Work continues on the City of Asheville’s public bathroom at the corner of College Street and Rankin Avenue. The prefabricated “Portland Loo,” a 7-by-10-foot single-stall structure, is expected to arrive via crane later this summer.
Meanwhile, crews are performing the groundwork, including a tie-in to the city sewer and water lines, and adding security cameras. The structure will be big enough to accommodate a wheelchair, bicycle or stroller and built to be resistant to vandalism and easy to clean. The blue interior lighting will make it difficult for intravenous drug users to find a vein for injection.
Landscaping, the last step in the process, is slated for September.
In February, City Council approved $183,620 for site enhancements and installation with a contingency amount of $46,724, as well as $170,760 for the restroom itself, bringing the total to $401,104. The restroom is paid for by federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.
Learn more at avl.mx/pryb.
Hiawassee Street closure
“We currently do not have a projected finish date for the property,” writes Kim Miller, City of Asheville’s communication specialist, in an email to Xpress regarding the closure of Hiawassee Street between Rankin and North Lexington avenues. The street has been closed since May, when heavy rains washed out the road.
Crews have been reconfiguring stormwater drains along the street and moving underground utilities, but they encountered utilities that had not been located previously.
“Those were in direct conflict with our routing of the storm system we are installing,” Miller writes. “The conflict required a re-design of the storm system.” After internal discussions, the city developed a new design that should work around the unknown utilities.
Depending on weather conditions, work should resume on Monday, July 29.
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