ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A controversial redesign of the Interstate 26 Connector project continues to spark backlash among Asheville residents and business owners, who say the latest proposal undermines years of community input.
In February, the North Carolina Department of Transportation announced a cost-saving redesign of the northern section of the project. The updated plan, which includes a flyover bridge across the French Broad River, would reduce costs by $63 million, bringing the total estimate to $1.023 billion.
The redesign places I-26 above Patton Avenue — Asheville’s main thoroughfare — replacing the previously endorsed plan, known as Preferred Alternative 4B, which would have routed the highway beneath the road. Many residents argue the flyover plan ignores community feedback and threatens local businesses and neighborhoods.
Patton Boulevard Comes Out on Top_Final_
Joseph Minicozzi, of planning firm Urban3, was a co-founder and part of the group that got the preferred alternative design into the EIS in 2007.
“And then NCDOT recommended changing our design to having the highway shoot over the top of Patton Avenue,” Minicozzi said. “We protested that change because it was in conflict with community goals and caused unnecessary impacts.”
The Citizens’ Coalition of West Asheville, which opposes the new design, has launched a petition urging NCDOT to revert to the original underpass proposal. The coalition is also organizing several events in the coming weeks to raise public awareness and promote community engagement. Event details will be posted on its website once finalized.
The coalition is encouraging residents to contact Asheville City Council members and has provided a sample letter, along with contact information, on its website.
Several members planned to be at the city council meeting Tuesday night, even though the I-26 Connector did not appear to be on the agenda.
A homeowner from the East West Asheville Neighborhood Association said she also planned to attend the 5 p.m. meeting.
The redesign features an eight-lane overpass above Patton Avenue near the Bowen Bridge, which critics said could create a visual and physical barrier between downtown and West Asheville.
The Citizens’ Coalition is working with the Asheville chapter of the American Institute of Architects and Urban3, urging city leaders to oppose the flyover option and advocate for a “solution in the best interests of the people of this city.”
City Council Meeting – June 26, 2007
“The reason why we fought that idea (the flyover) was that our community voted with consensus in 2000 to have a design that gives us Patton Avenue back for redevelopment, in the attached Community Coordinating Committee (CCC) Report,” Minicozzi said.
“I am now involved because NCDOT betrayed the agreement of 2010, and this will have a significant aesthetic, environmental, and economic difference. It will not only make it more difficult to realise the redevelopment of Patton Avenue, but the overpass will be a policing and maintenance issue, as well as affect the property value of homes nearby that will have additional impact. ”
The I-26 Connector project has been in development for decades, with extensive community engagement leading to the selection of the Preferred Alternative 4B option. The plan was endorsed by the city of Asheville and approved by NCDOT.
However, the recent shift toward an overpass option has Asheville residents worried that cost savings are being prioritized over community needs.
“Simply put, NCDOT is not serving our local community well, and they have a history of making this project delayed and ignoring our community input. The delays are not on our citizens or leaders,” Minicozzi said.