With the Asheville weather forecast of overnight temperatures in the teens and 20s the next few days, the Homeless Coalition has issued a Code Purple or Asheville and Buncombe County for Dec. 14-16. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless Coalition, which is a collective of agencies, faith groups, and individuals experiencing [...]
Notice anything different on Amboy Road? The flashing beacon pedestrian crosswalk signal has been installed! The “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon,” or RRFB, has been installed near the Smoky Mountain Adventure Center. City Traffic Engineer Jeff Moore worked on this safety solution in partnership with NCDOT, Public Works Street Division and other City departments. In coming weeks, [...]
You may have noticed new high-contrast crosswalks marked at some intersections in Asheville’s Central Business District. They are the work of the Transportation Department in an effort to make pedestrians safer. These are called ladder-type crosswalk markers, said City Traffic Engineer Jeff Moore. One high-profile area where they’ve been installed is at the intersection of Haywood Street [...]
Beginning July 1, the Asheville Police Department has the capability to accept text messages to 9-1-1. This allows individuals who are unable to dial 9-1-1 to make contact with emergency services. Once a person has contacted 9-1-1 via text message — and requested whatever assistance is needed — there will be a series of texts back [...]
The burgeoning music and performance art on Asheville’s streets make up part of the city’s vibrant downtown scene, entertaining tourists and locals alike. But Asheville’s many performers, sometimes spaced closely together, also can create challenges when it comes to being able to navigate our sidewalks and public spaces. Crowds sometimes spill into our streets, obviously a [...]
Sometimes it takes a village. In this case it took a collaboration. Flash flooding that dogged Biltmore Village several times last winter puzzled — and vexed — business owners. While Biltmore Village is built in a flood plain, this flooding was different than what they had experienced before. The prevailing notion was something had changed. So members [...]
It runs parallel to the French Broad River, with its recreation opportunities and popular riverside parks. But just try crossing Amboy Road. There’s the real adventure, right? This heavily traveled road has a 45 mph speed limit with narrow shoulders and no sidewalks on either side. So City Traffic Engineer Jeff Moore has been working on [...]
Do not feed the bears. The well-known sign is posted in Yellowstone National Park. But it also applies right here in Western North Carolina. Yet you may not even realize you are doing it. Bird feeders and unattended outdoor trashcans are the biggest culprit. People who intentionally leave out corn or birdseed for bears do the [...]
Share the road doesn’t just apply to when you are driving. It also applies where you park your car. So here’s a heads up regarding a particular street in Asheville. Since 2014, the City of Asheville has been working on the Craven Street Improvement Project, a multimodal roadway and waterline upgrade adjacent to New Belgium Brewing. Work is [...]
Red Cross volunteers, Asheville firefighters, AmeriCorps volunteers to install FREE smoke alarms and educate West Asheville residents on home fire prevention Asheville firefighters, American Red Cross volunteers and AmeriCorps volunteers will spend Saturday, May 7, walking door-to-door installing free smoke alarms and distributing fire safety information to residents in neighborhoods surrounding Hall Fletcher Elementary School. They will [...]
May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. In this video, Sgt. Scott Pruett with the Asheville Police Department Traffic Safety Unit discusses motorcycle awareness on Town Mountain Road. This popular road for motorcyclists has a 35 mph speed limit. It’s a residential area also popular with bicyclists. Be cautious and observe motorcycles during their seasonal return to our [...]
“Die Hard, “The Negotiator” and “Speed. What do all of these movies have in common? They all involve actors portraying skilled crisis negotiators assisting in the rescue of hostages. At the Asheville Police Department we don’t employ actors, but rather officers trained to effectively communicate with people who are in a crisis situation. A team [...]