U-4739: Amboy and Meadow
U-4739: Amboy and Meadow
Preliminary Engineering Activities for this project
have been suspended.
Planning and development are underway on a proposed project to widen approximately 2.6 miles of Amboy from a two-lane roadway to a multilane roadway from Interstate 240 (I-240) to N.C. 81/Biltmore Ave (S.R. 3214) with the construction of a new bridge over the French Broad River in Asheville, Buncombe County The project is listed in the NC State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as Project No. U-4739.
Vicinity Map:
Purpose and Need:
The Amboy Road/Meadow Road corridor is classified as a Minor Arterial with posted speed limits varying from 35 MPH to 45 MPH. Proposed improvements include upgrading the intersections as well as installing bicycle lanes and possibly sidewalks. A raised median will be added to improve access management and possible center turn lanes where feasible. Constraints within the corridor that will influence design include railroad right of way, natural resources, public park land, and terrain.
All major intersections are currently performing at a Level of Service (LOS) F, the lowest level. The proposed project would improve traffic flow and safety on Amboy Road and Meadow Road in the area.
Project Highlights:
The N.C. Department of Transportation is working with the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, the local NCDOT division staff, and others to determine the appropriate roadway design for the proposed improvements. Biologists, architectural historians, archaeologists and community planners conducted field surveys of the project study area during the summer and fall of 2018 to assess the natural and human environments present within the area. Results of the surveys will be detailed in various reports, including a community characteristics report.
In addition, discussions are underway about including sidewalks and bicycle lanes as part of the proposed improvements. The project team held a project scoping meeting with the regulatory resource agencies in November 2018, after which, work on the preliminary designs will begin. Work on preliminary designs is underway. Input collected from the public and other project stakeholders during the March 28, 2019 public meeting and subsequent comment period will be used to help identify a preferred alternative for the project.
Once an alternative is selected, NCDOT will hold a public meeting to present detailed designs for review and comment. NCDOT will notify the public through various channels including on this project webpage, on the NCDOT public meetings webpage ( https://www.ncdot.gov/news/public-meetings/), through advertising in local papers, local radio, and direct mailings to property owners, business owners, and current residents in the project study area.
Typical Sections:
Several Typical Sections are being considered and NCDOT is seeking your input on them.
Please review the information below and provide responses to questions.
TYPICAL SECTION A
TYPICAL SECTION B
TYPICAL SECTION C
Public Involvement
Public Meetings
An Open-House Public Meeting was held on March 28, 2019 to obtain stakeholder and public input regarding the project.
|
Date |
March 28, 2019 |
| Location |
Double Tree by Hilton Asheville Biltmore 115 Hendersonville Road Asheville |
|
Time |
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. |
Public Meeting Map:
Public Meeting Map - March 28, 2019
Handout from March 28, 2019 public meeting
Project Funding
This project is listed as Project U-4739 in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and is funded for $49.3 million.
|
|
Estimated Amount* |
| Right of Way Acquisition | $ 14.8 million |
| Construction | $ 34.5 million |
| Total Cost | $ 49.3 million |
* Estimated costs are subject to change. Based on NCDOT STIP.
Project Timeline
|
Milestone |
Date* |
|
Public Meeting #1 |
March 2019 |
|
Public Meeting #2 |
February 2020 |
|
Environmental Document |
May 2020 |
|
Right of Way Acquisition |
2022 |
|
Construction Begins |
2025 |
* Future dates are preliminary and subject to change
PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
Beverly Robinson
Project Manager
NCDOT Project Development Unit
Divisions 11-14
1582 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1582
[email protected]
919-707-6041
History of the Project
Widening of Amboy and Meadow Road is included in the French Broad River’s 2040 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, with a recommendation for a four lane ‘Urban/Suburban Avenue’ cross section (http://fbrmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Additional-Projects-and-Project-Modifications.pdf). The recommended speed limit is 45 MPH. The project is part of the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Master Plan, which also identifies STIP Project U-5019, Improvements to Lyman Road, which intersects Amboy Road at Meadow Road.
For the U-5109 project, the City of Asheville completed an environmental analysis document in 2013 and identified the preferred alternative for Lyman Road as a two-lane roadway typical section that includes sidewalks, multi-use paths, and planted medians, as recommended by the Wilma Dykeman Riverway Master Plan. The speed limit is recommended to be 25 MPH. This two-lane alternative was chosen due to constraints including the French Broad River and the Norfolk Southern rail system, and to provide for safer transportation for bicycles and pedestrians.
Due to similar goals and constraints on the U-4739 (Amboy/Meadow Road) widening project, roadway typical cross section features proposed as part of the Lyman Road project will also be considered.
It is anticipated that the preferred alternative for U-4739 will closely match that of U-5019 due to similar constraints and goals.