Hammer time

The city of Asheville’s tearing up of a sidewalk at the corner of Battery Park Avenue and Wall Street resulted in a flurry of complaints from business owners, but the city public-works director now says things are going to change.

The construction is to install steel grating around three trees located along the sidewalk there. The project stemmed from complaints to the city about people falling down. Previously, the trees had been surrounded by a thin layer of sand and gravel. Constant foot traffic led to the gravel being kicked out, resulting in a dip in the sidewalk that sometimes caused falls or twisted ankles.

Then, says Project Works Director Mark Combs, came claims against the city. “There were some claims from folks that had tripped in that shale-type stuff,” Combs told Xpress.

“We decided to do it right,” he says. “To put in the grates.”

But when jackhammers started up on Monday morning, surrounding business owners were not pleased. Combs and his staff met with a few business owners on Tuesday, and he says the jackhammering will now take place before business hours so as not to run off foot traffic.

“I said to the guys, ‘Let’s do the dust and noise early,’” Combs says.

Meanwhile, workers have poured the first slab of concrete. The project is expected to be completed in about two weeks, Combs said.

Brian Postelle, staff writer

 

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6 thoughts on “Hammer time

  1. Jeff

    What is up with this sudden, overpowering INFRASTRUCTURE interruption EVERYWHERE lately? MSD & Asheville Streets Division have torn up or are in the process of tearing up a lot of main spots. Are they bracing for the Fecal Flood From FFs?* (*= “Fattened Floridians”)

    Recent meeting at MSD: “Where we gonna put all this shit??”

    ASD: We’re gonna need bigger poo pipes.

  2. older than dirt

    you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t around here, never a dull moment……

  3. Janice Sapp

    Are you certain that bigger poo pipes are needed because of “fattened Floridians” or because of “full of themselves Ashevillians?” Having never lived in a small city before I find these kinds of comments about the need for change being caused by others irritating, off-putting, and downright unwelcoming. Perhaps change comes to everyone everywhere, fat, Floridian, or not. Get a grip and grow up. Change happens.

  4. Sally G.

    Seriously, what IS going on in the streets and sidewalks of downtown Asheville? Each morning I go to work only to find a new crop of cones, detours, workers, trucks and holes in the ground.

  5. Keep the Crap out of the Creek

    Hey Jeff. Consider yourself lucky. The Regional Water Authority doesn’t maintain their water lines until there is a problem (ie a break in the line). If MSD and RWA **both** did preventative maintenance you’d have a nervous breakdown.

  6. nuvue

    It is amazing, A-ville pours money into infrastructure and it riles you? 5-6 days is all it will take.
    In other parts of the world they tear up sidewalks or roads and leave it for weeks (or months in the islands) Then the money for the project “disappears” and they wait till more $ is raised to fix it poorly….
    Generally, A-ville is trying to take care of it’s city, shoulda seen downtown merely 15 years ago.

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