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.

Here are the relevant links to get up to speed on these two important City items:
Learn about Asheville Unpaved here: https://bit.ly/386TuAO
Take the Close the GAP Survey here: https://ashevillenc.gov/closethegap

So go take that survey – the City wants to hear from you!

The post Survey Alert! Growing trails and closing the GAP with Lucy Crown appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Ride along the Hominy Creek Greenway connection to the RADTIP, with Marc Hunt and Mike Sule.

Some of the advocacy work that went into this project started 10 years ago! Here are a few of the highlights as the project played out:

• 2015 Asheville on Bikes presentation re: the need to change the design to include a cycle track, aka protected bike lane.
• 2015 City Council minutes from the meeting where they adopted the design change to include the two way protected Cycle track.
• 2016 – 2018 AoB advocates for construction of the project, specifically that it include the protected bike infrastructure even when a 2017 budget overrun threatened to halt or delay that portion of the project.

Successful projects take time and diligent oversight. When you support Asheville on Bikes, you’re investing in the next transportation facility and helping us to advocate for the next 5 miles.

Thank you to all who worked hard to get this project built, including City Staff, City Council, RAD business owners, Connect Buncombe, Riverlink, and the many volunteers working in support of the project. It is a pleasure to ride along the river and we look forward to many more miles of protected bike lanes and greenways in our future!

The post Marc Hunt and Mike Sule tour the new RADTIP bike connections appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Following the City’s decision to divide approval and construction into phases, the Mountain Xpress asked director Mike Sule for a statement. Here’s what he said:

“AoB leadership remains cautious in embracing the phased approach because no one can predict future priorities and future city leadership support for completion of the RADTIP elements as currently proposed.”

Read the full article here.

The post Mountain XPress Quotes AoB Director Mike Sule on RADTIP Progress appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

FROM: Mike Sule on behalf of Asheville On Bikes

CC:

Council and Staff –

I learned yesterday that the RADTIP project must be modified because of budget concerns and that you are considering the postponement of plans to build several critical pieces of infrastructure, including the protected bike lane along Lyman Street and the modifications to the railroad crossing near Smoky Park Supper Club. While disappointed, we recognize that some multi-modal facilities have to be cut. We hope the city will reaffirm its commitment to active transportation infrastructure in the future. AoB affirms that  public safety is paramount to any RADTIP adjustments.

As you adjust priorities, public safety must be your primary criterion. The two pieces of infrastructure I just mentioned are vital to the future of the city and to public safety. If the Lyman Street bike lane and western sidewalk are removed, Asheville On Bikes (AOB) urges you to replace them with a multi-use path at least 16 feet in width, and lane markings to separate users. This design complies with FHWA standards, increases safety, and will support a high volume of bike and pedestrian traffic. Lyman St  needs the best possible bike and pedestrian infrastructure that we can afford because it lies at the very heart of our future grid of connected greenways and bike lanes. The city should build active transportation infrastructure to standards that anticipate future use. The Swamp Rabbit and American Tobacco trails see 500,000+ users annually. RADTIP can anticipate similarly heavy use. Make it safe for all users and do not neglect this part of the plan. Frankly, it should have been built first

Similarly, the railroad crossing near Smoky Park Supper Club is unsafe, it is a known hazard, and the city is failing to act to make it safe. It injures people every year. When you think about re-arranging funds, it is unconscionable to our membership that you would spend money anywhere in RADTIP without addressing these railroad tracks which are responsible for so many broken bones, concussions, and other injuries to your citizens. Addressing the public safety issue of this unsafe rail crossing cannot be delayed.  Please make sure that a public safety fix which allows for safe cycling over or around the railroad crossing is included in your re-prioritization. Asheville on Bikes is a willing partner and is eager to assist the city as you address these concerns.

Sincerely,

Mike Sule

Related Content: Click here for more posts about RADTIP.

The post AoB’s Public Statement on RADTIP Re-Design appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

ASHEVILLE, NC, June 8, 2017 – Today the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office, Asheville on Bikes, and Buncombe Bike Ed jointly announce a new Bicycle Ticket Diversion Program (or Cycle Smart) aimed at reducing and eliminating court costs, driver license points and fines for bike riders charged with minor traffic violations in Buncombe County.

This is the first Bicycle Diversion Program offered in the state of North Carolina.

Cycle Smart is a program offered by Asheville on Bikes and Buncombe Bike Ed in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, which allows people ticketed with a vehicle violation while bicycling to attend and complete a safe-riding class and have the fine associated with their ticket dismissed upon completion of Cycle Smart.

“Bicycle riding is a critical to our transportation and recreation options and contributes a lot to the affordability, and livability of our community. Cycling can also reduce congestion on city streets. As our community grows and more people ride bicycles in Buncombe County, the DA’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of all on our roads. When riders are ticketed for a minor moving violations, I want them to have the option to enroll in Cycle Smart. Better, safer, law-abiding riders make for safer roads for both cyclists and motorists benefiting us all,” Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams said.

While a bicycle is perhaps the most efficient and economical form of transportation, many riders have trouble paying court costs and fines and are often surprised that driver’s license points accrue against their licenses when they are cited with a minor traffic violation on a bike.

“Bike education classes are a great way to encourage new riders and improve the skills of seasoned ones. It’s fair to say that the riders who need bike safety the most are the least likely to sign up on their own. Partnering with the DA’s office enables bicyclists who are ticketed to participate in Cycle Smart which educates riders on the habits of safe cycling. The long range goal are safe streets and cycling that is safe for both cyclists and motorists. We’re excited by this partnership,” states, Mike Sule, Asheville on Bikes’ executive director.

Cycle Smart classes are led by League of American Bicyclists certified instructors. The classes are three hours and incorporate classroom instructions, bicycle skill development, and on road instructions. Classes are open to the public and are held the second Saturday of every month from April – October except July at Senior Opportunity Center at 35 Grove Street at 10 am. Enrollment is $25. To enroll or find out more information, please send an email to buncombebikeed@gmail.com.

For further information please contact Michael Sule, Executive Director of Asheville on Bikes at 828-582-4705.

The post AoB, Buncombe County Bike Ed Partner with District Attorney in New CycleSmart Program appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

This helps clear a path so that City Council could take up the issue and vote to officially adopt the NACTO design guide as a tool.

Why NACTO standards are better for bike commuters

NACTO standards provide detailed planning guidelines for urban areas to design new streets, parks, and other infrastructure with multi-modal transportation (bikes, walkers, buses, light rail, etc.) as the norm–not as an afterthought. Older planning guides that most American cities have used (included the Standard Specifications and Details Manual currently used by Asheville) are written with cars as king, and do not provide adequate provisions for bicycles, pedestrians, and other non-private vehicle forms of transportation.

The specific NACTO guidelines Asheville on Bikes supports, and the MMTC Committee voted to endorse, are including in the Urban Bikeway Design Guide, and would significantly improve bike lanes, signals, and signage in the city. By endorsing NACTO standards, they are recommending that city officials adopt them for future transportation projects.

This vote represents a huge victory for Asheville, and it’s in large part thanks to our Asheville on Bikes members, sponsors, and supporters!

The post Asheville Multi-Modal Transit Committee Votes in Favor of NACTO Standards appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

The article, “Asheville to Get First Bike Corral,” appeared in the April 26, 2016 issue of the Asheville Citizen-Times. Read the full story here.

The post AoB Executive Director Mike Sule featured in Asheville Citizen-Times appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Asheville Transportation Department
City Hall, Mezzanine Level
70 Court Plaza
Asheville, NC 28801

City of Asheville of Asheville Transportation Department,

The current condition of Craven St. has afforded the opportunity to evaluate the potential function of the bike lane on the route before the final asphalt is put into place. Once completed, Craven St. will serve as a major bicycle thoroughfare for our community as it will connect West Asheville to greenways, and will become an attraction for surrounding residents and tourists alike. Craven St. will be a critical bicycle connector once the future greenway is complete and the New Belgium Brewery opens.

Since there is no direct connection from the greenway to the brewery site, bicyclists are required to use the bike lanes along the new Craven Street section. Also, several families will access Craven St. from Waynesville to connect with either the greenway, Clingman or Haywood. Many of these cyclists are likely to be families or people who are not used to riding on roads. We need to build bicycle infrastructure that works for all people on bikes. We hope these factors are considered in what we suggest the city consider below.

This past weekend a few neighbors and I took bicycles with trailers affixed to them to illustrate how a 4-foot bike lane may not be the safest condition for the bicyclists described above. Please review the pictures below as they clearly show that a 4-foot bike lane does not provide adequate space for safe riding.

Picture 2: The people working on the Craven Street project were very careful in measuring the lane widths north of Waynesville Avenue. To the south of Waynesville this not the case. The bike lane through this section is not 4 feet wide as called for in the engineering documents. This creates a more hazardous condition for bicyclists with trailers or panniers, cargo-bikes, and recumbents.

Even if the roadway was flush with the gutter, placing the right-side tire of the trailer in the gutter is not a suitable riding position for the bicyclist as it creates a different surface and potentially different slopes for the bicyclist to navigate.

Picture 3: In November, the City presented a PowerPoint on the Craven St. improvements which included a 6.5-foot bicycle lane on the west side of Craven St. (page 5: Craven St Improvement). Although I recognize they were innocent mistakes, the cross-section slide included two errors: 1) It counted the raised curb in this calculation; and 2) It counted the gutter as bikeable space. While I acknowledge the City of Asheville 2008 Bicycle Plan includes the gutter as usable space, since then, NCDOT’s 2012 Complete Streets Guidelines stipulate the gutter is not counted as usable space when measuring a bike lane’s width. The City of Asheville needs to be building bicycle infrastructure to the higher standards so that they work of all people and not just the die-hard cyclist.

Picture 4 illustrates why we feel the gutter cannot be counted as usable space. Even before project completion, trash and recycling bins are being placed in the curb, requiring a cyclist to veer outside the lane and into the car’s lane. Cyclists require adequate space to ride safely and predictably.

Picture 5 shows the limited margin for error cyclists have when trying to stay within the bike lane and passing the bins. This will happen at least one out of every 7 days and, as we see here, property owners usually put their bins out to curb one day before pickup is to occur.

In order to implement bicycle infrastructure that works for all the people who choose to ride Craven St, Asheville on Bikes requests the following:

• The city consider a 5-foot-wide bike lane on the southbound side of Craven Street when the top surface of asphalt is completed. This would not constitute an additional cost to the project but would be a slight change in how the bike lanes are measured. While we realize there are trucks on this route, we are confident New Belgium can work with their drivers to promote a safe operating speed in the short section they would be required to operate in a 10-foot travel lane.

• The city work closely with the contractor as the final lanes are put in place. As we see on the new section, the contractors did not follow the design plans in ensuring the bike lane was the width called for in the engineering documents.

• If a 5-foot bike lane is not acceptable, we request the city consider a one-foot wide cross-hatched buffer on the outside of the 4-foot southbound bike lane. This creates a visible space on which trucks and motorists should not encroach. The 10 feet of open space in the lane for cars is more than adequate. The one-foot buffer would allow trucks some margin of error and we trust they will be cautious when overtaking a bicyclist who is riding in the bike lane.

I’d be more than happy to meet with any or all of you on Craven St to review the current issues with the 4-foot bike lane. If you have any follow up questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully,

Mike Sule
Asheville on Bikes

The post AoB Assesses State of Craven St. Bike Lanes, Alerts Asheville Transportation Officials of Safety Issues appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Asheville on Bikes is trying to mount pressure on the city to make sure the transportation plan prioritizes bike lanes and greenways.

Jake Frankel does an excellent job articulating the challenges for improving safe active transportation. We need champions from government, business, and neighbors to coordinate and sustain the push. We’re all in this together. Let’s roll forward. http://mountainx.com/news/one-step-at-a-time/

Asheville Tries to Keep Pace with Rising Demands for Sidewalks, Bike Lanes

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Jake Frankel
In 2010, hundreds of people marched down Tunnel Road advocating for the construction of a sidewalk between the Veterans Restoration Quarters and the VA Medical Center. That sidewalk has since come to fruition, but a report shows that Asheville is falling short of its goals.

In 2010, hundreds of people marched down Tunnel Road advocating for the construction of a sidewalk between the Veterans Restoration Quarters and the VA Medical Center. That sidewalk has since come to fruition, but a report shows that Asheville is falling short of its goals.

Amid rising interest in transportation alternatives, local activists have been stepping up efforts to make Asheville safer for walking and biking. But while some strides have been made that are worth celebrating, the path to greater advances seems to be lined with historic neglect and budgetary hurdles.

The city still has a long walk ahead to fulfill its 2004 goal of building 108 miles of sidewalks. In the last decade, Asheville has constructed only about 18 miles worth, according to a city report released last year.

Despite the slow rate of growth, the report does highlight some key improvements. For example, a mile-long stretch of worn grass and rocky paths along Tunnel Road — previously known as “the goat trail,” where veterans walk each day between the Veterans Restoration Quarters and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center — has been paved. But overall, says Asheville City Council member and longtime sidewalks advocate Chris Pelly, the average construction rate of 2 miles per year hasn’t been sufficient.

In fact, in a letter he penned to fellow Council members, Pelly noted that for the next five years, the city has about $550,000 slated for new sidewalks — enough to build only about one mile per year. “Despite clear and demonstrated need, the pace of progress seems to be slowing,” Pelly wrote. “We are effectively relegating many growing neighborhoods to decadeslong waits before residents can walk safely on their own streets.”

Each spring, Asheville on Bikes Executive Director Mike Sule and other advocates help organize a Strive Not to Drive campaign to encourage multimodal transit.

A recent survey commissioned by the North Carolina chapter of the American Planning Association found that living in walkable communities is a top priority for the millennial generation, a young demographic highly sought by cities for their growing economic clout. It’s no surprise, then, that the local business community has been increasingly supportive of multimodal advocacy organizations such as Asheville on Bikes.

“I think that for our business community, as they begin to value more and more walkability and bikeability — [for them] to help with some of these challenges is going to be critical,” says Mike Sule, AoB’s executive director.

Over the last two years, the city’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee hosted meetings in each sector of Asheville, which encompasses 50 neighborhoods. When attendees were asked to rate their concerns, a lack of sidewalks topped the list, according to Pelly, who serves on the committee. Pedestrian and bicycle counts tallied by the city indicate that the amount of walkers and bikers has dramatically increased since 2009 in a variety of areas, including those around Charlotte Street, Kimberly and Clingman avenues.

In the wake of a high-profile pedestrian fatality on Merrimon Avenue earlier this year, City Council held a retreat where it declared that new sidewalks should be a higher priority. But specific funding wasn’t determined. Pelly has proposed that the city commit $500,000 a year toward construction.

“I believe there is broad and significant pent-up demand for sidewalks and pedestrian improvements,” Pelly says in his letter. “If not now, then when? … Two miles a year is inadequate to the demands of our growing city.”

Meanwhile, the city is working on drafting a Multimodal Transportation Plan that is geared to “look at the system in a comprehensive way and will measure mobility deficiencies citywide and will develop and establish a priority system.”

Scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, the process will involve several public meetings to solicit feedback. The overarching goal is “to create an effective and progressive plan that encourages health-oriented and sustainable transportation, reduces barriers to access transportation and connects residents and visitors with the places they want and need to go with improved safety, efficiency and accessibility,” according to the city transportation department’s website.

Completing the Streets

Sule and his group are trying to mount pressure on the city to make sure the transportation plan prioritizes bike lanes and greenways. In the past five years, he says, Asheville “has made considerable leaps and bounds taking on multimodal issues.” Those efforts included designating several miles of bike lanes and painting streets with bike-friendly “sharrow” markers, as well as opening new sections of greenway.

The improvements helped earn Asheville a bronze rating by the League of American Bicyclists, which evaluates cities across the country for their bikeability. And Sule hopes that rating will go up to silver in coming years.

Each spring Asheville on Bikes organizes a St. Patrick’s Day community ride to helping bring the riding community together and show support for infrastructure improvements.

Each spring Asheville on Bikes organizes a St. Patrick’s Day community ride to helping bring the riding community together and show support for infrastructure improvements.

A major improvement will be the expansive makeover of the River Arts District, which will include a wide array of interconnected sidewalks, bike lanes, parks and greenways. The city is partnering with a range of private parties and government agencies on those projects, funded in part by a $14.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

More comprehensive partnerships like that will be instrumental in making further progress, says Sule, who notes that many of the area’s roads are actually overseen by the N.C. Department of Transportation rather than the city.

The state agency adopted a “Complete Streets” policy in 2009, which directs it to “consider and incorporate” modes of transportation other than single-passenger vehicles when designing new projects or making improvements. That’s an improvement for a department Sule sees as having a “history of marginalizing bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure.”

However, the stated policy is still a long way from making the NCDOT “an exemplary model” when it comes to implementation, Sule adds. And his assessment is shared by Paul Black, director of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, which helps direct major transit decisions across the region. “NCDOT is … not in the sidewalk business, so there is no easy way to provide sidewalks outside of city limits, even where the land use really needs them.”

In an attempt to increase bike safety on a dangerous incline, the state DOT did approve a climbing lane on Haywood Road, but didn’t contribute any of the roughly $100,000 in funding the construction required. Instead, the money for the lane, which gives slower-moving cyclists a designated area to climb the hill seperate from other traffic, came from the city and New Belgium Brewing, which is building a major new facility nearby at the edge of the River Arts District.

Sule has a long list of other DOT streets he’d like to see improved with bike lanes and sidewalks. The stretch of Riverside Drive from Amboy to Tunnel Road, and Broadway near downtown, top the list, as well as the rapidly developing South Slope area of downtown. Meanwhile, residents of the Hazel Mill, Merrimon, Five Points, Charlotte Street and New Haw Creek neighborhoods have been particularly vocal recently in their push for new pedestrian infrastructure.

In 2012, Buncombe County passed a Greenways and Trails Master Plan to eventually build about 83 miles of pathways around the area. Many would link existing parks, greenways, residential areas and schools; several follow waterways such as the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers. But a 2010 feasibility study for one of the proposed corridors suggests that the price could be high. Building an 18-mile greenway along the Swannanoa River/U.S. 70 corridor from the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex on Azalea Road in Asheville to Ridgecrest, east of Black Mountain, would cost an estimated $10.3 million. It’s hard to say where that kind of money might come from. Since passing the plan, the county has yet to build a single mile of paths.

The ongoing lack of county action is a sore subject for Sule and others. “I think there’s tepid political support for that at the county level,” he says. “There is absolutely more that I’d like to see done.”

So it seems that for major multimodal progress to keep pace with demand, activists will have to put pressure on politicians to start doing a better job of putting their money where their mouths are. “The biggest challenge for anything in the transportation realm is lack of resources,” notes Black.

Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.

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