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Asheville wins grant for road and bikeway project

Asheville has won a $14.6 million grant to complete an interconnected six-mile network of pedestrian, bicycle, roadway and streetscape improvements.

 

Called the East of the Riverway Multimodal Network, the project includes intersection improvements that will ease traffic flow, enhance intersection geometry for truck movements and increase safety in the corridor. U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan announced the grant, which came from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"This investment will allow Asheville to modernize its transportation system and provide new access for area residents to jobs, education and services," Hagan said in a statement. "Innovative projects like the East of the Riverway project will boost economic development by enabling easier transport to the River Arts District and downtown Asheville for residents and visitors."

"This is a huge win for Asheville," added Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. "These funds will provide for the continued revitalization of our River Arts District, creating a shared community vision of expanded greenways, streets and sidewalk improvements, and development opportunities that will continue to generate economic growth for Asheville."

The grant is funded through the Transportation Department's TIGER VI Discretionary Grants Program, which funds innovative transportation projects in regions and metropolitan areas. In April, Senator Hagan sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx in support of Asheville's TIGER grant application.