Bridging the French Broad

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Bridging the French Broad

• Creating connected and livable communities.

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Bridging the French Broad

• Creating connected and livable communities.

Its about more than a bridge and a highway.
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Why is this important?
It is the most important public development
decision facing WNC in our lifetime This project
has the opportunity to double the size of
downtown Asheville It provides an opportunity to
link urban and economic development to
transportation, highways, and the community It
provides an opportunity connect Downtown to West
Asheville and Emma
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There are always flowers for those who want to
see them. - Henri Matisse
Westgate
Sams Club
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The DOT Proposed Alternates
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Alt. 2
I-26
240
Patton
Eliminates planned redevelopment of the Earthfare
(Westgate) property consuming potential river
front opportunities
Leaves 240 traffic on the Smokey park bridge
without addressing the problems with merging
local and interstate traffic (CCC Report)
Takes a considerable amount of existing business
property (Significantly reduces viable tax base)
NCDOT Alternate 2
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Alt. 3
I-26
240
Patton
Leaves 240 traffic on the Smokey park bridge
without addressing the problems with merging
local and interstate traffic (CCC Report)
Requires multiple roadways at the Patton
intersection creating a physical barrier to
future development
Requires three times the existing ROW leaving
little area for future development along Patton
Avenue
NCDOT Alternate 3
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240
I-26
I-26
240
Patton
Patton
DOT Alternate 2
DOT Alternate 3

• Both Alternates 2 3 mix interstate and local
  traffic on Patton Avenue, this is against the CCC
  Report

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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 5
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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1
1
2
2
3
3
DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 5
Modified 4
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
Modified 4
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Alt. 5
I-26
240
Patton
Modified 4
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Alt. 4a
I-26
240
Patton
DOT Alternate 4
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Highest cost alternative
Alt. 4a
I-26
Excessive number (9) of bridges (in red)
Highways on both sides of the river
240
Patton
Complicated interchanges
Excessive ROW size
What are the shortcomings of 4
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Alt. 4a
I-26
240
Patton
The positive elements of 4
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By bending 240 northward, Patton is opened with
development sized parcels.
With the straightening of Patton, development and
connections can be made to WECAN, Hillard, and
the River.
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Is the design a singular program?
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How does it fit into the context?
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The ADC Proposal 4b
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Alternate 4
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Alternate 4
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I-26
Fewer lanes at the base of the slope creates less
noise impact on the Monford community
NCDOT Alternate 4
Double-deck bridge with I-240 stacked over I-26
provides a compact design similar to the
double-deck bridge proposed for I-75 in Cincinnati
New highway utilizes existing 19-23 roadbed
requiring less ROW acquisition that should save
time and money!
Lane change movements on both sides of the river
minimize required ROW adjacent to the cemetery
I-240
Minimal intersection at Patton avoids physical
barrier created by other alternates
I-26
Patton
ADC Alternate 4b
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ADC - Alt. 4b
Connection to river (land bridge)
North
Bridge designed for location
New Emma connection
New Neighborhood
Creek as Greenway
Revitalized Neighborhood
I-26
Westgate
New Urban Village
Patton as an urban Boulevard
Patton
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Section thru I-26 bridge landing at cemetery
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Integrating Transportation and Land Use
Downtown
Urban Village
Asheville Future Land-Use Map
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Patton Should Be Local
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North
240
Westgate
Sams
Patton
French Broad River
Modified 4
Patton Boulevard
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Existing conditions
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Public street sidewalk improvements
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Mixed-use buildings on far side of street
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Mixed-use buildings on near side
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Further infill in next block
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Roundabout alternative with monument
Commissioned by Dover Kohl Partners
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UNCA
North
240
Emma
Downtown
Haywood
Modified 4
Modified 4b
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Revised Smoky Park Bridge
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Transportation Network
Network Hierarchy
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Transportation Network
Network Hierarchy
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An Asheville Bridge
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Does a bridge over the French Broad have to be
boring?
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Imagine if this were built over the French Broad?
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Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge Christian Menn 2002
Boston
Poster with bridge image
It could establish an iconic image parallel to
City Hall or the Vance Monument
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It could reinforce the culture of place.
Toledo has a history of glass fabrication, so
they made a glass spire.
Maumee River Crossing Figg Engineering 2007 Toledo
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Falls Park Liberty Bridge Miguel Rosales 2004
Greenville
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Greenville City Webpage
Greenville History Tours Logo
Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau
Falls Park Liberty Bridge Miguel Rosales 2004
Greenville
Greenville Falls Park Site
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• Consumes less land
• Returns ROW to the tax rolls
• Provides for mixed-use development
• Less impact on adjacent property
• Allows for connections to local road network
• User friendly interchanges
• Less highway movements
• Potential for a signature bridge

What the ADC proposal 4b accomplishes
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Comparison
Alternate 4 89 acres 273 acres 9 4.1 371,0
00,000
Alternate 5 85 acres 238 acres 8 3.7 314,0
00,000
Alternate 4b 36 acres ? acres 4 4.2 150,00
0,000
Design Center Proposal
Asphalt ROW Total Area Number of
bridges Cost/acres of asphalt (million) Est.
Project Cost
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Projected Growth
By 2025 City to add 20,000 County to add 80,000
Office of State Planning
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Compare Types with 18,000 units
ignored extra cost to government for water,
sewer, fire, police, roads.
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Average County Tax Yield per Acre Land
Buildings
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The opportunity for our community and the region

• More usable land for potential development as
  identified in 2025 plan
• Connecting West Asheville to the downtown
• Multi-modal integrated transportation
• Connections to the river
• Utilizes Brownfield redevelopment
• Less visual and auditory impact on Montford
• Increased State, County, and City tax base
• Potential reclaiming of surplus ROW
• Transformation of the regional economic base -
  

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Community Stakeholders
American Planning Association Area Land Owner in
Project Area Arts 2 People Asheville Citizen
Times Asheville City Council Asheville Housing
Authority Asheville Public Art Board Biltmore
Company Biltmore Farms Board of Realtors Buncombe
County Commissioners Administration Chamber of
Commerce (chair) Chamber of Commerce (exec.
Dir) Chamber of Commerce (transportation
sub.) City of Asheville Administration City of
Asheville Directorial Staff City of Asheville
Transportation (Putnam Butzek) City,
Council City, Downtown Commission City, Planning
and Eco. Dev. Committee City, River District
Review Board City, Sustainable Eco. Dev. Advis.
Comm.
MPO, TCC NC Center for Creative Retirement NC
State Delegation NC Dept. of Community Affairs NC
State - architecture Quality Forward RiverLink Riv
erLink, Board Southern Environmental Law
Center TGS Engineers UNCA Reuter's Center for
Creative Retirement WCQS Western North Carolina
Alliance
Clemson University Planning School Coalition of
Asheville Neighborhoods Commercial Realty
Investors Association Community
Foundation Council of Independent Business
Owners Department of Commerce DOT, rep and
staff Economic Development Committee Eco-Realtors
Eco Stewards Engineers - PENC
ASCE HandMade Harvard Club of WNC Haywood
Corridor Committee HUB Project - individuals I-26
Aesthetics Advisory Committee Beattie
Foundation Land of the Sky Leadership Asheville -
Forum Montford Neighborhood Association Mountain
express Mountain Housing Opportunities
57 Group Presentations
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Recommendations

• DOT Alternates 2 and 3 should not be pursued
  any further.
• The ADCs 4b should be included in the NCDOT EIS
  process.
• The CCC report and AIA 10 principles of
  livability must be met.
• The overall completion date should be maintained
  and expedited.
• A multi-disciplinary team (Urban Design,
  Transportation Planning, Design Engineer,
  Landscape Architect, Planning) should be
  commissioned to produce a context sensitive
  solution.
• Excess right-of-way land should return to the
  community for development or park space.
• Construction of I-40/I-26 connection should be
  reprioritized with construction starting prior to
  the connector.
• Focus highway resources on local transportation
  such as improved connection of Emma Road to
  downtown , improvements to Sweeten Creek, varied
  transportation options, etc.

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The Bottom Line

• Makes our community more livable
• This realizes development opportunities
• Saves land, time, MONEY

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