Email the Commission:  AVLDowntownCommission@PublicInput.com Leave a voicemail: 855-925-2801, then entering code 9272

Call into the meeting tomorrow (12-9-22) at 9:35am to leave live public comment. Dial 855-925-2801, enter code 9272, then press * and select option 3

Support for the complete street treatment is wavering and your comment is critical in moving this project forward. Call or sent a quick email that states:

“I support the College / Patton Complete St project because it’s important that our City commits to expanding its mobility options to provide safer and greater access into and through downtown Asheville. This project aligns with the City’s of Asheville’s Comprehensive Plan and transportation planning, like the recently adopted Close the GAP. We cannot continue to lead NC in pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and death. Complete Streets are proven to be an economic driver and a component of affordability. The more mobility options into downtown the more parking is available for others.” 

Here is AoB’s letter to the Downtown Commission about this project:

Dear Downtown Commission, 

On behalf of Asheville on Bikes Board of Directors and our members (over 900 strong) I’m writing to you to encourage your support of the College / Patton Complete Street project. Asheville on Bikes and Connect Buncombe partnered to fund the design phase of this project for many good reasons.

Reasons Asheville on Bikes and Connect Buncombe support this project: 

• Asheville continues to lead in North Carolina in pedestrian and bicyclist collisions
• Active transportation is a component of housing affordability. Overwhelmingly lower income households rely on bicycle communing. 8.3% of City residents do not own a car; the City has the obligation to provide safe and accessible infrastructure for these residents as well as motorists.    
• Our community continues to support investment in active transportation facilities as evidenced by the Merrimon Rd reconfiguration (currently under construction) and the recent robust support for active transportation facilities included in the upcoming Haywood Rd resurfacing project. Each individual project serves to advance the whole. Each project is a necessary piece of our future active transportation network.  
• Active transportation investment is a critical component of urban density and downtown functionality. As the City continues to court developments like Aston St Project, 319 Biltmore Ave Project, 360 Hilliard Ave Apartment, the Maple Crest Apartments it must simultaneously invest in mobility options beyond automobiles so that people can connect to their home, their work, and places of recreation and enjoyment by a variety of modes.
• This project is more than just adding bike lanes as it serves to maximize the utility of the public right of way; it adds an additional 175’ of loading zones, improves pedestrian crosswalks, and provides a greater buffer between people and moving vehicles.

The City’s transportation staff also supports advancing a complete street treatment through the College and Patton corridor.

The College / Patton project page addresses a variety of potential concerns: 

• The Asheville Police Department and Asheville Fire Department have been consulted on the project design, including lane widths and configurations, to ensure that emergency vehicle access is not negatively impacted. 
• Current traffic volumes on College and Patton are between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles per day. 
• These daily volumes are well within thresholds for single-lane streets.
• Business owners have also raised concerns about the bicycle facilities potentially impacting their business operations and revenue potential. Numerous studies have shown that adding bicycle facilities has no negative, and in many cases, a positive impact, on businesses. A sample of these are linked below.

Studies that show the economic impact of projects similar to College/Patton:

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2021.1912849
• https://www.peopleforbikes.org/statistics/economic
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-08/for-store-owners-bike-lanes-boost-the-bottom-line 
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200422151318.htm
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/biking-lanes-business-health-1.5165954
• https://www.ibigroup.com/ibi-insights/bike-lanes-good-small-business/

On Dec. 5, Patti Glazer of Glazer Architecture, PA submitted an email to the Downtown Commission requesting that the commission oppose the College / Patton Complete Street project. The letter states: 

“Public outreach has been very obscure with no public forums. Until recently, the City’s Project Page on the City of Asheville website did not even present the Plan. The only information available on-line was the study/video analyzing whether the bike lane conversion should be the right lane or the left lane. There was no discussion or information as to whether College/Patton St. is an appropriate place to implement bike lanes at all.”

Respectfully, Glazer’s critique of the process does not match the facts and timeline of public input presented by staff and posted on the project page. Public outreach began in Feb. of 2020 and will continue through Jan. 2023. The project has been presented to the Downtown Commission several times before today’s meeting. Additionally, Glazer’s email included an attachment of 36 businesses operating on the corridor. Twenty-four of the businesses claimed they were “Not Notified,” of the project but a scan of the public process shows that 41% had either received an email from the City or responded directly to the City’s Stakeholder engagement tracking.

41% of the businesses that claimed they were not notified…were notified. The City has those tracked notifications and interactions.

Our City faces many challenges and opportunities and reasonable people can disagree on what’s best for our community, however, it’s integral to decision making that the best information is shared with decision makers. I trust this commission to deliberate with the facts when it considers the future potential of safe prosperous streets that serve the needs of our community. Thank you for your service to our City. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Mike Sule 

Asheville on Bikes

The post Urgent! Email or call the Downtown Commission in Support to the College / Patton Ave Complete Street Project appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

The City of Asheville is planning a public meeting and comment period to gather public feedback about a proposed 4-3 conversion (road diet) for Merrimon Avenue. This conversion would take place as part of an upcoming NCDOT repaving project, a project which had been delayed, until now, by the pandemic and by discussions between NCDOT and the City about the future of Merrimon Avenue. Repaving projects include re-striping between the curbs, and that re-striping can be designed to create a different traffic configuration, as is proposed for Merrimon.

This repaving and subsequent 4-3 conversion is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to make Merrimon Avenue better fit the needs of the community. Asheville on Bikes is excited about this project and we will be publishing more as the project moves forward. You should follow this project and discuss it with your neighbors. 

It takes courage to stand up and ask for a change, to prod a world full of uncertain outcomes. At the start of our campaign in favor of a road diet on Merrimon, we’d like to honor all the victims of collisions over the years and the many people who have spoken up in the past to ask for changes on Merrimon. We appreciate your courage and are humbled by your sacrifices.

If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a collision on Merrimon, we’d love to talk to you more about it. Send us an email with our contact form and we will follow up. 

Here are four pieces of Merrimon information you can read or listen to today:

1. Yvonne Lewis, “Patsy,” is not forgotten. Nor are her neighbors, who protested the conditions that lead to her death in 2015 while attempting to cross Merrimon at Coleman. 
2. Injuries are continuing to occur on Merrimon. Listen to Gaia’s heartfelt account of the costs from just one of the recent collisions. This is a public comment recorded by the Multimodal Transportation Commission on March 24, 2021 and obtained by AoB after a public records request. 
3. Please re-read the past public comments about this street. Your comments helped defeat the 2018 Merrimon Road widening, and they deserve close examination. Read the many different voices that are crying out for change on Merrimon. 
4. Asheville, the tenth largest city in NC, continues to rank #1 in pedestrian and bicyclist death and injury. As the Citizen Times reported earlier in March, between 2010-18, Asheville ranked first in the state per capita in both total pedestrian crashes per year and in pedestrian crashes that result in injury or death. 

It is not necessary to be injured regularly in order to use a transportation network, to move about in a City. It is not necessary for a person to die trying to cross the street. We support a 4-3 conversion for Merrimon Avenue north of downtown for many reasons. And one of the best reasons is that it will make the road safer for all users. 

Here are related posts you may enjoy:

AoB: Merrimon Avenue: Road Diet proposed!
AoB: Resource page tracking this project on our site.
City of Asheville: Project page for this project
City of Asheville: Story map with data overlays for collisions, bike, ped, traffic volumes and more
Iowa DOT: Cute road diet explainer video, 6 minutes
FHWA: Road diet case studies
FHWA: Road diet myths

The post Merrimon Avenue: Road Diet Proposed! appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

When an SUV collides with a cyclist, the result is never pretty. Such was the case on May 13th, 2021 when Candler resident Bill Miller was going for his daily bike ride and was broadsided by a Ford Explorer. The driver, 67-year-old Paul Bork, who witnesses say was speeding, made no effort to avoid him despite the absence of any other traffic on the straightaway section of road. To make matters worse, Bork didn’t even make an effort to help Bill. Instead, witnesses saw Bork stop briefly to survey the damage before fleeing the scene.

Bill’s story

Bill’s solo bike rides into the lower Hominy Valley were more than a daily exercise routine—they were critical to his mental well-being. The 70-year-old regularly rode 25- to 45-mile loops to clear his mind, connect with his neighbors, and experience his beloved ecosystem.

Biltmore Lake, the community Bill calls home, is a suburban neighborhood located just outside the Asheville city limits in Buncombe County. With its beautiful lake, extensive trail system, and slow speed limit, the community is cherished for its pedestrian friendliness. Joggers, cyclists, children, and the elderly regularly enjoy the mountain enclave by navigating its well-kept roads and trails.

But the Biltmore Lake area is growing faster than infrastructure can keep pace with, which has led to increased congestion and reckless driving. To emphasize this point, the road where Bill was hit was a straightaway with a crosswalk. In fact, the driver was merely a quarter mile from a stop sign when he hit Bill at a speed fast enough to shatter his femur and destroy his bike.

The aftermath of the “accident”

Following the “accident,” Bill was placed in an ambulance and rushed to the hospital trauma bay. In shock and excruciating pain, he underwent multiple x-rays and CT scans. According to his wife, Susan, a Nurse Practitioner, “I saw his x-ray and felt sick. His left femur was in pieces. He had to have a procedure in the ER where holes were bored into his femur and metal rods were inserted for traction. He had to spend the night that way and in the morning underwent extensive surgery to reassemble his femur with rods, plates, and screws. He also had a fractured rib and later developed deep vein thrombosis in his lower left leg.”

One of the most difficult things for Bill following the accident was telling his 9-month-pregnant daughter he wouldn’t be able to help her and her husband with their new baby. Bill and his daughter are very close, and he and Susan had planned on being extremely involved with their new grandson.

Despite Bill’s remarkable health, recovering from the accident hasn’t been easy. Bill hasn’t been able to climb the multiple flights of stairs in their house, so Susan set up a bedroom and makeshift shower on the first floor for him to use while he heals. He is going to physical therapy twice a week, and can now use a cane and walker to get around his house. Susan says it’s devastating seeing her husband, who was so healthy and strong just a month ago, now barely able to walk on his own. Normally this time of year, Bill would be enjoying group bike rides, volunteering with bike races and environmental organizations, hiking with friends, and swimming in nearby rivers; now he is unable to tend to his own garden.

After a lifetime of biking, Bill says he probably won’t ride his bike on public roads again. The physical and psychological toll the accident took is too overwhelming, and he’s concerned he could be hit again. He laments the fact that he doesn’t even feel safe biking to the nearby grocery store just a mile from his house because that stretch of Sandhill Road doesn’t have a bike lane, shoulder, or sidewalk. “It’s a shame that bike and pedestrian infrastructure in Buncombe County is so limited. The City of Asheville has made some great improvements in infrastructure over the years, but we’re still far from being a bikeable community.”

Making western North Carolina more bike-friendly

One factor that may have been at play in Bill’s accident is the design speed of the road on which he was hit. Design speed refers to the speed a road is designed to be traveled, and is often much higher than its posted speed. For example, Reeves Coves Road, the street on which Bill was hit, has a speed limit of 35 mph, but as a main artery through Biltmore Lake and nearby Reeves Cove, it may have been designed for vehicles to travel much faster. Motorists will often follow a road’s design speed over its posted speed.

As Bill’s story shows, it’s important that states are designing roads that are safe for multiple modes of travel. This may include installing roundabouts, stop signs, pedestrian crosswalks, or other traffic-calming features, which can also help reduce a road’s design speed.

Another way to increase bike and pedestrian safety is through transportation education. Many drivers don’t understand that a road’s “right of way” applies to all its users, and that all people—regardless of their mode of transportation—have a right to the safe and predictable use of public roads.

Road rage is a serious problem

With more cars on the road than ever, especially around his community, Bill says he thinks drivers are more irritable and on edge. Incidences of road rage have continued to increase over the past several decades, with a staggering 66% of all traffic fatalities caused by aggressive driving. Unfortunately, this road rage is also afflicted on bikers: Bill says he’s had drivers force him off the road and yell at him, and his friend had a bottle thrown at her while biking in Biltmore Lake. “People typically don’t get angry with one another when they’re at a busy grocery store, but when they have to share the road with a biker, they sure do,” he says. “I think there’s a lot of assumptions and privilege driving this aggression.”

Investing in active transportation

As people increasingly migrate to western North Carolina, it’s critical we make the investment into active transportation. Instead of widening roads by adding more vehicle lanes (which actually increases congestion, as seen in Atlanta in Los Angeles), our cities must install more bike lanes, shoulders, crosswalks, stop signs, and roundabouts. As Bill can attest, peoples’ lives literally depend on it.

“The City of Asheville has made some great improvements in infrastructure over the years, but we’re far from being a bikeable community.” – Bill Miller

Justice for Bill

Bill wants Paul Bork to be held accountable for his actions, and he says he thinks his community feels the same way. Thankfully, Bill wasn’t killed, but he did suffer extreme pain, immobility, and medical bills—not to mention the terror and grief his family has had to endure. The egregious harm Bork has done to Bill and his family is only made worse by the fact that as Bill’s neighbor, Bork may be able to continue to drive through the Biltmore Lake and Candler communities where children play, walk, and bike to school, and residents recreate.

Insurance for cyclists

Like many motorists who commit hit and runs, Paul Bork is most likely an underinsured driver, therefore Bill may face an uphill battle getting him to help pay his medical bills. Bill wants cyclists to know that you can help defend yourself against uninsured and underinsured motorists by purchasing uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. This insurance provides compensation when the at-fault driver’s coverage isn’t enough to pay for all the damages you incur, or when the at-fault driver is uninsured. Most auto insurance comes with UM/UIM; however, UM/UIM typically only covers up to $30,000 in damages, so you should consider adding additional UM/UIM coverage. Check with your auto insurance provider to make sure your plan includes adequate UM/UIM coverage.*

*Unfortunately, health care insurers, by law, can and will demand reimbursement of their medical payments from any liability settlement, so maximizing your auto coverage is important. BikeLaw attorney Ann Groninger has written a very informative article on this subject, which Bill and Susan recommend to cyclists.

Asheville on Bikes supports Bill

Asheville on Bikes wants motorists to know that they will be held accountable for harming or intimidating cyclists in Buncombe County. Paul Bork has been charged with Felony Hit and Run—Serious Injury, and our organization is working with the local District Attorney to make sure that he is convicted and receives the maximum penalty available. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and when that privilege is abused, that right should be revoked. We hope Bill’s story makes people think twice about how they operate their motor vehicles.

Words of thanks from Bill:

“Susan and I are so very grateful for all the help and support we have received. From the people at the scene who stayed at my side and protected me, to those who came forward as witnesses, went to my home to get my wife, and to all the dear friends and neighbors who cooked meals, sent cards, visited, mowed, moved furniture and more, and kept my spirits up by staying in touch: we are forever in your debt. Thank you doesn’t begin to cover it.”

The post Asheville Cyclist Hospitalized After Hit and Run appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Dear Ms. Bereis,

The post Amelia: Faster driving speeds will make Merrimon more dangerous and less pleasant for all users, whether they are walking, biking, or driving appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Dear Kim Bereis, 

The post Initial Designs…have disregarded the opinions of business owners, our local government, and our community appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Hi Kim,

The post Alex: I think NC DOT’s proposed plan for Merrimon Avenue in Asheville isn’t a good plan. appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

I am submitting input on the Merrimon Avenue widening project as an Asheville resident, a public health professional, and an enthusiastic-and-extremely-concerned bicyclist. NCDOT’s proposed plan for widening Merrimon Ave from W.T. Weaver Boulevard to Edgewood Road completely misses the mark with both process and design, and fails to meet the needs of all residents who wish to travel this corridor on bicycles and on foot.

The process used to develop this plan—particularly the apparent complete lack of engagement with the City of Asheville, and the fact that no alternatives were presented to the public—is incredibly troubling. Further, the proposed design itself would make this corridor (which is already notoriously treacherous for bicyclists attempting to travel between North Asheville and the downtown area) even worse. This design mimics some of the worst roads in the Asheville area and runs completely counter to the groundswell of support in Asheville for people-centered road design that allows residents and visitors to move throughout the city safely and by many different modes.

The City of Asheville has already invested years of effort to develop thoughtful, comprehensive plans for improving multi-modal transportation in our community, including the Asheville in Motion (AIM) plan and the Asheville City 2025 Plan. NCDOT’s Division 13 should partner with the CoA Transportation Department to align designs for improvements to Merrimon Ave with these existing plans.

The current proposal does not even align with NCDOT’s own Complete Street Policy, or with NC’s Vision Zero Policy, which both call for close coordination and partnership with local government to design complete streets that optimize mobility and safety for all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit users. NCDOT Division 13 should ensure that the process it uses to develop alternatives for the Merrimon Ave corridor, as well as the details of those alternatives, align with the existing guidelines in these policies.

Finally, the current proposed design does not meet existing federal standards or align with evidence-based design guidelines from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). In particular, the proposed 2-foot bicycle lane along with a planned 40 mile per hour speed limit is a glaring failure to align with AASTHO recommendations of at least 4 feet bike lanes. Sub-standard design is a recipe for even greater safety issues for bicyclists and pedestrians.

I am disappointed and extremely concerned by the total lack of engagement with the City of Asheville, the lack of proposed alternatives, and the proposed design which leaves bicyclists effectively fending for themselves against high-speed vehicular traffic. As a bicyclist I am convinced this design will leave me and my fellow bicyclists far worse off than we are now. I encourage NCDOT Division 13 to go back to the drawing board and work closely with the CoA, local businesses, and residents, to design a Merrimon Avenue that works for us all.

Sincerely,

Emily Kujawa

Emily Kujawa, MPH, RD

Executive Director, Kujawa Consulting

The post Emily: NCDOT’s proposed plan completely misses the mark with both process and design appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Mr. Hood and Mr. Clark,

The post Aimee: Merrimon is the main commercial area that UNCA students can access by walking. Making a plan that would likely lead to student deaths is just plain wrong appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

To city folks-

As you make a plan for Merrimon Ave. please remember we the people (who vote) work her, ride here, walk her shop, raise kids etc…
Asheville is a great place to live – make better  not faster.

Caroline Allured

The post Caroline: Asheville is a great place to live – make better not faster appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

RE NC DOT Div 13, TIP numbers U5781 and U5782

The post Chris: I’m writing as a local property owner to oppose the current DOT plan to widen N Merrimon appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.