On the heels of a successful Community Design Charrette, the Western North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the I-26 Citizens’ Coalition have issued their joint recommendations for improving the design of the I-26 Connector project.

 

Benefits of the proposed alternative design include: Lower noise and pollution impacts, safer routes for pedestrians and cyclists, improved neighborhood connectivity, maximized taxable and developable land, and a smaller overall project footprint.

 

Key recommendations:

 

•  Patton Ave:
  Route I-26 below Patton Avenue, align the new I-26 roadway with the existing underpass below Patton Avenue in order minimize trenching and avoid fiber optic infrastructure.
  The design proposal aims to address the shortcomings of previous designs by cleaving closely to existing grade and utilizing existing road structures, with minimal modifications as required to widen the roadway to an extent supported by trip count projection data. The community has expressed a strong preference for I-26 passing beneath Patton Ave, as demonstrated by a Petition in Opposition of Proposed I-26 Overpass Design Re: Patton Ave in West Asheville which has garnered 1,923 signatures as of 5/24/2025
   

• Haywood Road:
  Two separate design alternatives have been proposed which both serve to minimize impacts to the neighborhood during and after construction as well as free up funds for other necessary project improvements. Note that both proposals require limiting I-26 to six lanes across at all points in the Haywood Road area.
  Proposal #1: Maintain existing exit infrastructure on the East side of I-26 at Hanover St
  Proposal #2: Remove all I-26/240 exits to and from Haywood Rd
   

• ​Hill St:
  Revert to 2020 Design
  Reverting to the 2020 design will better respond to the needs of the adjacent neighborhoods, improve school bus traffic, and provide an opportunity for greenway connection to Riverside. In order to accomplish this, the DEP tower, associated power poles, and the aerial right-of-way must be relocated.
   

• 240 Footprint:
  Maintain maximum of 6 lanes of traffic throughout the length of the I-26 Connector.
  Removing a lane of traffic in each direction from the current design significantly reduces the scope and impact of the project, saving properties and reducing costs. The lane reduction also maintains the existing Clingman Avenue access to 240E, which is a critical access point for residents and workers accessing 240E from the River Arts District and downtown.
  
  The Western North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the I-26 Citizens’ Coalition wish to thank the thousands of individuals who helped to identify areas of concern and provided input on the final recommendations. We are also grateful to the neighborhood associations, Asheville City Council members, the Buncombe County Commissioners, and the dozens of local volunteer design professionals who have supported this work. We look forward to collaborating with NCDOT to review and evaluate our recommendations as the design is finalized.

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To see our full public comment as submitted to NCDOT, and the corresponding design recommendation drawings, click the links below. 

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