West Asheville residents searching for solutions to overcrowded parking along the Haywood Road corridor said they supported better enforcement of parking violations. They also showed support for permitted residential parking zones.
Both residents and business owners attended a West Asheville Parking Study meeting Oct. 22 at Hall Fletcher Elementary School. Hosted by the City’s Transportation Director Ken Putnam, the meeting first focused on findings of a parking study by consultant Fred Burchett of Kimley-Horn. Then audience members were engaged in a “live polling” process in which they were given electronic devices to enable them to vote on various options to ease parking woes in West Asheville.
The consultant identified the stretch between Louisiana Avenue to Oakwood Street as the No. 1 priority in finding parking solutions and during the live polling members of the audience agreed. Residents complained of blocked driveways on streets adjacent to that portion of Haywood Road, particularly on Vermont, Herron and Dunwell avenues.
Among the challenges, the consultant told the audience, is that Haywood Road has more than 3,000 parking spaces along it, but less than a third of the spaces are available to the public.
Next steps: Questionnaire, recommendations
The study and search for solutions are ongoing with recommendations expected early next year. In the meantime, the consultant has launched a questionnaire to get more community input. Visit surveymonkey.com/WestAshevilleParkingStudy to weigh in on how the City’s Transportation Department might best help the West Asheville community improve its parking situation.
More information
- Study area: Two and a half miles along Haywood Road from Patton Avenue to just past Beechum’s Curve, including 500 feet on either side.
- Corridor parking inventory: 178 marked on-street spaces on Haywood Road; 720 on-street parking spaces within the parking study area; total number of parking spaces available, including parking lots is 3,020.
- View: West Asheville Workshop Presentation 10-24-15.
- Goal of the study: To develop recommendations that are sustainable, user-focused and that meet the parking and access needs of those who live in, visit and own businesses in West Asheville.
