Here at the City of Asheville, we get a lot of questions from the community. My theory is, if one person has asked the question – more than one person is probably interested in the answer.
So in the spirit of information sharing, here’s the answer to one of the community questions that has recently come our way:
What is greenway etiquette?
The greenway running through the River Arts District is a multi-use path, designed to accommodate multiple transportation means. Simply put, both walkers and riders, including e-bikes, electric scooters, and other devices such as one wheels, etc., are able to share the community space in a variety of ways. But just like any other multi-use community facility or asset, a little neighborly courtesy can go a long way and is expected amongst users.
Judging by some of the complaints the City receives, remembering the “rules of the road” to be courteous and accommodating to other users can be difficult to remember when enjoying the space. Staff is currently working with Connect Buncombe and other municipalities to create a safety campaign that will remind users of “best practices” on the shared spaces of our greenway system.
The campaign, which includes a media approach as well as physical signage, will highlight etiquette and expectations applicable to all users of the Greenway.
Some guidance includes:
- The cycle track is intended for faster traffic like bikes and other devices
- When passing, go slow, on the left, and announce your presence
- When using earbuds or headphones, listen at a volume that you can hear people announcing they are passing you
- No more than 2 people wide on the path
- If stopping to gather or talk, get off the path
- Dogs on a 3′ leash
- Do not litter
The City does not currently have resources deployed to monitor activities on the greenway system – so y’all be good to one another out there.