Swannanoa River Greenway
Swannanoa River Greenway
The future Swannanoa River Greenway starts at the intersection of Lyman Street and Amboy Road and ends at the city limits located at Azalea Road and Tunnel Road. The corridor stretches 7.5 miles in length, and greenway construction will occur in segments.
Happening Now
Construction on the first extension segment of the Swannanoa River Greenway began shortly before Tropical Storm Helene caused catastrophic flooding and altered the landscape of the Swannanoa River bed and stream banks. In the months after the storm, the project area was re-surveyed to determine impacts on existing conditions, and in March of 2025, City staff met with FEMA for a site inspection of the greenway, an important milestone in the process to determine funding eligibility through the FEMA Public Assistance Program.
Due to unexpected riverbank changes within the proposed greenway alignment, the project team must now determine the most feasible path forward, which may include reconstructing the affected riverbank or adjusting the course of the greenway path. As of October 2025, the City is actively pursuing FEMA funding eligibility and exploring options for resilient mitigation and restoration of the project area. Though a construction re-start date is yet to be determined, the City remains committed to building the Swannanoa River Greenway.
Background
Extension segment 1 begins at the intersection of Glendale Avenue and Thompson Street. At a little over one mile in length, this extension segment will follow the river behind businesses along the Swannanoa River and will terminate at the intersection of Bleachery Road and Swannanoa River Road. Improvements to the existing greenway in Riverbend Park are included in this segment. Future phases of the greenway will be implemented in conjunction with a future Swannanoa River Road Improvement project led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The Swannanoa River Greenway project is a 2016 voter-approved Transportation Bond project and was identified as the City’s number one priority greenway in the GAP Plan. The project is also part of the future 100-mile Fonta Flora State Trail, connecting Morganton to Asheville. This video provides a more detailed explanation of the Swannanoa River Greenway project. (Construction timelines have changed since the creation of the video.)
Several studies to identify preferred greenway alignments or design segments of the Swannanoa River Greenway have been conducted or are in progress.
In 2018, The City of Asheville conducted two studies on different segments of the Swannanoa River Greenway:
Swannanoa River Greenway Feasibility Study (Phase 1) was a feasibility study and greenway corridor design on the eastern end of the greenway starting at the intersection of Thompson St. and Glendale Ave. and ending at the City of Asheville’s park complex with the Nature Center, Recreation Park and JB Lewis Soccer Fields. This study included the design for the first segment of the greenway from Thompson St. to Bleachery Blvd.
Swannanoa River Greenway Corridor Study (Phase 2) was a planning-level study funded through the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Bike and Pedestrian Mini-Grant Program for the section of the greenway that starts at Biltmore Avenue and ends at the intersection of Thompson Street at Glendale Avenue. This study did not include engineering and design in the scope of work.
In 2023, the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization (FBRMPO), with funding from NCDOT, kicked off a consultant-led feasibility study for another segment of the Swannanoa River Greenway that would begin. The study area begins near the intersection of Meadow Road and Biltmore Estate Drive and ends at Biltmore Avenue. The Swannanoa River Greenway Extension Feasibility Study investigates the existing conditions of the area, analyzes different route options to identify opportunities and constraints, provides cost estimates, and proposes strategies for the implementation of the greenway extension. The study also offers an action plan for implementing the recommended infrastructure.
Past Project Updates
Supporting Documents
The City of Asheville Close the GAP Plan
The City of Asheville 2013 Greenway Master Plan
The Buncombe County Greenway Master Plan
The Hellbender Regional Trail Plan
Contact
Lucy Crown, Greenway Planner, Transportation Department
Dustin Clemens, Capital Projects Division Manager, Capital Management Department