Road Diets in Ashville: Coxe, Charlotte Street, and More
If you’re reading this, you may have been where I was only a few weeks ago. I hadn’t heard about road diets when someone brought them up to me in conversation. Or maybe you’ve been down on Coxe avenue near ZaPow Gallery and the Funkatorium and noticed the elaborate street art installation.
At its most basic level, a road diet is a transportation management technique to reduce the number of travel lanes, effectively narrowing the road rather than widening it. The topic of conversation has been on the minds of many Asheville residents.
The project on Coxe, spearheaded by the private group Street Tweaks, was just the beginning. People have been responding positively to the change of traffic flow that makes the area friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists. However, there are some concerns now about the eroding art and the plans to close for repairs during tourist season.
There are both pros and cons to road diets, but there are still more planned for the city.
The next big road diet project on the table for the city is Charlotte Street north of Chestnut Street. The city council just approved the project late last year, so here’s what residents in North Asheville can expect.
Four Lanes Down to Two Plus Turn Lane
The already narrow street of Charlotte heading from 240 north to the Grove Park Inn will see a reduction of lanes. While there are four lanes currently on the corridor. They will be transformed into two lanes traveling each direction and one center turn lane.
The belief is the new configuration will ease some of the traffic backups that are caused by people waiting to turn left into the neighborhoods and businesses on either side of Charlotte Street.
Better Crosswalks
The city recently added new crosswalks on Charlotte street and reduced the speed limit to 25. However, the changes haven’t been accepted as readily as some of the pedestrians in the area would like to see. But with the lane reductions, the sidewalks themselves will be more insulated from traffic and walking along or across the street is expected to be safer and easier.
Bike Lanes
Since the road is being reduced to three lanes from two, you might want to know what’s happening with the extra space. That’s where bike lanes will come in. Between the cars and the sidewalks, Charlotte St. will now have dedicated bicycle lanes, creating a much safer environment for those pedaling for work or pleasure.
Objections
As with any big project within the city, the reactions are split. Many worry this will cause traffic to back up even more on the road. Others fear that emergency vehicles will have a more difficult time getting into the residential areas off Charlotte St.
Impact
However, we’ve spoken to a few residents along the corridor who believe that the road diet will be an overall gain for the community. While there will be the inconvenience of the construction period, the people living in the homes off Charlotte are more likely to walk to area businesses, like The Waterbird or Gan Shan Station, if they feel safer once the narrow sidewalks are improved and crosswalks become easier to navigate.
Do you want to know more things happening in Asheville that will impact residents and those looking of new homes in the area? GoPrime Mortgage, Inc. . can help.
