Construction for the French Broad River West Greenway is under way! This greenway will extend from the southern end of the French Broad River Park near the dog park to the existing greenway under the Haywood Road bridge.
Current activities include surveying, soil and sedimentation protection and preliminary grading. Part of the preliminary grading work includes determining tree evaluation and selection, and will unfortunately result in the removal of some trees for the greenway.
City of Asheville staff have carefully reviewed the proposed greenway path and determined that several large mostly unhealthy trees will need to be removed, but the greenway path was also altered slightly to save several healthy trees. Questions and concerns about this process can be directed to Greenways Planner Lucy Crown at LCrown@Ashevillenc.gov.
During their March 9 meeting, Asheville City Council approved funding for this greenway. Construction is expected to run through June 2022.
Federal funds administered through NCDOT will cover approximately $2.8 million of the expected total $3.5 million in construction cost, which amounts to 80% of the cost. City Capital Projects funds will pay for the rest.
Duke Energy Progress owns the majority of the property that this greenway will be constructed on. The City of Asheville holds a lease for the public recreation and greenway purposes. Greenways also serve as transportation corridors for pedestrians and cyclists.
Find the staff report to Council and the resolution authorizing construction of this greenway at this link.
For more on City of Asheville greenways, visit https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/transportation/greenways.