the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Hellbender Regional draft plan?
As a member of the MPO, I voted to support it. I believe the highest priority projects should be the ones located in our more densely populated neighborhoods that are most likely to serve as functional transportation and commuter corridors for the most people.

Do you endorse the “Asheville I-26 Connector Aesthetics Committee Report” and should Buncombe County
financially support the recommendations? Why or why not?
Yes. As Commission Chair, I asked that this issue be placed on the County Commission agenda earlier this year for consideration. It is important that the County contribute funding for the project, not just the City. Ted Figura did an excellent job presenting the project. Following Ted’s presentation, I encouraged the Commission to commit to contributing funding for the project. Unfortunately, no other Commissioners spoke favorably of the County investing in the project. Due to changes in the project schedule announced by DOT, there will be additional time to build support among Commissioners for the project. Hopefully, some new members will be elected to the board of commissioners this November that will support the project.

In 2019 the Buncombe County Commissioners established the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. What, specifically, would you ask this board to accomplish regarding greenways in 2021 and in 2022?
My hope is the new Advisory Board can work with staff to help get some of the high priority projects we have been working on for a number of years, such as the Woodfin Greenway and the Enka Heritage Trail, successfully underway and moving towards construction.

This is not a project I am as familiar with as some others. I’d welcome the chance to learn more form Asheville on Bikes and Connect Buncombe about why this is viewed as a key project and what the County could do to support it.

Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

What influences your thinking on land use and transportation?
Community priorities, particularly from impacted communities; recommendations from planners; equity consideration; sustainability considerations; and fiscal viability.

What role does transportation investment play in Buncombe county’s commitment to reparations?
I’m honored to have worked on Buncombe County’s Community Reparations Resolution. Now, the real work is ahead of us as our community works together to determine what community reparations mean in substance as we seek to make amends for the harms of slavery, segregation, redlining, and current racial disparities in our community. I would start this process by listening to what Black community members express as their priorities around areas for investment. Certainly one structural issue to consider is access to transportation, which is a linchpin for many people in our community as they travel from work to home to school.

Hendersonville Rd and Tunnel Rd are going through a corridor studies. What are your hopes for the outcome of the studies?
My hope is that this process will generate a comprehensive plan that addresses reduced congestion; increased public transportation; and multimodal opportunities.

What are your thoughts on the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Hellbender Regional draft plan?
I am supportive of efforts like this, particularly ones that involve collaboration between different communities in Western NC.

Do you endorse the “Asheville I-26 Connector Aesthetics Committee Report” and should Buncombe County financially support the recommendations? Why or why not?
I support Buncombe County Commission endorsing the plan and believe this project is exactly the type of project that TDA funding should be designated for.

In 2019 the Buncombe County Commissioners established the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board. What, specifically, would you ask this board to accomplish regarding greenways in 2021 and in 2022?
I would ask the Board to work with county staff and community stakeholders on a plan to identify any aspects of proposed greenway projects that can be expedited and completed to create more miles of connected greenway. I would also ask them to integrate an equity framework into their recommendations.

I am very open to dialogue about prioritization of this project.

Primary Election March 3rd, 2020: 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 2020, 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, Connect Buncombe, for helping with the County questionnaire.

Want more? Read the AoB Policy Positions!

City Council Primary Candidates

Rich Lee
Nicole Townsend
Kristen Goldsmith
Sage Turner
Kim Roney
Keith Young
Shane McCarthy

County Commissioner Primary Candidates

Nancy Nehls Nelson
Donna Ensley
Terri Wells
Anthony Penland
Parker Sloan

No response: Larry Ray Baker (City Council); Sandra Kilgore (City Council)

Asheville City Council Primary Candidates

Rich Lee, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
I drive a car most days. I have an annual bus pass and ride the bus at least once a week. Working downtown, I walk to meetings or events whenever possible. I have a bike (an ’89 Fuji Touring). I love to ride but haven’t this winter since starting this campaign.

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Coxe Ave complete street treatment [Highest Priority ]
Fare Free Transit
Livingston St complete street treatment
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.
The Coxe Avenue project is effective and community-sourced. An easy choice for #1 spot on this list. Fare-free transit edged out Livingston Complete Streets only because Southside neighbors raised concerns about the goals and details of the Livingston project that I believe deserve attention and more community engagement, which will require more time (so, it’s not truly less of a priority, but would not likely be ready for implementation until after implementation of the Coxe Avenue project and Fare-free transit). Downtown has available parking, but it is inefficiently located, advertised, and priced for the needs of downtown workers, residents and customers. I am much more supportive of the idea of a downtown circulator bus, funded by hotel-tax dollars, that could address those needs and open up satellite parking. I cannot see city dollars or hotel-tax dollars funding the $100 million Thomas Wolfe renovation when there are so many other needs higher on the list. I wish this list had included funding the Transit Master Plan, reclaiming land from the I-26 realignment, greenways in East and South Asheville, neighborhood sidewalks, Haywood Road bike lanes, spot intersection improvements and dozens of other local transportation priorities. I would have ranked all of those at or near the top of this exercise.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
As chair of the city’s Multimodal Transportation Commission, I helped prioritize dozens of road, sidewalk and greenway projects for transportation bond spending, with a particular focus on neighborhoods with high levels of poverty and low non-vehicular access to jobs and groceries. Everywhere in the city, transportation works are underway that I had a hand in, and every bike lane, every sidewalk and bus shelter, is a part of making this a safer, more livable city. Throughout 2020, I’ll be on a steering committee for the Greenway, Accessibility and Pedestrian Master Plan, the next wave of planning bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the city, including community-driven natural-surface trails and other nontraditional connections. Like everyone who works on transportation issues in Asheville, I’m keenly aware that we rank among the worst NC cities for bike/ped safety. This, more than probably any other problem in the city, translates to lost and ruined lives, especially among low-income communities of color. We’re making progress, but transportation justice needs to be a focus of this next council. That’s one of the main reasons I’m running.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
I’m old enough to remember Bryan Freeborn leading a group of neighbors painting a mural on a city street to slow traffic. I love — love — the idea of community-sourced transportation improvements moving more nimbly than the usual ponderous city process, testing ideas and refining our toolbox of traffic fixes without a years long yes-or-no process. The Coxe Ave project exposed cheap, effective improvements that should immediately be expanded to other city streets. It demonstrably reduced speeding and, with it, the risk of pedestrian injury or death in a collision. It also contained elements that, even months in, did not draw support from resident neighbors and surrounding businesses. Weaknesses in the original design aren’t bugs, though; they’re features. Thanks to this project, we have better ideas of what works and what doesn’t. That’s the point. I’m excited for the effort to continue to a permanent design for Coxe and new temporary treatments for Westwood intersection and other locations around the city.

Municipal funding in the form of 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?
My perspective is that we can’t deny improvements to neglected neighborhoods out of fear that the improvements themselves will hasten gentrification. If these neighborhoods’ infrastructure — sidewalks, bus and grocery access, schools, etc. — had been adequate and well-maintained all along, their property values would have risen steadily, protecting the wealth of nonwhite homeowners and keeping them from suddenly becoming such attractive targets for new buyers. I am concerned that the last hospitable parts of the city to low-income black renters and homeowners are rapidly turning over. I think this will take a multipronged approach around raising incomes, diversifying and broadening the economy, addressing the problems in the school system, breaking up clusters of concentrated poverty and, yes, building more truly affordable homes for new homeowners. The problem with transportation projects like Livingston, from my perspective, isn’t that low-income neighborhoods are finally getting their due. It’s that the projects are imposed from on-high, without appropriate community sourcing and buy-in. That’s why I support efforts like Participatory Budgeting, which encourages neighborhoods to generate their own projects with real city dollars, improving the things they choose, that they know to be deficient. That’s a different approach than the city has historically taken, but one that I think will result in a safer city prepared to resist gentrification.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
Better land management. Development decisions in Asheville are still largely driven by zoning written for a much smaller town in the 1990s. This has led, among other things, to the depletion of the tree canopy and intense development (especially hotels) in areas where the infrastructure is already overtaxed, while properties like the old Kmart on Patton and Innsbruck Mall, already supported by transit and sidewalks and ideal for dense affordable urban housing, sit underutilized. My perspective is that revizing our zoning for the 2020s is one of the most impactful things we can do for the city, full stop. But the way it can make roads, sidewalks, greenways, bike lanes and transit become more efficiently utilized will be significant — and will translate to saved lives.Besides land-use planning generally, I think the next council specifically has a generational opportunity to reclaim land on the western slope of downtown when it is freed up by the I-26 realignment. NCDOT doesn’t cede land under its control easily, but getting that land under public control and using it for a 50% expansion of downtown and near-downtown housing and office space is an opportunity few cities are given. Likewise, failing to bring that land under local control will leave another imprint on the city’s legacy of transportation failures.

Nicole Townsend, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St.
I will be speaking on a panel in honor of Black History Month

If you participate in the general election, will you participate in “Get There AVL – General Forum,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
The bus was once my main mode of transportation. However, as my work and family obligations changed I had to get a car. I needed to get to places during the hours the bus did not operate. In 2019, I was able to purchase a bike that I rely on during the warmer months. I also walk during the warmer months. I’m thankful to live in West Asheville, where I can bike to the market to get groceries for my family. When the weather is mild I can often be found walking my two dogs in my neighborhood.

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Fare Free Transit [Highest Priority]
Livingston St complete street treatment
Coxe Ave complete street treatment
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.

Fare Free Transit – I want equitable Fare Free Transit that includes accessible bus stops that have shelters and seating. Equitable Fare Free Transit must also include an action plan to create more crosswalks. Fare Free Transit will allow us to meet our environmental justice goals; address the deep rooted financial barriers than many folks in our community face; and it will reduce the amount of time buses are late because they are stopped to allow folks to hop, pay, and then have a seat.
Livingston Street Complete Street Treatment – When our Southside youth are getting angry about the roads, I think it is time we step back and start listening. Frankly, we just need to make sure our roads are in good condition. If not, this becomes a safety issue for everyone regardless of the means of transportation. I do believe that we must engage the community should the city consider any redesign of the road.
Coxe Ave Complete Street Treatment – I’m thankful for community members who stepped up to find a creative solution to public safety. What we have is now working.The Street Tweaks team modeled what collaboration looks like, and I believe could support many communities across Asheville.
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Renovation – As a child, theatre saved my life. Of course I want Asheville to have a state of the art theatre. I want us to attract productions that overlook us to go to Charlotte and Greenville. However, we can not do it at the expense of our people when we have things we should get to first such as Fare Free Transit and road repairs. We should also start the conversations around what it looks like to invest in the theatre in the Arthur Edington Center and in the YMI.
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicle Parking – I’ve listed this as the lowest priority because our city just signed a Climate Emergency Resolution. Which means we need an action that will get more cars off of the roads. Building more parking areas will only encourage more cars. I would however support investing in more bike racks and bike repair stations.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
As a member of the Human Relations Commission, I have been engaging with community members about the deep need that we have regarding expanding our 2019 Written Consent to Search Policy so that it includes pedestrians and cyclists. I’ve learned that many folks in our community were not actually aware that people driving in the City of Asheville have more rights than those of us who may be walking or biking. While we are still waiting for the policy to be expanded, a positive outcome is that our community members are actively calling and emailing our City Manager to discuss the much needed policy expansion.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
I am inclined to support future tactical urbanism projects. The Coxe Ave project was implemented with so much care and thoughtfulness. It created the space for our community members to work in collaboration, which we need more of. To do this work without funding from the city shows us that we actually can find creative ways to fund the things we need.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
[Question not answered by candidate]

Kristen Goldsmith, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
My family bought a house in a walkable neighborhood so that we could leave our cars behind as often as possible for everyday errands and entertainment. As an avid bike and transit rider all of my adult life, I was disappointed in the lack of access to public transit and bike infrastructure when we moved to Asheville. The buses do not run early or late enough for folks with shift jobs, like myself, and biking to work is currently too dangerous as most of the route follows busy and unprotected roads. As your next representative on City Council, mine will be the first ‘yea’ vote for expanded, fare free public transit and alternative means of transportation, including funding for more bike lanes and greenways. Investing in alternative and public transit helps build healthier, more connected communities, reduce traffic congestion, and be better stewards of our environment.

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Fare Free Transit [Highest Priority ]
Livingston St complete street treatment
Coxe Ave complete street treatment
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.
When we prioritize infrastructure projects we have to think about the number of people potentially served and the extent to which we can improve their lives by increasing access to goods and services, economic mobility, and housing opportunities. For those reasons, fare free public transit will have the greatest impact on residents in the City of Asheville and Buncombe County. Livingston Street is a neighborhood corridor that provides connectivity for folks living in that neighborhood to community resources at the Wesley Grant Center, medical services such as Mission Hospital, and education opportunities at AB Tech, as well as proximity to the riverfront redevelopment and Riverside Drive greenway. The Coxe Avenue project will provide valuable connectivity within the South Slope neighborhood, in an area where improvements are necessary for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. As the data collected by AOB after several street tweaks shows, vehicular speeds were significantly reduced along this corridor, while visibility of pedestrians and cyclists was increased. While the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium does require significant renovation, I do not support the $100 million proposal, because I believe this money would be better used on transit and affordable housing. By implementing fare free public transit and the proposed complete street projects listed above, we can reduce the number of cars on our roads (and the need for parking) and continue to make Asheville safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
As a candidate for City Council, I’ve had several meetings with members of city and county government to discuss how we can better fund public transit and multimodal transportation. In these meetings I’ve repeatedly advocated for using TDA funds for public transit and bike infrastructure, as well as a downtown circulator. I’ve also had discussions surrounding the expansion of transit by collaborating with Buncombe County to share our resources. Because half of Asheville’s workers live in the county, fare free public transit would enable them to get to and from work without having to rely on a car by using a series of park & ride facilities rather than driving. It would also improve economic mobility for folks by providing access to more jobs. Through the discussions I’ve had, I believe we are closer than ever to securing funding for transit.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
AOB’s tactical urbanism projects not only raise awareness of the benefits of complete streets, but they’ve also proven effective in reducing vehicular speeds by raising driver’s awareness. I support the tactical urbanism projects as a means to test different types of interventions that will encourage bike and pedestrian use, and I will support funding for the eventual installation of more permanent measures as determined through these projects.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
City Council should prioritize collaborating with Buncombe County to create a fare free public transit system, with park & ride facilities in the County and expanded and more reliable service. This suite of public transit expansions is the single most impactful change City Council can make. It is broadly supported by city residents, and it would have far reaching returns on investment. Specifically, it will increase residents’ access to jobs and services, especially for lower income individuals who may not have reliable access to a car. It will take cars off the road reducing our net carbon emissions. Finally, by creating an expansive and reliable public transit system, we will make other alternative transit safer as vehicular congestion decreases.

Sage Turner, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
Your question implored me to study this. Turns out, I walk significantly more than any other mode. I live and work along primary corridors, affording me the opportunity and infrastructure to do so. Followed by electric vehicle use. Then biking.

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Fare Free Transit [Highest Priority]
Coxe Ave complete street treatment
Livingston St complete street treatment
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.
Increasing transit use and getting more people out of their cars is key to our climate, affordability, equity, and accessibility goals. Oh, how our cities would be different if we could rewind the clock and not become so car and highway centric. But here we are, trying to unwind the dependency. Cars are noisy, polluting, expensive boxes of steel that frequently hurt people, cost up to 25% of Ashevillians’ personal incomes, and require billions of dollars for road creation and maintenance. 77% of Ashevillians drive alone in theirs every day. Moving transit to fare free will increase ridership and get more community members out of their cars. As part of fare free transit, we need covered bus stops that protect riders from wind and rain, and I would prioritize placing those first in neighborhoods where ridership is already relatively high, in order to serve necessity riders first.Complete Streets refocus our priorities on all modalities, not just the personal automobile. Pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and environmental accommodations are built into the designs. They activate streetscapes, helping build community with shared experiences. Complete streets can include lighting, street furniture, and art, each of which grow our cultural experiences. They can have greenery and trees, bioswales and stormwater plans, each helping to reduce the heat island effect. And they always, always include differently abled and bike infrastructure. I support both complete streets and chose Coxe before Livingston only because it is further along in the planning process and being lined up for tourism tax dollar investments as I type.Parking, parking, parking. Ask an environmentalist about parking and they’ll scowl. Ask a planner (under 50) and they may grimace. Like I said above, we are both dependent on and frustrated by our car use. Businesses in downtown will tell you we need more parking solutions. It’s true, in a sense. For me, our parking solutions include a downtown circulator shuttle. Currently 33% of our workers in downtown park in meters. This costs them a lot of money, reduces access for their customers, and increases congestion and circling. My vision includes optimizing loading zones and hours, adding signage showing vacancy (Civic Center), more bike lanes, more crosswalks, demand-based meters, better wayfinding and education on parking decks, and meters in areas like South Slope (coming soon).Thomas Wolfe Auditorium lands last on this list but is a priority. We value our arts and cultural programming and I attended the unveiling, where many locals expressed their concerns over safety, repairs, limitations, and needed upfits. I struggle to find a way to prioritize 100M in spending and hope we can come to some reduced spending models. Design fees tend to run as much as 15% for these projects; we’ll need millions just for the design itself. I do support a more strategic set of improvements that can utilize a small portion of the tourism tax dollars to float bond payments. Let’s get creative.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
I consistently review options for improving our urban infrastructure and lobby for improvements to for pedestrians, transit users, and cyclists as I serve our community as Chair of our Downtown Commission and Chair of Affordable Housing. The outcomes include: Financial incentives when building affordable housing near transit stops and along transit corridors; Urging Council to approve transit passes for volunteers (just passed!); Biltmore Ave crosswalk; brokering a deal for a new, to-come crosswalk with signaling on land I manage for the French Broad Food Co+Op (at Biltmore Ave at Hilliard Ave.); installation of the Coxe Ave tactical urbanism project; wayfinding improvements; sidewalk repairs and expansions in downtown; Haywood Street updates; updated lighting; new bus shelters; renovating the transit station; art installations; and strategies to plant new street trees. The outcomes are incremental and compounding and leading to shifts in behavior. We need to do more, but we’re building more and more cases and evidence for supporting these types of projects. Ever seen someone dance across the Biltmore Ave crosswalk at Eagle Street? It was probably me.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
Bravo! What a joy to watch and partake in. What a creative way to see a problem, rally around solutions, find funding, implement it, and measure our successes. AOB did an incredible job telling the story and informing our community on the results. Reducing the likelihood of a pedestrian fatality from over 30% to under 10%. Dramatically decreasing car speeds while serving the same amount of vehicular traffic. (In case readers of this questionnaire haven’t read the full report: Before the project, 65.9% of drivers using the road were speeding. The highest recorded speeds each day were: 75.5 mph, 85.5mph, and 89.2 mph. After the project, only 21.3% of drivers were speeding and the highest recorded speeds were 40, 41, and 40.2 mph. Car volume counts were nearly identical in both the before and after time periods.) Installing a four-way stop and crosswalks at two intersections to provide safe passage for pedestrians. Adding cycling infrastructure and safe intersection protections. Adding planters and other calming by design and artistic beauty. We learned lessons about materials and durability. I am inclined to support future tactical urbanist projects.In the future I’d like to see us integrate educational components and stormwater solutions, i.e. wayfinding like info boards and filtration techniques that cleanse the water before it flows to the river.”

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

Implementing the Transit Master Plan and examining the feasibility of fare free transit. ROI could be measured in reductions to the 77% solo car use and improvements to the 1.7% transit use.

Kim Roney, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

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. I’m excited about installing a removable, wheeled crate on my bike this Spring that will make grocery shopping much easier!

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Fare Free Transit [Highest Priority]
Coxe Ave complete street treatment
Livingston St complete street treatment
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.

A fare-free, regional transit system is at the intersection of equitable access, economic mobility, and environmental sustainability. It is not only doable, it is critical to the health and well-being of our entire community. I first got on the bus during the fare-free trial in 2006 because removing fees as a barrier of entry meant my next biggest concern was, “now I just have to figure out how to get off the bus!” I fell in love with Asheville on the bus: I’ve watched children grow up; I’ve gotten to know my drivers and fellow riders; I’ve navigated our hilly terrain more efficiently by putting my bike on the front of the bus; and I’ve experienced many ways we can and must do transit better. Asheville needs collaboration with Buncombe County and across Western North Carolina, prioritizing truly multimodal accessibility.
The Coxe Ave Street Tweaks project, which was always meant to be temporary, now has a year of data to inform next steps. Because the design dramatically slowed vehicular speeds of our neighbors and visitors, improving safety for all commuters, I do not think it’s wise or moral to revert to the street’s original design. It’s time to follow through with permanent solutions that include community input from the neighborhood as well as adjacent neighborhoods commuting through the corridor.
The Southside community has expressed specific needs for their community for years, and neighbors are organizing through Southside Rising. The City needs to acknowledge those needs through additional engagement followed by community-led solutions for Livingston Street. Using participatory democracy and budgeting, which are key tenets of my platform, we can remove barriers to participation and realize a community-led project with a neighborhood that has too long lacked investment in infrastructure.
I’m a classically-trained musician who’s training musicians, and I want a home for the Asheville Symphony, but not as currently proposed. Just 5 years ago, the Civic Center Commission proposed rebuilding the Thomas Wolfe with an estimate of $55 million. The new proposal’s price tag has exploded to $110 million at a time when our community’s most pressing needs are being neglected. Asheville just became the first city in North Carolina to officially declare a climate emergency, and we need to act responsibly and urgently. Before we completely overhaul the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, let’s determine what an investment from occupancy taxes towards our resilient future will look like. We need to invest in deeply-affordable housing through creative and collaborative solutions along transit corridors; address our crumbling infrastructure; secure our food and water systems; restore our tree canopy; and connect our neighbors and visitors through an accessible, multimodal network. This network can be built through serious improvements in multimodal infrastructure, including but not limited to: complete streets, sidewalks & pedestrian infrastructure that meet NACTO guidelines; ADA accessibility; separated bike lanes; and signal timing that permits crossings while all vehicular traffic is at a complete stop.
Through coalition, we are demanding multimodal infrastructure that intersects with transformational public safety and environmental justice. This means divesting from vehicular infrastructure like parking so we can invest in people while healing our planet. This work cannot be done alone, which is why I’m sharing in the work by running with Nicole Townsend. Hearing her call to action, I have filed an official complaint with the Human Relations Commission, demanding that the written consent to search protections now provided to Asheville drivers be extended to cyclists and pedestrians as well. Let’s join in collective liberation so we can all commute safely; then we can prioritize building housing and multimodal infrastructure instead of parking spaces!

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
When Nathanael and I donated our car to charity in 2008, our intention was to address our dependence on fossil fuels. It was a year-long experiment that became a lifestyle, and the transition wasn’t easy. By changing my habits I’m shifting my attitude, and I understand that we need a social attitude adjustment that addresses the stigmas of using active transportation.Asheville has the 3rd highest bike and pedestrian accident ratio in North Carolina. We need experience from those most impacted represented on Council, ensuring prioritization of the budget, planning, and policies. Because not all of my neighbors can get out of their cars yet, and for all those who don’t have a car to rely on, I advocate through Better Buses Together; work in solidarity as a member of Asheville on Bikes; report back from over a dozen civic meetings every month; have attended all but 3 Council meetings over the past 5 years; and I have applied my experience by serving on the Multimodal Transportation Commission and Transit Committee for 4 years, also serving on the Downtown Sub-Committee for Parking & Transportation.

My volunteer roles included advising Council and staff on safety issues for dozens of projects and plans, like the Transit Master Plan and equity issues around Vision Zero policy, which is used across the globe to address safety through design but has a variety of issues around enforcement. I’ve learned that the work we need to do requires collaboration. Now I’m asking my friends & neighbors to send me to the Council to ensure follow-through with and for our community to Be ‘Bout it Being Better.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
I will enthusiastically support tactical urbanism! My students and their families joined me in participating in the Coxe Avenue tactical urbanism project, which was such a brilliant, participatory action for positive change. The street was previously designed to move cars quickly, and the report shows that needed safety metrics like traffic speed reduction through design, affordable infrastructure, and art is possible. Our community has learned a lot from our first tactical urbanism project, and I’m thankful the Street Tweaks partners like Asheville on Bikes have shared comprehensive review, as have neighbors and local businesses.I’m excited about the next project at the intersection of Westwood and Waynesville, an intersection that’s part of my daily commute and will improve safe, multimodal access for my neighborhood. I understand neighbors across the city are ready to participate in community-led solutions like this, so let’s roll!

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 know my fellow Asheville on Bikes folks to be kind and empathetic. I’m going to dig into this one a bit and share my what I’m learning on the journey to advocate with and for our community.I’ve been thinking a lot about long-term accountability. I recently knocked on the door of the home where my great-grandmother lived in Kenilworth, and I’m having conversations now with young adult neighbors I taught when they were in elementary school. I feel the pressure as we’re acknowledging our history while writing the next chapter of Asheville’s story.Understanding 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. Addressing our root issues of poverty will include building bridges and breaking down walls as we remove barriers to participation in community engagement around our budget, planning, and policies. The journey to becoming one of the fastest-gentrifying cities in the country didn’t happen overnight, and addressing the fears of vulnerable neighborhoods will be tremendous work.We need creative ways to address needs identified in neighborhood plans. That means following up on the input provided by those most impacted by systemic racism, and ensuring frontline communities are represented at the table during every point of decision making. I hear so many neighbors say they’ve gone to meetings and filled out surveys, but nothing came of it. I acknowledge the fear when being labeled an “opportunity zone” means having to ask who benefits from the opportunity. Infrastructure and mobility improvements make a neighborhood more accessible and safer to navigate and therefore more desirable for folks to move in so property taxes to go up. We’re in a challenging situation since neighborhoods are being left behind and neighbors displaced, but we need to invest in preservation of our historic Black neighborhoods.One tool we can use to build trust is participatory budgeting, which is currently being implemented in Greensboro and Durham. This is a pool of funds for capital improvements that are decided through a community process outside of the structures of government, which means you can start voting in middle school and the process could be housed in places like community centers, food trucks, and music venues. It funds capital projects (anything you can build). Think sidewalks, pedestrian-activated crosswalk signals, and bus stop infrastructure. My hope is that this will lead to more neighbors joining in the conversation about how our tax dollars are being allocated, and that our youth participating in the decisions will be a contagious cause for celebration!

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
Our occupancy taxes from our tourism industry should be funding the Downtown Circulator identified in the Transit Master Plan. 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.

Keith Young, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
I mostly drive a vehicle.

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.
Fare Free transit will help get more people out of their cars and onto the buses and it is equitable to those who ride our buses as a necessity and not as a choice rider or second option. Also, prioritizing infrastructure needs is critical to our city’s basic needs. Coxe Ave. and Livingston could be interchangeable priority wise depending on whether or not an equity lens is applied. Thomas Wolfe is a city asset we should take care of, but how we move forward on that is still being determined. Lastly, more parking means more cars. Simply put I’d like to move away from that prioritization in downtown Asheville.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.

Since being in office the city of Asheville has paved more roads, built more sidewalks and improved more city infrastructure than any other time within the last 25 years or more. A great deal of that is due to my involvement in being a key architect of our bonds program to help improve our critical infrastructure needs.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
I support it. Cities around the world are using flexible and short-term projects to advance long-term goals related to street safety, and public space. It can also be cost effective in many instances. It can change the way we as a community think and view project development and delivery methods.

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
Between continued implementation of the transit master plan, building system capacity and implementing fare free transit, those priorities would have the greatest impact on our system. ROI looks best when ridership numbers go up, the system is fully funded, and it operates at a more efficient level than our system currently does.

Shane McCarthy, Asheville City Council Candidate

Will you participate in “Get There AVL – Primary Candidate Forum,” on Thursday, Feb. 27th 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,” scheduled for Thursday Oct. 8 from 6pm – 8pm
Yes – The date is on my calendar

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Asheville?
Since I work in construction, I have to transport tools and materials all around Buncombe and Henderson counties, so driving is usually my only option. I live in the East End/Valley Street neighborhood close to downtown, so when my wife Emily and I want to meet some friends after work, we will usually walk downtown. She is also a downtown worker and commutes by foot.

Rank these five projects in order from most important to least important.
Coxe Ave complete street treatment [Highest Priority]
Livingston St complete street treatment
Fare Free Transit
Additional Downtown Motorized Vehicular Parking
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium renovation [Lowest Priority]

Elaborate on your prioritization list. Explain your ranking.
Asheville is consistently one of the most dangerous cities in North Carolina for transportation, so street improvements that increase safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians are a top priority. I have a civil engineering degree from NC State University, and I’ve worked at an engineering firm where we designed roads and intersections, and at the NC Department of Transportation where we oversaw contracts for highway projects. This gives me the skills and experience to prioritize cost-effective improvements to make our city safer.A thriving transit system is essential for a 21st century city, so that should be another top priority. We need to extend our hours, increase frequency, and eliminate fares so our bus system works for the workers who keep our city running. Because of the format of the form above, I had to enter this is “”low priority”” – It is NOT low priority! And we can certainly do both instead of pitting these two cohesive goals against each other.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Asheville safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
Last November, someone asked me for help at a community meeting. She has vision impairment, and asked if I could help her get audible pedestrian crosswalk signals at the intersection of South Charlotte Street and Biltmore Avenue so she could get around safely. I said I would try my best. Asheville consistently ranks as the most dangerous city in North Carolina for pedestrian deaths. You shouldn’t have to take your life in your hands to get around in this city. After a week of phone calls and emails, we got a commitment from the NC Department of Transportation to install the signals. A couple of weeks ago, it got real: I saw a crew out installing them! I had to stop by and thank the workers. This is one of many projects we needed to do to make our city safer. The person who asked was thrilled, and she said it would greatly improve her independence. On City Council, I will be an advocate for more projects like this so we can make our transportation safer and more accessible.

What are your thoughts regarding tactical urbanism projects in Asheville? How does AoB’s Coxe Ave report inform your position? Are you inclined to support or resist future tactical urbanism projects? Articulate your thoughts.
I love tactical urbanism! The Coxe avenue improvements had some issues with flaking paint, but overall, it was a big win for the community. By narrowing the roadway, placing planters and parked cars near the travel lanes, and including visual indicators that drivers are in an urban space, the project made Coxe Avenue much safer.According to the Coxe Avenue report, average vehicle speeds dropped significantly. This is a huge win for pedestrian safety, since the speed of a collision dramatically increases the chance of a fatality. I would certainly support projects like this in the future, and I would support making these installations permanent.”

What is the most impactful transportation investment city council could approve to advance transportation? How do you measure the return on this investment?
The most impactful thing we can do is improve our bus system so it works for the people who keep our city running. That means increasing frequency and making the bus run later so our service, retail, hospitality, and healthcare workers can make it home. It also means moving to an electric bus fleet so we can fight climate change and keep diesel fumes out of our lungs.It’s going to take some investment to fund these improvements. We will measure success by seeing bus ridership skyrocket like it did the first time we went fare-free. We will see this investment pay for itself through fewer car commutes, less strain on downtown streets and parking, less money spent on ride share services, and more people making it to work on time.

Buncombe County Commissioner Candidates

Nancy Nehls Nelson, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

What, if any, is your party affiliation?
Democrat

What district are you seeking to represent?
District 1

Asheville on Bikes & Connect Buncombe are hosting a city council candidate forum on Thursday, Feb. 27th at Wedge at Foundation located at 5 Foundy St from 6pm – 8pm. While this forum is focused on city council candidates, we welcome you to join us.
Yes – The date is on my calendar.

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

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Buncombe County safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
Working for 14 years on County Land Conservation Advisory Board to protect farms and open land from unwise development while encouraging updating county land use ordinances. This issue demands multiple participant buy-in which continues to be a challenge.

Local governments in North Carolina have opportunities to fund greenways and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure from a variety of sources including the government’s general fund which is mostly derived from current property taxes, proceeds from general obligation bonds approved by voters, and when allowed by the legislature, a proportion of sales taxes. What are your thoughts about appropriate sources of funding for Buncombe County to utilize into the future?

Municipal funding in the form of voter-approved general obligation bonds (in Woodfin and Asheville) as well as from municipal general fund sources
Federal transportation grants under the Surface Transportation Program program administered by the local French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization
Tourism Product Development Fund Grants from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
From the NC Department of Transportation when done in conjunction with roadway projects.
Grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Private foundation grants
Private donations of both funds and property easements for greenway corridors.

Consider many of the above for different phases of development. Prioritize what would give our county residents the best return on investment, which in my opinion is moving people to and from their home to where they work. This is desperately needed. Workers are needed at locations without public transportation, so regardless of what their wages are, they need to get to and from work. How helpful safe, well-planned greenways would be between, say, Asheville and Woodfin.

The following are often seen as the community benefits of greenways and bicycle pedestrian facilities. In your vision for Buncombe County, which of these are more valid and relevant, and which are less?

Recreation
Fitness and Health
Tourism Development
Community Redevelopment and Economic Development
Transportation
Environmental

More: Community redevelopment & economic development, transportation
Less: Tourism Development
Others in between

What is the most impactful transportation investment Buncombe County could support to advance our transportation system? How would you measure the return on this investment?
An investment to build, maintain, and promote a reliable digital broadband network for the entire county. This would allow people to live, work, and play outside of Asheville. People would be able to work from home, live farther out in the county, and take advantage of NOT having to use transportation for a major part of their livelihood. It would be measured by growth away from Asheville and attracting new businesses to other municipalities, reducing traffic to and from the center of the county.

Donna Ensley, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

What, if any, is your party affiliation?
Democrat

What district are you seeking to represent?
District 3

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Buncombe county?
I live in Arden where the roads are narrow and windy. I get around town using a car, however, I love biking and often take my bike to local green ways to get out and enjoy the fresh air and exercise. My vacation last summer was a bike and barge trip in Germany. Spectacular!

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Buncombe County safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
I have been standing up with neighbors asking for infrastructure before development. Ideally this infrastructure will include bike lanes, green ways and multi modal transportation options. Roads that were once lightly used and possibly safe for walking and biking are now overcrowded. Roads I once considered “safe” for biking I would no longer use for recreation because of the traffic volume. As we plan for our future, we must create options for folks seeking a healthy alternative to using their cars to get around.

Municipal funding in the form of voter-approved general obligation bonds (in Woodfin and Asheville) as well as from municipal general fund sources
Federal transportation grants under the Surface Transportation Program program administered by the local French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization
Tourism Product Development Fund Grants from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
From the NC Department of Transportation when done in conjunction with roadway projects.
Grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Private foundation grants
Private donations of both funds and property easements for greenway corridors.

All are equally important. As a strategic planning specialist who has helped organizations plan for growth and future development for 20 years, I would seek a consensus from the Commission and all entities of interest to implement all phases of the Buncombe County Greenway Master Plan including:

Secure Local Funding Commitments
Identify available funding through Buncombe County’s annual budget for implementation of the Greenways & Trails Master
Plan. Coordinate programs and projects investment with cities and towns.
Identify Strategic Grant Opportunities
Work with County leaders, non-profits, local and regional governments, and major employers to methodically identify the most appropriate funding sources for new projects and programs.
Cultivate Existing Partnerships & Identify New Partners
Build upon the momentum created by Connect Buncombe and the Greenways Please campaign to formalize existing partnerships and pursue new partners with public and private sector interests.
Create a Landowner Outreach Program Develop strategies along with a robust program to maintain consistent contact with landowners adjacent to planned greenways as the County and its partners work toward acquiring property for greenways.
From that work we could move forward and:
Update Ordinances
Pursue Conservation via Ordinances & Alliances
Develop Standards & Specifications for Greenways
Work with cities and towns to develop a common set of design standards and specifications to be applied to new greenway construction to ensure consistent construction standards and maintainability.
Develop corridor-specific plans

Recreation
Fitness and Health
Tourism Development
Community Redevelopment and Economic Development
Transportation
Environmental

All of these benefits are of vital importance when talking about greenways and bicycle pedestrian friendly facilities.
NCDOT recently changed its mission statement to “Connecting people and places safely and efficiently, with accountability and environmental sensitivity to enhance the economy, health and well-being of North Carolina.” By including health and well-being in its mission statement, NCDOT is recognizing that transportation is more than just getting from one place to another, but also has a measurable effect on quality of life.
I would advocate on the Commission the position of (1) economic impact of upfront construction of the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, which translates into a one-time stimulus of economic activity and job creation during the construction period; (2) The economic impact of ongoing use of the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. This impact comes largely in the form of tourism that is attracted to the state by the existence of the infrastructure. Tourism attractions bring in purchasing power from outside the state to support economic activity and employment within it; (3) The direct use value enjoyed by users of the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure; (4) The health care cost reduction from increased active living resulting from the newfound access to a recreational amenity; (5) The commuting gains that will occur as commuters opt for biking.

What is the most impactful transportation investment Buncombe County could support to advance our transportation system? How would you measure the return on this investment?

Create transportation hubs as we address infrastructure needs that make public transportation more accessible and reliable throughout the county
Implementing fully the Buncombe County Master Greenway Plan

Terri Wells, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

What, if any, is your party affiliation?
Democrat

What district are you seeking to represent?
District 1

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Buncombe county?
I live in Sandy Mush, and I rely on my car for transportation when commuting. When in Asheville, I enjoy walking where we have safe sidewalks and on the greenways. When living in Chapel Hill and Boulder, I regularly used their bus systems; I think we can benefit from a better mass transit system in Buncombe County and I look forward to working collaboratively to help improve it.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Buncombe County safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
I collaborated with Jen Billstrom of Velo Girl Rides to help launch Sandy Mush Cycle to Farm in an effort to promote our farms and conservation efforts, as well as improve cycling awareness. I still meet people who tell me that the Sandy Mush Cycle to Farm was their favorite experience. It was, in part, a great experience due to the excellent safety support provided during the event; I do, however, realize that many of our roads are not as safe as I would like them to be for cyclists. Additionally, I recently advocated on behalf of those in the surrounding UNC-Asheville neighborhood when a newly planned parking lot was going to be placed in a small forested area at the corner of Barnard and Edgewood with an exit and entry that was going to be very dangerous for pedestrian and cycling traffic on Edgewood Rd. I emphasized this safety element in meetings with UNC-Asheville staff, and they did not proceed with building this additional parking lot. This respectful dialogue and meetings between community leaders and UNC- Asheville leadership brought about a resolution to community safety concerns.

Municipal funding in the form of voter-approved general obligation bonds (in Woodfin and Asheville) as well as from municipal general fund sources
Federal transportation grants under the Surface Transportation Program program administered by the local French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization
Tourism Product Development Fund Grants from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
From the NC Department of Transportation when done in conjunction with roadway projects.
Grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Private foundation grants
Private donations of both funds and property easements for greenway corridors.

It is wise to look at all funding sources, utilize private/public partnerships, and work collaboratively with our municipalities to help fund the projects that will benefit our citizens and community. I would be open to using any of the funding sources suggested, and I am especially interested in how we could use more of the hotel taxes to fund local greenways and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure that will benefit our residents, as well as tourists, and improve our quality of life. I support a greater percentage of hotel taxes going into the tourism product development grants, and I support those grants being more easily available to these infrastructure projects.

Recreation
Fitness and Health
Tourism Development
Community Redevelopment and Economic Development
Transportation
Environmental

These benefits are interrelated, which actually strengthens the case for greenways. A well designed and connected greenway system will encourage recreation and an active and healthy lifestyle that will also benefit the environment by providing multimodal options for people to utilize thereby improving our public transportation system. Well designed greenways and communities are attractive not only to tourists, but also for economic development opportunities because the companies we want to attract with high paying jobs want a high quality of life for their employees.

What is the most impactful transportation investment Buncombe County could support to advance our transportation system? How would you measure the return on this investment?
We need to have a broad vision to advance our transportation system. We must address affordable housing density, a more efficient and accessible public transit system, and multimodal greenways connecting Buncombe. When our citizens are healthy and active and able to have transportation options, we will be making progress.

Anthony Penland, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

What, if any, is your party affiliation?
Republican

What district are you seeking to represent?
District 2

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Buncombe county?
I drive an automobile for my transportation needs.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Buncombe County safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
A primary and critical role of government is the safety of its citizens. As a member of the public safety sector for thirty years, I have personally witnessed tragic circumstances involving cyclists and pedestrians when mixed in or near motor vehicle traffic. I have been blessed to have been educated more and more on cycling safety, relevant laws and have pursued information to assist increasing the safety of our cycling community. With that being said, I do more than just gather information and facts. I have committed emergency resources and my personal time to assist in multiple cycling events. From planning with cycling professionals, putting emergency personnel and equipment into action during large scale events, to putting on a traffic vest and directing traffic for the cyclist’s safety. These activities and support have always been a very positive engagement. As hundreds of cyclists rode by my post, almost all yelled “Thank you!” as we both gave a head nod of appreciation for each other. The Bookwalter Binge, Cycle to Farm and other events are an important part of economic development and many other positive aspects for our area.

Pedestrians and cyclists have several safety factors that I believe need addressed throughout the county. Resources, education of the public on laws, infrastructure and many other aspects will be looked at. You can be assured that safety will be at the forefront of my efforts when serving you.

Municipal funding in the form of voter-approved general obligation bonds (in Woodfin and Asheville) as well as from municipal general fund sources
Federal transportation grants under the Surface Transportation Program program administered by the local French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization
Tourism Product Development Fund Grants from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
From the NC Department of Transportation when done in conjunction with roadway projects.
Grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Private foundation grants
Private donations of both funds and property easements for greenway corridors.

There are many differing opinions and people who are on different sides of the issue when it comes to greenways and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure. Keep in mind; I believe it is the role of government to make sure our citizens feel safe and secure. I also believe that we must be mindful of those citizens who do not want their tax money spent in this manner. It is a balancing act of what needs to be done and who will be asked to pay for it. As a public safety professional I am an advocate of safety and I am sure that others will say the same thing, we just need to find a source of funding that will assist us in finding that common ground of what is best for all our citizens. I believe the first goal would be to find a source of funding that will not place a burden on our citizens, such as grants, fundraisers and other mechanisms and then examine what is available from county government. Greenways can have a tremendous positive impact on quality of life and a bonus for economic development. That balance will have to be examined for each step.

Greenways and bike/ped projects in Buncombe County have gained funding from the following sources. What should the county’s role in these funding partnerships be? Leading or following? At what general funding proportion or percentage? Should the emerging Dogwood Healthcare Trust be a partner as well – why or why not?
Without the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is the role of government to make sure that our citizens feel safe and secure. Greenways and bike/ped projects will assist in accomplishing that role. I also believe that elected officials are elected to be leaders not followers. We should look for, identify and create partnerships that will assist in completing projects that promote the safety and security of our citizens, while reducing the impact to those same citizens. We also have to realize that other items will be brought forth to the commission that will require a partnership with the same individuals that we have partnered with for the greenways and bike/ped projects. We have to work together with all parties involved to find what is best for all the citizens. We need to take each request, look at the request and work with our partners. We also must be mindful that this is a process that will take some time to accomplish. Any partnership agreement should not come without the proper due diligence being done to make sure that the goals set forth in the partnership are both the goals of the county and the partnering agency.

About 50% of the county’s tax base is located in unincorporated areas and about 50% is located within municipalities. In light of this geographic distribution of property taxpayers, how should county resources be allocated for greenways and bicycle / pedestrian projects outside and inside of municipalities?
Here is where the aforementioned balancing act comes full circle. It may be that 50% of the tax base comes from the unincorporated areas and 50% comes from the incorporated areas, what is known is that 100% of that tax base generates the revenues needed to support the county operations. Each jurisdiction, each project and each aspect must be examined for justification. What I will focus on is assuring that our core services can support new projects such as these. Greenways will require public safety services to allocate resources and some special operations to assure adequate protection. Cyclists and pedestrians should be asking how they will be protected by law enforcement, fire and emergency medical in these special areas. That is why looking for outside funding resources first to assist in these projects will help the elected officials with this balancing act. It is more than just about a 50% statistic of tax income, the percentage of people willing to drive projects, use the resource and the willingness to fund the project will all have to be taken into consideration.

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?
When we are inclusive of all aspects of improving pedestrian abilities, cycling areas such as greenways or bike travel infrastructure I will refer to basic human needs first. There are people in this county who must use a variety of ways to access vital services, travel for jobs, or just be able to participate in society. I see a combination of reasons why people might use some of these services. Citizen A cannot afford a car and has to walk along a tight rural road where people have been struck by a vehicle, Citizen B is financially secure but chooses to bike or walk to many activities including work, Citizen C is homeless and wants to get to a drug addiction treatment program, Citizen D has a health condition and their doctor has advised they need exercise. While gentrification may be a topic during roundtable discussions, my key point will remain on looking at citizens who need something, how many there are, the impact, and working to problem-solve in a fiscally responsible way if justified.

Recreation
Fitness and Health
Tourism Development
Community Redevelopment and Economic Development
Transportation
Environmental

To say that one of these items is more valid or relevant than any of the other items is going to send either a message of support to those who choose this one or a message of non-support to those who choose that one. To me all of the items are relevant to the safety and security of our citizens. These six items compared with all the other items that we are facing are items that have some significance to many of our citizens in one way or another. Can we address all of them? Will addressing one over the other be in the best interest of our citizens? Will addressing this one or that one make us feel safer and secure than the other. The answer to those questions can only be answered once I am in office to be able to do the research as to what the benefits will be and what the investment strategy should look like. I am going to support and push the safety and security of our citizens.

What is the most impactful transportation investment Buncombe County could support to advance our transportation system? How would you measure the return on this investment?
This is another area that will have differing opinions. Currently, our interstates are not sufficient enough to support the vehicles that are using them in and around Buncombe County. Some of our citizens will request that we put our investments into our interstates. There will be some of our citizens that will say we should invest more into the public transit system to reduce the number of vehicles that are using our roads as the mode of transportation. There will be some that say connecting greenways from the county into the municipalities is the investment we should make. Again these are questions that the answers will seem as a promise to the citizens and these are questions that answering without complete research of all the ways maybe we ought to invest in transportation is the research that I will be willing to do once elected to office. How might I measure the return on the investment, do our citizens feel safer and more secure.

Parker Sloan, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

What, if any, is your party affiliation?
Democrat

What district are you seeking to represent?
District 3

Tell us something about your transportation habits. How do you most often get around Buncombe county?
I live in Candler with my family. I own a Prius specifically because it allows me to reduce the environmental impact of driving. My office is downtown, and I enjoy walking to do errands when I am downtown. When I lived in West Asheville, I was able to walk and bike to work and other places. I would love for each part of our county to have reasonable access to nearby greenways for walking and biking, for recreation or commuting.

Please identify one way in which you’ve worked to make Buncombe County safer for pedestrians, transit users, and / or cyclists. Share the outcome for the community and what you learned.
I have worked on local progressive political campaigns to elect candidates with strong platforms for pedestrians, transit users, and cyclists. One specific candidate was Gordon Smith, who served Asheville for two terms on Asheville City Council and was an effective and ardent advocate for these issues. He lobbied for more sidewalks, bike lanes, and expanding transit.

Municipal funding in the form of voter-approved general obligation bonds (in Woodfin and Asheville) as well as from municipal general fund sources
Federal transportation grants under the Surface Transportation Program program administered by the local French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization
Tourism Product Development Fund Grants from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
From the NC Department of Transportation when done in conjunction with roadway projects.
Grants from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
Private foundation grants
Private donations of both funds and property easements for greenway corridors.

I am a planner by training and professional experience, and I support comprehensive planning for our community so that we can have a plan for responsible growth that includes investment in affordable housing; multimodal transportation options that connect people to places of work, schools, and necessities; farm and forest conservation; and environmental protections. All of the sources of funding specified would be appropriate. I have steadfastly advocated that a greater portion of the hotel taxes go to local projects, which would mean more money available in Tourism Product Development Fund Grants. Our infrastructure needs, however, are great and not able to be funded solely from even a greatly increased TPDF grant program. Our needs should also be significantly funded by Federal and State transportation programs because greenways and bike/ped infrastructure are transportation infrastructure. Transit isn’t mentioned in this question, but I also support these funds being used to create a more robust regional transit system that can connect our residents to greenways and bike/ped infrastructure.

Greenways and bike/ped projects in Buncombe County have gained funding from the following sources. What should the county’s role in these funding partnerships be? Leading or following? At what general funding proportion or percentage? Should the emerging Dogwood Healthcare Trust be a partner as well – why or why not?
The county should absolutely be leading on these issues because we have a responsibility to plan for our community’s future and serve our present needs. I’ll work to develop, maintain, and improve relationships between the county, Asheville, and other municipalities so that we can create more partnerships. It is past time to move beyond the city-county divide. Dogwood Health Trust should be a strong partner in these projects because access to safe recreation and affordable transportation are part of the social determinants of health. Conditions where people live, learn, work, and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. These are called the social determinants of health. Greenways and bike / ped facilities can be health promoting factors because they are used for recreation and exercise, and when used for commuting can reduce transportation costs while encouraging exercise. Dogwood Health Trust (DHT) anticipates total grantmaking of at least $40-$50 million in 2020 (year one), and $75 million in annual grantmaking by 2022. As Commissioner I will lobby DHT for transportation project funding.

In terms of the geographic locations of projects like greenways, as a Commissioner, I am responsible for the improving the quality of life for all residents within our County. Geographic diversity would be one important consideration in project funding. I, for example, am excited by the Hominy Creek greenway because of its potential to integrate into our existing parks system and transportation/commuting systems. I am also really excited by the proposed Ivy Creek greenway in Barnardsville because of how beautiful that area is, the opportunity to provide infrastructure to an underserved community, and how it could become a unique destination for locals and people throughout Buncombe County.

Good community planning will include listening, creative problem solving, and education in advance of undertaking projects. A comprehensive plan that takes all that into account will be more of a guide to decision-making than strict adherence to proportionality.”

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?
We can and must ensure responsible growth through comprehensive planning and policies including inclusionary zoning. Tools that have been shown to reduce and slow gentrification. A lack of equity in past planning decisions and investment has left parts of our community underinvested and underserved. As we work to catch up and improve options for residents, our planning ought to be developed with a community, not for a community–and definitely not for people who are intended to displace existing residents. Active transportation improvements for existing communities would need to be designed and planned to address unmet existing needs in a manner that is a best practice and serves the existing community.

Recreation
Fitness and Health
Tourism Development
Community Redevelopment and Economic Development
Transportation
Environmental

For quality of life, the recreation, fitness and health, and environmental benefits stand out. For improving our affordability and sustainability, the transportation and community redevelopment and economic development items are top of the list. There are many good reasons to invest in greenways and bike / ped facilities.

What is the most impactful transportation investment Buncombe County could support to advance our transportation system? How would you measure the return on this investment?
An overhaul of our woefully outdated comprehensive land use plan would include transportation planning and be the greatest advancement on responsible growth; fighting climate change; environmental protection; providing affordable housing connected to jobs, recreation, and necessities; and protecting our forests, farms, and rivers. I’d measure the return in investment in livability scores, walkability scores, and sustainability scores.

City Council Candidates

Rich Lee
Nicole Townsend
Kristen Goldsmith
Sage Turner
Kim Roney
Keith Young
Shane McCarthy

County Commissioner Candidates

Nancy Nehls Nelson
Donna Ensley
Terri Wells
Anthony Penland
Parker Sloan

No response: Larry Ray Baker (City Council); Sandra Kilgore (City Council)

Our responses are posted here in the order they were received. Thank you, candidates, for your thoughtful responses.

Asheville On Bikes

Cultivating bicycle culture

2020 Asheville Candidate Election Responses

General Election Nov 3rd, 2020: What do our Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

City Council General Candidates

County Commissioner General Candidates

Kim Roney

Rich Lee

Sage Turner

Joe Belcher

Parker Sloan

Terri Wells

Brownie Newman

Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

Primary Election March 3rd, 2020: What do our Primary Election Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

City Council Primary Candidates

County Commissioner Primary Candidates

Asheville City Council Primary Candidates

Rich Lee, Asheville City Council Candidate

Nicole Townsend, Asheville City Council Candidate

Kristen Goldsmith, Asheville City Council Candidate

Sage Turner, Asheville City Council Candidate

Kim Roney, Asheville City Council Candidate

Keith Young, Asheville City Council Candidate

Shane McCarthy, Asheville City Council Candidate

Buncombe County Commissioner Candidates

Nancy Nehls Nelson, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Donna Ensley, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Terri Wells, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Anthony Penland, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Parker Sloan, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

City Council Candidates

County Commissioner Candidates

City Council General Candidates

County Commissioner General Candidates

Kim Roney

Rich Lee

Sage Turner

Joe Belcher

Parker Sloan

Terri Wells

Brownie Newman

Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

Primary Election March 3rd, 2020: What do our Primary Election Candidates have to say about multi-modal transportation in Asheville?

City Council Primary Candidates

County Commissioner Primary Candidates

Asheville City Council Primary Candidates

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-7543 size-thumbnail" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/rich-lee-headshot-2020-3-150x150.jpg" alt="Rich Lee headshot" width="150" height="150" />Rich Lee, Asheville City Council Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7548" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kgoldsmith_head-shot-150x150.jpg" alt="Kristen Goldsmith headshot" width="150" height="150" />Kristen Goldsmith, Asheville City Council Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-7549 size-thumbnail" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_3649-150x150.jpg" alt="Sage Turner headshot" width="150" height="150" />Sage Turner, Asheville City Council Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7550" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Roney-solo-150x150.jpg" alt="Kim Roney headshot" width="150" height="150" />Kim Roney, Asheville City Council Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7551" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KeithYoung-150x150.jpg" alt="Keith Young headshot" width="150" height="150" />Keith Young, Asheville City Council Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7552" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Headshot4jpg-150x150.jpg" alt="Shane McCarthy headshot" width="150" height="150" />Shane McCarthy, Asheville City Council Candidate

Buncombe County Commissioner Candidates

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7554" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/22JAN2020-HEADSHOT-150x150.jpg" alt="Nancy Nehls Nelson headshot" width="150" height="150" />Nancy Nehls Nelson, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7555" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/DE-BCC-Picture-150x150.jpg" alt="Donna Ensley headshot" width="150" height="150" />Donna Ensley, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7556" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TerriWells2020headshot-02-150x150.jpg" alt="Terri Wells headshot" width="150" height="150" />Terri Wells, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7557" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Penland-Picture-150x150.jpg" alt="Anthony Penland headshot" width="150" height="150" />Anthony Penland, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

<img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-7558" src="https://ashevilleonbikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/USE-THIS-ONE-1-150x150.jpg" alt="Parker Sloan headshot" width="150" height="150" />Parker Sloan, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

City Council Candidates

County Commissioner Candidates

Rich Lee, Asheville City Council Candidate

Kristen Goldsmith, Asheville City Council Candidate

Sage Turner, Asheville City Council Candidate

Kim Roney, Asheville City Council Candidate

Keith Young, Asheville City Council Candidate

Shane McCarthy, Asheville City Council Candidate

Nancy Nehls Nelson, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Donna Ensley, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Terri Wells, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Anthony Penland, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate

Parker Sloan, Buncombe County Commissioner Candidate