From Staff Reports

After the controversial plan to narrow Merrimon Avenue from four lanes to three lanes was unveiled and failed to gain traction in 2018, yet another proposal for lane-narrowing on North Asheville’s major north-south transportation corridor has triggered opposition from business-owners, commuters and residents, along with enthusiastic support from those want to make the area more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians. 

The current plan seeks to narrow Merrimon from four to three lanes on an about 1.5-mile streatch from W.T. Weaver Boulevard (in front of Luella’s Barbecue) to Midland Drive, just south of Beaver Lake.

The lane narrowing would allow for the construction of 5-foot bike and walking lanes on each side of the segment. Of the three remaining motor vehicle lanes, the center lane would be a passing lane.

Regarding the proposed project, the Asheville Citizen Times quoted Tedd Clevenger, owner of Asheville Brewers Supply, located along Merrimon in the proposed conversion stretch, on Feb. 22 as saying, “It’s a highway, it’s a freaking highway... There is no need to turn Merrimon into more of a mess. It will be a nightmare.”.

However, the ACT also reported that “residents like Maggie Ullman long to see ‘better balance’ for people living along the notoriously-congested corridor, and hopes the project would create a ‘healthy, safe heartbeat’ in the community, rather than an ‘interstate cutting them apart.’

About 21,500 vehicles a day travel on Merrimon, according to a city report .

As the Daily Planet’s latest edition (this edition) was rolling off the printing presses, the City of Asheville and the North Carolina Department of Transportation were to hold an in-person open house and virtual public engagement from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28 at North Asheville Community Center, 37 E. Larchmont Road, Asheville,. 

“At this open house the public will have the opportunity to review the proposal in more detail, provide feedback and discuss the topic with staff from both agencies,” a Jan. 31 press release from the city stated. 

“The City of Asheville is reviewing a proposal to reconfigure Merrimon Avenue as part of the NCDOT’s upcoming resurfacing project,” the release stated. “The consideration under review is whether to implement a four-lane to three-lane conversion between I-240 and Midland Road (at Beaver Lake).” (The release erred in referred to Midland Road, when its name is Midland Drive.)

The proposal is part of the NCDOT’s upcoming resurfacing project, and considers about 2.3 miles of Merrimon Avenue from I-240 to Midland Road at Beaver Lake.

With an estimated cost of about $2 million, the repaving project opens the door for new road striping.

While the entire stretch will be repaved and restriped, the northern section, from W.T. Weaver Boulevard to Midland Road, is being considered for the narrowing.

The current configuration of the corridor is currently two moving lanes in each direction.

NCDCOT Engineer Steve Cannon said the city and NCDOT are discussing using this opportunity put in a “road diet,” a lane-reducing project that intends to make the road safer.

It is intended to improve safety, slow traffic and support equitable mobility for everyone traveling on Merrimon, Cannon said.

A four-lane to three-lane conversion has been demonstrated to slow vehicle speeds and reduce crashes, according to information from the U.S. Department of Transportation.