Answer Man: Unpaved trails to connect Asheville neighborhoods? When are they coming?
ASHEVILLE - Today's burning question is about the planned series of natural trails across Asheville and where they might be in the development process. Got a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com and your question could appear in an upcoming column.
Question: I’m writing to see if you have any information about the trail-connecting project that was announced about a year and a half ago. The plan was to create more walking trails throughout the city to connect already existing paths. What’s the forecasted completion date?
Answer: Reader, this is a good question. Not only are you referring to an interesting trail project designed through the city, but one we haven't written much about.
The project is called AVL Unpaved, a community-supported initiative with the goal of "building a network of multi-use natural surface trails that will help Asheville-area residents and visitors connect with one another and their natural environment," according to the city of Asheville website.
The project was one of three included in the 2022 Close the GAP Plan, which provided updates to the city's Greenway, ADA Transition and Pedestrian master plans.
The initiative is led by Asheville on Bikes, Pisgah Area SORBA and Connect Buncombe — where supporting organizations have been known as the "AVL Unpaved Alliance."
A series of nine unpaved trails are planned. Depending on feasibility, additional plans may be proposed to create connector trails to Haw Creek, the Swannanoa Greenway and the Burton Street Neighborhood. Over the past nearly two years, the project has focused a series of community meetings with neighborhoods which will see new trails.
Currently, plans to establish the trails have been primarily focused on a "Phase I" — which considers the construction of the Bacoate Branch Trail, the East Asheville/Azalea Park Trail and the French Broad River West Trail.
City spokesperson Kim Miller said the implementation of the plan is largely being led by community groups, though includes community discussion facilitated by the city.
"Asheville Unpaved is really a project that community groups are implementing. The City is helping vet the projects, all of which are on city-controlled property. We are also conducting public engagement with the neighbors directly adjacent to the project areas to ensure they have the opportunity to weigh in on the alignments," Miller said in an email to the Citizen Times.
"However, the Asheville Unpaved Alliance (made up of the groups Asheville on Bikes, Connect Buncombe, and Pisgah Area SORBA) is raising funds and is prepared to construct and build the trails. We are hoping for a 2024 implementation of the trails," Miller continued.
Here's the current timeline for AVL Unpaved Phase I, according to the city of Asheville website:
Summer 2022: AVL Unpaved Alliance submitted a letter of intent filed to the city of Asheville.
Summer and fall 2022: Community engagement meetings.
Winter and spring 2023: Public engagement and preparation for alliance led projects.
Summer and fall 2023: Phase I construction begins.
Winter 2024: Anticipated Phase I completion date.
What does Phase I look like?
Phase I of the project received $188,355 during the Buncombe Tourism Development Authority's 2022 Tourism Product Development Fund cycle and includes the creation of three new trails.
Bacoate Branch Trail
The Bacoate Branch Trail runs between the West End/Clingman Avenue Neighborhood and the South French Broad Neighborhood travelling up and around Asheville Middle School and connecting to the planned Bacoate Branch Greenway. This trail will also have a section connecting to Aston Park.
East Asheville/Azalea Park
The East Asheville/Azalea Park section is near Azalea Park and the WNC Nature Center. A primary connecting trail will travel up near the Thomas Wolfe Cabin Site, along with connecting to current trails at Azalea Park and near the Azalea Park Pond. A secondary trail will be established closer to the Nature Center, and across the river, connecting to a sidewalk that wraps around Azalea Park.
French Broad River West Trail
The French Broad River West Trail will follow the French Broad River Greenway West, which was completed in October 2022. This trail is somewhat different from the others in that it includes both a multiuse section and a bike-only section that wraps under Eastern West Asheville. This trail, in its proposed form, will have a path leading from parking at the French Broad River Park and through the woods north, eventually connecting prior to the greenway's exit onto Haywood Road.
A bit of history
Discussion of the AVL Unpaved project was partially kicked off with a public meeting in December 2017, where a featured speaker from the Legacy Parks Foundation of Knoxville spoke on the efforts behind the 50-mile unpaved trail system in the Knoxville Urban Wilderness.
The Knoxville trails are offered as a case study in the 2022 AVL Unpaved guidebook, where the trails connected 1,000 acres of publicly owned parks and land. A 2023 study from the University of Tennessee estimated the annual economic impact of Knoxville's unpaved trail system was around $24.9 million in 2021.
You can read more about the AVL Unpaved project online at https://www.ashevillenc.gov/projects/avl-unpaved/
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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Answer Man: When are new unpaved trails coming to Asheville?
