Asheville transit ends bus service on Michigan Avenue due to safety concerns

The Asheville Transit System permanently ended bus service along part of Michigan Avenue in West Asheville on April 15, due to safety concerns. The buses will now use nearby Hanover Street to service residents of the Pisgah View Apartments housing project.

The transit service announced yesterday that they will “permanently remove service” from Michigan Avenue between State Street and Haywood Road on Routes 1 and 9, and evening Route 41, retroactively effective April 15. These routes will now use Hanover Street to service the Pisgah View Apartments. The announcement adds: “These changes have been implemented due to safety concerns expressed by transit operations and residents and in order to improve transit routing performance.”

Specifically, those safety concerns had to do with the difficulty of maneuvering along the street, Transit Manager Mariate Echeverry told Xpress.
“It’s a very narrow street in a heavily residential area, with parking on both sides,” she said. “Sometimes we’re unable to get a clear path, and that’s a risk for us. It’s been an operational concern because of the time it can take, and we’ve heard that from both drivers and residents.”

The new route, Echeverry believes, “will be better for the area” and make service in the area more timely. The full announcement is below.

— David Forbes, staff writer

ASHEVILLE TRANSIT RE-ROUTING BUSES OFF MICHIGAN AVE. IN WEST ASHEVILLE

(ASHEVILLE, NC)—Asheville Transit will permanently remove service
from Michigan Ave between State St. and Haywood Rd. on Route #1, Route
#9 and evening Route #41 starting April 15th, 2009.  These routes will
use Hanover St. to service the Pisgah View Apartments. 

Route #1 & evening Route #41 will use Hanover Street to and from Pisgah
View Apartments.
Route #9 will continue to use State St. to get to Pisgah View Apartment
and then will return to Haywood Rd. via Hanover St.

These changes have been implemented due to safety
concerns expressed by transit operations and residents, and in order to
improve transit routing performance.

If you have any questions regarding Asheville transit routes, please
contact 253-5691 or visit http://www.ashevilletransit.com.

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