College Patton Improvements Project
College Patton Improvements Project
This project will implement improvements on sections of College Street and Patton Avenue in the core of Downtown Asheville with the goal of improving safety, accessibility, and equity for all users of the streets and users of the wider City transportation network. The project area specifically includes College Street between Spruce Street and Pritchard Park and Patton Avenue between Pritchard Park and Biltmore Avenue.
Improvements will include the following:
- Pedestrian ramp improvements
- Resurfacing and restriping of streets (in the Focus Area noted in the image below, striping will include buffered bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks, and dedicated space for delivery vehicles)
College and Patton Improvements Gallery
Happening Now
The project team posted advertisement to select a construction firm to execute this project in fall of 2025. However, both instances, bids came in over budget. At this time, staff is working internally to rescope the project and will provide further information when available. City Council will consider approval of a construction contract before work can begin.
Background
In addition to general improvements, this project makes advances street design in consistency with adopted City plans and policies to improve multimodal transportation, particularly in Downtown. Plan alignment includes the 2009 Downtown Master Plan, the 2012 Complete Streets Policy, the 2016 Asheville in Motion Mobility Plan and the 2018 Living Asheville Comprehensive Plan. Asheville consistently ranks as one of the top cities in North Carolina for bicycle and pedestrian fatalities. Building dedicated facilities for these vulnerable users is one of the most effective ways to reduce fatalities. College Street and Patton Avenue are the main and only east-west streets through Downtown and provide key connections to east and West Asheville. Bike lanes will connect to existing bike lanes and future bike lanes in downtown and beyond.
This project also aligns with City Council’s 2036 Vision for transportation and accessibility: “Whether you drive a car, take the bus, ride a bike or walk, getting around Asheville is easy. Public transportation is widespread, frequent, and reliable. Sidewalks, greenways, and bike facilities get us where we want to go safely and keep us active and healthy. It is easy to live in Asheville without a car and still enjoy economic, academic, and social success.”
Related Projects
Traffic Signal Replacement project - in Design
Patton Avenue Sidewalk Accessibility Improvements - Complete
Carter-Ann-Patton Stormwater Project - Complete
Pack Square Plaza Visioning - Complete
Contact
Jessica Morriss, Assistant Director, Transportation Department
Susannah Horton, Project Manager, Capital Management Department