Sometimes you have to rearrange a landscape to achieve a new vision.
Old plants come out, new ones come in, but things can look a bit messy in the meantime.
Think of that analogy on a larger scale when it comes to Asheville’s River Arts District Transportation Improvement Project (RADTIP).
In preparation for the construction of two miles of new (east bank) section of the French Broad River Greenway as part of RADTIP, contractors hired by the City of Asheville will be installing silt fence and removing trees in a section of the River Arts District now through Oct. 17.
Yes some smaller trees will come down, but they will be replaced by many more as part of this project.
The City has a permit to remove approximately 12 small trees in the path of the greenway construction on property on the west side of Riverside Drive between the Smith (Craven Street) Bridge and Lyman Street.
Public outreach regarding tree removal began earlier this year, and included email notification to the RADTIP Construction Alerts list, and in-person notification at several public meetings, including the Tree Commission. Over the course of three years of construction, the RADTIP plans include the removal of approximately 500 trees; more than 1,500 trees (and thousands of new shrubs, grasses and flowering plants) will be planted before construction is complete.
In addition, the City of Asheville has funding through the Duke Water Resources Fund to complete a riparian restoration plan that will recommend additional landscaping and tree planting projects to consider after RADTIP construction. These plantings are intended to improve water quality, provide shade for people and habitat for wildlife, and help keep Asheville’s air clean.
About RADTIP
The RADTIP and French Broad River East Greenway is a major construction project to re-build the roads along the east side of the French Broad River in the River Arts District. The new roadway will be built with drainage systems for stormwater, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and additional parking. Also, the intersections will be improved for better traffic flow. The 2.2 mile improvement includes a continuous multi-use path along the river.
