As a Montford resident, I am deeply concerned about the community’s push to support I-26 Connector Alternative 4b. After looking at the NCDOT’s Web site, I am not at all happy about the current iteration of plan 4b, which appears to place two large flyovers and a series of layered bridges at the edge of the Riverside Cemetery, at the bottom of Hill Street and along the edge of Westover Drive. It seems that the needs of West Asheville are being pitted against the needs of Montford residents, and that ultimately this will lead to the DOT implementing a plan that works for no one.
More importantly, I am concerned that none of the plans being considered incorporate future development of alternative transportation that would enable us to get some cars off the road altogether. I’d like to see City Council members and Buncombe County commissioners work together to put pressure on NCDOT to find a better solution to meet this community’s needs—leaving nobody homeless, while also improving our riverfront and preserving our historic neighborhoods.
— Lael Gray
Asheville
