Neighborhood group celebrates New Belgium’s move to minimize dump truck traffic

Here’s the press release from the East West Asheville Neighborhood Association:

Residents of the neighborhood known as East West Asheville were pleased by New Belgium Brewery’s announcement that the heavy dump truck traffic they are expecting early next year will be routed through Riverside Drive. Neighbors had expressed concerns about the forthcoming high-volume of dump truck traffic on the highly controversial Haywood Road route and its impact on fledgling small businesses and pedestrians in this residential area. Through participation on the NBB Leaders Roundtable, newly formed neighborhood association, (EWANA) has been successfully representing the concerns that arose when the city announced that New Belgium Brewery would be moving to Asheville with the plan of using Haywood as their main truck route.
 
For EWANA (East West Asheville Neighborhood Association), the announcement is being celebrated and viewed as a promising experience in collaboration between New Belgium, City Council and adjacent neighborhoods. EWANA formed out a growing concern by residents that the heavy truck traffic expected by New Belgium Brewery. Many neighbors were concerned they would cause safety issues for the growing and thriving community working and living off of Haywood Rd. To ensure they had a voice at the table, a group of neighbors took the steps to form an official neighborhood association and began meeting with New Belgium and the city regarding construction concerns.

“Although the brewery construction was the catalyst for EWANA to form, our goal is not to complain about one particular item but to improve our overall neighborhood,” says Tom Burnett, an EWANA board member. “EWANA means a better, organized neighborhood to collectively address other concerns such as crime, city services and big projects like I-26.”

EWANA is continuing to work with the city and New Belgium to address community concerns, implement an alternative solution for truck hauling during permanent brewery operations, and distribute information to neighbors as the development continues. The new organization is encouraging residents of the neighborhood to get involved and help contribute feedback to assist EWANA in representing the East West Asheville neighborhood. More information regarding EWANA, it’s history and how to get involved can be found at www.ewana.org and on their EWANA FaceBook page.

EWANA is the East West Asheville Neighborhood Association in Asheville, North Carolina. It is a neighborhood in the eastern part of West Asheville defined as the area between I-240 and the French Broad River. Neighbors come together as EWANA to meet each other, help each other and take collective action for a better quality of life in our historic, diverse, and unique part of Asheville.