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2018 Merrimon Widening Comment Database

Initial Designs…have disregarded the opinions of business owners, our local government, and our community

From: Katie Murray
Date: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 9:51 PM
Subject: NCDOT: Merrimon Avenue Widening Projects U-5781, U-5782 Initial Designs
To: kbereis@hntb.com

Dear Kim Bereis, 

I’m writing to publicly comment of my disagreement with the Merrimon Avenue Widening Project you all are proposing. While I see why work needs to be done on Merrimon, I feel that you have disregarded the opinions of business owners, our local government, and our community as a whole. 
I have lived and worked in Asheville for over 14 years. I was a student at UNC-Asheville, and I understand the congestion that can happen on Merrimon; however, this is also a place where students, school children, and locals like to walk and bike. By widening the lanes and adding a turning lane you are encouraging faster speeds on an already uncomfortable region of road. 
I live off of Fairview Rd. where two children were killed by simply trying to cross a road, and you’re trying to clone this dangerous design for Merrimon. The design is not safe and it takes away from what makes Asheville so unique, community. 
There are plenty of other options for designs. I think you all need to go back to the drawing board and consider the voice of Asheville as a whole before moving forward. 
Sincerely, 
Katie Murray 
Concerned Asheville Resident