Congratulations! To the City of Asheville and all the others involved in deciding and implementing the changes that have turned Merrimon Avenue into a parking lot! All day, every day.
Proud of yourselves?
— Patricia Wald
Asheville
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I’ve been up and down Merimon (south of downtown to Walgreens) more than 10 times in the last month. I have an exact total bike count —ZERO.
The bike zealots have managed to acquire disproportionate sway with the council. Fake green initiatives utilizing public space for a tiny band of elites.
Pssssst: the bike lanes aren’t there for bikes, at least not yet. They’re there to justify the three-lane configuration which slows down traffic and reduces accidents, and that’s a good thing.
This is silly. The stretch is safer now. And there’s good evidence to show that traffic is not really any worse than prior to COVID:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw49_cwr2z5/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Furthermore, there’s no guaranteed right for car drivers to unimpeded traffic flow everywhere at all times. Congestion happens sometimes. It’s the trade off we make to live in a place where there are things to do and places to go. But it’s better that we make those places more walkable and more bikable than the alternative, which is more highways and more sprawl.
You make a good point about trade-offs that many seeking affordable housing should try to comprehend. Lots of less pricey places to live.
Anything AOB shares is completed bull. Just like they altered the survey to get it passed. I’ve lived in North Asheville for 8 years and I can tell you the traffic is much worse. Same as on Kimberly and Charlotte St. Rich privileged white people on their 7k e-bikes and road bikes.
I don’t know, most of the cyclists I know aren’t exactly rich.
I get that you’re frustrated but the vitriol from people that don’t bike towards people that might use a different form of transportation than you is a little over the top, and stereotyping doesn’t help.
Honestly I wonder how much the price and maintenance costs for a bike or e-bike compares to the annual cost of fuel for the average SUV or truck that Kimberley Ave. residents might own?
Changing the infrastructure to suit the small minority is an issue. I would have rather seen expanded sidewalks which are used more than bike lanes. And yes the minority of those who use the bike lanes are on bikes that cost as to what I’ve said. Check your privilege.. Bike lanes are for white people. Plan and simple. Most neighborhoods don’t even have adequate sidewalks. Now more traffic has piled into these side neighborhoods to avoid merrimon. It’s a bad plan, something the city is always ready to get behind when you have a bunch of raging white people telling them to.
Careful, your racism is showing.
I am noticing how these expensive Ebikes tricked out with child seats, etc are the new bougie status symbol. They seem to project elitist attitude.
dangerous sidewalks and poor condition streets are the trademarks of AVL … forevah more.. but they can steal millions for unnecessary and evil projects…
‘Why would an incompetent city council want anything more than a substandard manager?’ ponder that.
What an exaggeration! The road is only congested at busy times of travel as is the case on all streets/roadways in Asheville.
I feel much more comfortable driving Merrimon now with out all the crazies zigzagging in and out of lanes.
The only time it has been horrible is when 26 is blocked and people are getting off the highway and coming thru town.
Now they should put in traffic circles instead of stoplights on Merrimon.
It’s slower because the VPD (vehicles per day) exceeds 20,000, which all of the advocates knew before the changes were implemented. It will never be any faster than it is now because the VPD will continue to increase as mixed use development comes to (and near) the Merrimon corridor. Had people obeyed (or enforced) the speed limit of 35mph, the four-lane configuration would very likely have served our community now and well into the future.