News

MPO invites public comment on Henderson County transportation priorities

By Bill Moss, Published: November 1, 2026

The French Broad River MPO is accepting public comment through Nov. 18 on its draft assignment of local input points for the highest priority projects as part of NCDOT’s ranking process for funding road construction.

Local input points reflect regional and local priorities alongside NCDOT’s quantitative project scores. The points increase a project’s score and can improve its competitiveness for funding. Projects in the Division Needs tier include highway improvements on secondary routes, bicycle and pedestrian projects, transit capital projects and projects carried down from higher funding tiers.

To read the draft point assignments click here.  

The MPO, the transportation advisory board for Henderson, Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties, will consider the comments when it meets at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, to make a final assignment on local input points. Comments may be sent via email to MPO@landofsky.org or made in person at the Nov. 19 meeting. 

The MPO’s highest ranking projects in Henderson County and projected cost are:

• Fill gaps between existing sidewalks on Church and King streets in downtown Hendersonville, by upgrading signals and other pedestrian infrastructure to make ADA compliant, $1.57 million.
• Complete the Ecusta Trail from current trail terminus at 1211 Battle Creek Road, Horse Shoe, to the Estatoe Trail in Brevard, $12 million.
• Construct the Above the Mud greenway to connect the Ecusta Trail from the current trailhead on South Main Street to the Oklawaha Greenway at Jackson Park, $4.24 million.
• Improve intersection at Sugarloaf Road and Howard Gap Road, consider a roundabout and include North Allen Road, $13 million.
• Improve Berkeley Road, Signal Hill Road and Thompson Street (Asheville Highway to Four Seasons Boulevard), modernize roadway to improve safety for all users $31.7 million.
• Modernize Fanning Bridge Road with Complete Streets improvements (including bike and pedestrian safety measures) from U.S. 25 in Fletcher to N.C. 280 at the WNC Ag Center, $75 million.