From Staff Reports

Asheville City Council voted 7-0 on Dec. 8 to tell officials at the N.C. Department of Transportation how it wants the new version of Interstate 26 routed through Asheville, including favoring six lanes — instead of the 8 lanes planned by DOT — on Interstate I-240 through West Asheville.

The massive state infrastructure project, which could cost $750 million, is expected to fundamentally change Asheville and the region.

In taking its stand, council called for minimizing the size of the project, removing I-240 traffic from the Bowen Bridge and, counter to state plans, not widening I-240 to eight lanes through West Asheville.

The resolution was submitted along with public comments which the state accepted until Dec. 16. The state wants to make a decision on a route in 2016.

“From my perspective this is probably going to be the largest infrastructure project we ever see in WNC,” Councilwoman Julie Mayfield noted on Dec. 8. As co-director of the environmental group MountainTrue, she has — for years — has been a prononent for less impact on the city from the interstate.

The state has divided the project into three sections: A, B, and C. 

The least controversial section, C, focuses on the intersection of three interstates to the west of Asheville: I-40, I-26 and I-240. Council suggested a state-proposed alternative that would be less expensive and encompass less land.

Section B, which arguably has gotten the most attention, deals with I-26 and I-240, as the interstates cross from the west side of the French Broad River to the east side. 

Of four proposed routes, council endorsed alternatives 4 and 4B. At an estimated $332 million, 4B is the most expensive.

The 4 and 4B alternatives would build a new bridge for I-26 north of the existing Bowen Bridge. They would also build two smaller fly-over bridges to the north for I-240 traffic. That plan would reduce the number of cars on Bowen Bridge and eliminate the need for drivers to weave across the span to continue onto interstates or to enter downtown on Patton Avenue.