Asheville On Bikeseconomic impacts Archives - Asheville On Bikes

Merrimon 4-3 Reconfiguration Research Addendum

Asheville on Bikes — Tue, 17 May 2022 02:24:14 +0000

WHO IS ASHEVILLE ON BIKES?

Asheville on Bikes (AoB) is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to cultivate the culture of urban and commuter bicycle riding through advocacy, education, and celebration. More than 25,000 people have participated in our group rides, hundreds of middle school children have learned to ride through our youth cycling program, and our active membership includes more than 800 residents of Buncombe, Haywood, and Henderson counties. Our after school bicycle program at Asheville Middle School is the only bicycle education program in the state of North Carolina that has run continuously for the last 10 years. In 2020, we won a major national award when we were named Bicycle Advocacy Organization of the Year by the League of American Bicyclists. We are active advocates for multi-modal projects, complete streets, and bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF SELECT 4-3 CONVERSION PROJECTS

Project Name	Traffic Volume (ADT)	Location	Economic Impact
Hillsborough St	26,000	Raleigh, NC	Private investments increased from $150 million to $200 million along the corridor.
East Boulevard	21,400	Charlotte, NC	47% increase in non-residential property values.
La Jolla Boulevard	23,000	La Jolla, CA	Retail sales rose 30 percent and noise levels dropped 77 percent.
Edgewater Drive (pdf)	20,000	Orlando, FL	77 net new businesses and 560 jobs over 10 years.

PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT SUPPORT THIS PROJECT

Click here to see on one page the 23 planning documents that agree with, call for, or support a 4-3 conversion with bike lanes for Merrimon (pdf).

MYTHS ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Myth:		Reality:
Bike riders are forcing this plan on the City		City staff proposed this in 2018 in their letter to NCDOT when the City opposed widening the road. The proposal came from City staff who were acting in accordance with City planning documents calling for increased multimodal infrastructure. None of the proposed plans for Merrimon, in 2018 or today, have been created by Asheville on Bikes or any other group of cycling or pedestrian advocates.
This project is all about a building a bike lane		This project is all about a safer traffic pattern that increases the health and wealth of nearly everyone using this road. Bike lanes are the place where current and future low speed personal vehicles will travel and it is the highest value use of the space created by implementing the 3 lane traffic pattern. The bike lane is welcome, but it is not the primary benefit of this project.
No one uses our existing bike lanes		Imagine a road network for a City of 90,000 where roads do not connect, where many of the roads were unsafe, and where the entire network consisted of less than 15 paved lane-miles and less than 15 miles of greenway. That is the state of our existing bike network in Asheville. In spite of that paltry coverage, bike usage increases each year and bicycle riders regularly use these facilities.
Emergency vehicles will be slowed down		Emergency vehicles are likely to be unaffected or experience faster response times. Neither the road diet on Charlotte Street or College Ave have resulted in increased response times. Further, the reduction in injuries will mean fewer traffic collisions in need of emergency response; road diets average a -29% on all collisions and Charlotte Street has so far resulted in -59% all collisions. The oft repeated myth the 4-3 conversions are bad for emergency responders is directly contradicted by nearly all studies of road diets and is specifically called out by the FHWA.
Business will suffer		Businesses are likely to prosper, because when cars slow down, collisions decrease, biking increases, and walking increases, the amount of commerce in an area goes up. Have you ever wondered why Merrimon harbors so many vacant or derelict properties when compared to other parts of Asheville? One reason is that the current road design makes it difficult to safely reach businesses on this corridor.
All businesses are against this		Many businesses are in favor of this project and have participated in the public process. They are part of the 59% of the public who support this proposal.
It will be more dangerous for cyclists		The flawed logic goes like this: Because the bike lane will be on the right, when a motorist is turning right, they will turn across the bike lane and hit a cyclist, since none were there before this project and some people could use the lane after it is installed. Must we point out that we each have a duty to control our vehicle, to look to see when a travel lane is clear, and that no such problem is occurring on any of Asheville’s other bike lanes? This straw man argument ignores the time-tested safety improvements offered by creating space in the right of way for vehicles other than cars. Bike lanes will create a safer place to ride a bike, an ebike, a one-wheel, an e-scooter and other future forms of personal transportation. It is sorely needed in a City that is otherwise the most dangerous in NC for cyclists or pedestrians.
No one had enough time to comment or learn about this project		Merrimon is controlled by NCDOT and this proposed project is part of a scheduled repaving. NCDOT appears to have communicated with the City in a way that they did not in 2018, including reports about this project during open advisory committee meetings and public traffic study data released about the corridor. From what we can see, NCDOT and the City of Asheville have followed or exceeded all their own published guidelines about holding public meetings and showing plans to the public, going so far as to hold an open call for comments and a survey that amounted to a public referendum on a repaving project. Of the more than 4000 responses to the survey, 59% of respondents were in favor of the 4-3 conversion. Additionally, since the first press release about the project in January 2022, this project has been written about by our newspapers, our local cable news, by neighborhood associations, by AoB, by Connect Buncombe, by Mountain True, and in its many mentions on social media. We don’t know of any similar project that has received so much notice and attention.
Merrimon’s traffic volumes are too high		There is no official upper limit on traffic volumes for a 4-3 conversion, as per the FHWA. Further, the traffic volumes on Merrimon have remained flat or decreased for many years and those volumes, around 20,000 cars/day, are within the range typically considered for a road diet. It is true that these plans should be carefully considered and that the design of this 3 lane could involve other changes to the corridor in order to make the resulting traffic pattern work well for all users.
Merrimon has too many curb cuts for it to work		The number of curb cuts on Merrimon is an example of poor planning in our City, where each landowner has been allowed to take extra benefits from the public asset, a road, in small increments over time, in the form of increased curb cuts to benefit select properties. Current City zoning on Merrimon will require many of the most egregious examples to change at the time property is redeveloped, resulting in a safer traffic pattern and better pedestrian experience. The curb cuts are not, however, a reason to fail to restripe the road now, at low cost, so that it can become safer. Changing the road now makes it even more likely that the sidewalks and curb cuts will be improved by a future project, a situation that has just played out on Charlotte Street and its I-240 bridge.
No case study is relevant because none are exactly like Merrimon		For a case study to be relevant, it does not need to be a mirror image of any particular roadway. Instead, it needs 3 things: a similar traffic volume, a similar mix of commercial and residential areas, and trusted data tracked over time. We can learn useful information from similar roads that are not identical to Merrimon in the same way that you can find a long term romantic partner without finding someone exactly like your mom or dad.
This project doesn’t help pedestrians		4-3 Conversions help pedestrians in several ways. They create a buffer, distancing the sidewalk from fast moving traffic. They improve site lines at all intersections, making it easier for drivers and pedestrians to see each other. They shorten the number of car travel lanes a pedestrian must cross at each intersection. These improvements often result in increases in the number of people walking, setting us up for future projects to directly improve the sidewalks.

LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED OR BEEN DISABLED IN COLLISIONS ON SIMILAR ROADS IN OUR AREA

These are news stories about a few of the many preventable fatalities and injuries occurring on roads in our region. In the current 4 lane configuration you are 150% more likely to be involved in a collision on Merrimon when compared to the NCDOT database of North Carolina roads of similar size.

Amelia: Faster driving speeds will make Merrimon more dangerous and less pleasant for all users, whether they are walking, biking, or driving

Asheville on Bikes — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 20:11:13 +0000

From: Amelia Nutter
Date: Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 4:11 PM
Subject: Proposed Road Widening of Merrimon Ave, Asheville
To: kbereis@hntb.com

Dear Ms. Bereis,

As an Asheville resident, I feel that the proposed changes to Merrimon Ave are inappropriate. Faster driving speeds will make Merrimon more dangerous and less pleasant for all users, whether they are walking, biking, or driving. My father walks on Merrimon on a regular basis, for exercise and to run errands. Please keep the road safe for him and other users!

Widening the road is not good for local business and will make the street less attractive. The current proposal will likely force local business to close. Local businesses are great for our economy and our community. I would hate for business owners to close their stores so that cars can drive a little faster.

Please follow NCDOT and federal design standards and work with the City of Asheville to make changes to Merrimon Ave while following the Complete Street policy. It is important to me, as a citizen of Asheville, to know that our streets are designed to benefit all users and to beautify our city.

Thank you for your time,

Amelia Nutter

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

Asheville on Bikes — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 20:01:24 +0000

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

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Bess: While working on your revisions, please consult with the City of Asheville Transportation Dept. They understand Asheville’s needs

Asheville on Bikes — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 18:06:06 +0000

From: Bess Baird
Date: Thu, Jan 18, 2018 at 10:33 PM
Subject: Merrimon Ave Widening Project
To: kbereis@hntb.com

Dear Kim~

Merrimon Ave is a heavily used north/south corridor. Several years ago, NCDOT upgraded Broadway to lighten the load from Merrimon. Some thought and energy devoted to encouraging motorists to use Broadway would alleviate some of the congestion on Merrimon.

I do have some concerns re the Merrimon Ave Widening Project. I will list some of them here:

*Raising the speed limit to 40 mph.

*Glenn’s Creek Greenway at the intersection of WT Weaver Blvd is currently unsafe. What accommodations will be made for this popular Greenway?

*Will there be designated crossing areas with “Walk/Don’t Walk” lights for pedestrians?

*A 2’ bicycle lane is unsafe. The width of handle bars is about 2’. Therefore, cars and bikes will collide. That’s a real safety issue!

*Residents of Murdock Ave, a narrow street (after passing the park) with many small homes and young children will be impacted severely with the extra traffic that it would have to endure as a “cut through”.

*Norwood Park residents will have restrictions on their ability to travel locally from Merrimon Ave shops.

*NCDOT funded, sat on the steering committee and ultimately reviewed and endorsed the City of Asheville Comprehensive Bicycle Plan. The needs identified for Merrimon in that plan are ignored.

*There will be an impact on some homes and businesses. Please consider the low impact road connection for Clearview Terrace that takes no homes.

While working on your revisions, please consult with the City of Asheville Transportation Dept. They understand Asheville’s needs.

I appreciate your efforts in developing plans for multimodal transportation for this and all future projects.

Thank you!
Bess Baird

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Jennifer: We have two teen groups that meet here every week. The kids walk on Merrimon to get lunch. It’s already hard to cross

Asheville on Bikes — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:51:33 +0000

From: Jennifer Murphy
Date: Tue, Jan 30, 2018 at 2:08 PM
Subject: Merrimon Avenue expansion
To: chood@ncdot.gov, mgclark@ncdot.gov

I’m writing to make an official comment on the proposed changes on Merrimon Ave in Asheville. I work several times a week in the North Asheville Rec Center, a block away from Merrimon on East Larchmont Road. I feel that these changes would negatively impact my life and the others who use the North Asheville Rec Center.

We have two teen groups that meet here every week. The kids walk on Merrimon to get lunch. It’s already hard to cross. This will make it much worse. We have several volunteers who ride their bikes to our space. A 2′ wide bike lane is a joke!

These changes are not designed for people, only for cars. I think they will not only endanger pedestrians and cyclists but also hurt local businesses. It will be harder to pull in and out of parking lots at places like Luellas, Yolo, and Jus Running. This is not a highway, this is a city street. Future plans should be slowing down the traffic, making it better for walkers and bikes, not speeding it up.

Please scrap this plan and come up with something that is appropriate for humans.

Jennifer Murphy
Asheville 28806

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Wes: Father of 10 month old twins, I want my girls to grow up in a place where they can be pedestrians and cyclists

Asheville on Bikes — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:47:49 +0000

From: Wes Gibson
Date: Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Subject: Merrimon Ave Intersection Improvements at Edgewood through WT Weaver Blvd
To: “chood@ncdot.gov” <chood@ncdot.gov>, “kbereis@hntb.com” <kbereis@hntb.com>

Hello everyone,

First off, thanks for taking the time to read my concerns regarding the proposed alterations to Merrimon Ave in Asheville, NC. We appreciate that your time is valuable, and I hope that you value input from the citizens of Asheville/Buncombe County. With the rapid growth in the city of Asheville, we want what is best for not only the current citizens of Asheville, but we also want to think of future citizens as well. As the father of 10 month old twins, I want my girls to grow up in a place where they can be pedestrians and cyclists. And I want them to feel safe being either. Please consider revising your plans for Merrimon Avenue. In Asheville, we’d love to see more complete streets being built to support our cycling and pedestrian community. These streets allow for an alleviation of the current traffic woes, while also allowing safe passage for cyclists and pedestrians. The City of Asheville has spent time and money working on designs for Merrimon avenue. All of which conflict with your proposed design. The City of Asheville Comprehensive Bike plan, which was reviewed and endorsed by the NCDOT, identified needs for Merrimon. All of these needs seem to be ignored in your proposed changes. As well, the proposed changes include a 2 foot shared bicycle lane on a road with a 40 mph design. This does not conform to the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) guidelines pertaining to active transportation standards. We have other streets in Asheville that were built very similar to this proposal. They don’t allow for pedestrian/cyclist safety. We don’t want to repeat mistakes on Merrimon Avenue. Please consider what I’m saying. Thanks again for your time.

Wes Gibson

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Georgeanna: NCDOT’s role as steward of transportation infrastructure gives it the responsibility to plan, fund, and design complete street networks

Asheville on Bikes — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:41:10 +0000

From: Georgeanna Connors
Date: Sun, Jan 14, 2018 at 9:38 PM
Subject: Re: Merrimon Ave, Edgewood -> WT Weaver
To: kbereis@hntb.com

The NC DOT’s role as steward of transportation infrastructure gives it the responsibility to plan, fund, and design “complete street networks that sustain mobility while accommodating walking, biking, and transit opportunities safely.”

However, the current plans for Merrimon Ave are car-centric, short-sighted, environmentally reckless, and uninspired.

They’re also bad for business, both local and tourism. As you may already know, there’s a compelling body of research that shows bike lanes are good for business. They also create a clear way for cars, bikes and pedestrians to interact, which dramatically reduces accidents and conflict.

I would challenge you to study this area as a major growth sector in the city and consider how it can be safer, more environmentally friendly, and even more profitable with the addition of more amenities for bikes and pedestrians.

Thank you,
Georgeanna

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Bruce: I am writing to you to oppose the NCDOT proposed change to Merrimon Ave

Asheville on Bikes — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:36:58 +0000

From: Rev. Bruce S. Noll, HMN
Date: Tue, Jan 16, 2018 at 3:13 PM
Subject: Merrimon Widening Project

To: “kbereis@hntb.com” <kbereis@hntb.com>

Attn Kim Bereis,

I am writing to you to oppose the NCDOT proposed change to Merrimon Ave. As an 8 year resident of Asheville Primarily North Asheville and most recently Weaverville I have used Merrimon Ave almost daily since I moved here.

I object for the following reasons:

1) What I believe will be a negative impact on businesses during and after construction.

2) Pedestrian and cycling safety will be negatively impact due to increased speeds and narrower lanes.

3) Ignoring or avoiding the needs of local residents, city studies and recommendations and Federal guidelines for safety.

4) Alternates are not presented

5) Greenway projects are ignored or avoided

I am therefor requesting that the NCDOT do the following:

1) Partner with COA Department of Transportation plans – Asheville In Motion AIM

2) Refer to the Asheville City 2025 Plan

3) Consider the NCDOT Community Characteristics Report

4) Do nothing as this may be a better plan than the one being proposed.

Sincerely,

Bruce Noll

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David: As a rental property owner …We do not need a high-speed pass through road here

Asheville on Bikes — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:27:59 +0000

From: David Voorhees
Date: Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 11:35 AM
Subject: Asheville North Merrimon Ave. DOT Project

As a rental property owner in Norwood Park I would like to make the following comments on the proposed project to widen and alter Merrimon Ave. in the Weaver Blvd. area:

My research shows that there is not significant increased traffic in this area in recent years.

•The proposal would drastically alter the neighborhood character of the whole area without addressing the real needs of any problems that exist: safe walkable and bicycle zones adjacent to Merrimon; safe, well spaced and accessible crosswalks on Merrimon and the feeder streets; and a need for traffic calming.

•The Murdock/Merrimon/Woodward plan as proposed is highly problematic for the Norwood Park neighborhood: limiting quick emergency vehicle access, unsafe crosswalks, negatively affecting residential routing.

•The traffic pattern for the car wash was ill designed for its location and should be re-engineered. The residents should not be adversely affected because of that one business.

•The Merrimon crossing for the Glenn Creek Greenway needs to be improved.

•We do not need a high-speed pass through road here. Rather than fast for some, we need the full scope of the neighborhood addressed: pedestrian, residential based, parks, greenway, bicycle friendly and safe for all.

Thanks for listening.

David Voorhees

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Mary: When the DOT ignores the feedback from residents, it is not appreciated.

Asheville on Bikes — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 15:19:28 +0000

From: Mary Buttitta
Date: Tue, Jan 23, 2018 at 10:26 AM
Subject: Merrimon Widening project – public comment
To: kbereis@hntb.com

Dear Kim Bereis,

I am writing to tell you that I am NOT in favor of the proposed NCDOT plan to widen Merrimon Avenue. I might be in favor of a plan that takes into consideration what the citizens of Asheville want, which so far have been ignored by the DOT. I might favor a plan that connects the greenway and supports bike and pedestrian traffic. But so far I have not seen those plans.

I live on the north side of Asheville for a reason – it does not look like the south side which looks like every other sprawled out city USA. I would like to see a bike and pedestrian friendly proposal and I am just not seeing it with this plan. I don’t want to encourage higher speeds along this road. I don’t want to see the businesses I frequent negatively affected and maybe forced out of business. I think you can do better.

I DO WANT to keep at least one part of our city quaint and with a small town feel and not become a Charlotte. Asheville is already struggling with too much growth and not enough intentionality in planning. BUT the City has spent money and made a decade of planning changes on Merrimon that contradict the nature of this proposed design. So when the DOT ignores the feedback from residents, it is not appreciated.

Thank you for this opportunity and please reconsider.

Best,

Mary Buttitta

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