Transportation is an important issue in our community and in this year’s City Council election. As a concerned citizen and a member of the Asheville Transit Commission (ATC), I want to remind Asheville about Brownie Newman’s work to improve our transit system, first as a concerned citizen prior to serving on Council and now as Council liaison to the ATC. Today, thanks in part to Brownie, Asheville has a successful transit system that this past fiscal year provided around 1.4 million rides in our community. Service has expanded into new areas of the city and to Hendersonville, Weaverville and Black Mountain. New, easy-to-use schedules and maps are up. Hours of operation have expanded into the evening, and our innovative fare-free promotional period boosted ridership 30 percent.
Brownie has been effective in improving our public-transit system precisely because he understands that public transit works to address so many important progressive goals in our community: providing access to work, education and services for those who can’t afford or choose not to have a car; reducing air pollution and traffic; supporting a more pedestrian-friendly, healthier community. In addition, Brownie understands that every trip begins with someone walking to a bus stop, so during Council member Newman’s tenure, Council has doubled the annual investment in sidewalks and greenways.
Brownie has delivered on his promise to improve our public transit system, and he deserves to be re-elected to Asheville City Council.
— Andrew M. Goldberg
Asheville
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.