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Buncombe County to rethink greenway alignments after Hurricane Helene
Summary
Buncombe County parks staff told the July 8 advisory board that three greenway projects — including the Highway 251 segment tied to the Woodfin Greenway — need new engineering and may require additional county funding after storm damage and changed riparian-buffer recommendations.
Allison Daines, Buncombe County parks director, told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on July 8 that hurricane damage has forced a re-evaluation of several planned greenway projects and will delay construction timelines.
"We have 3 Greenway projects. 2 of them are part of the Woodfin Greenway. 1 is the Highway 251 section of Greenway," Daines said, adding that consultants were asked to submit new scopes of work after flooding altered alignments. She said the Highway 251 segment's revised scope has been approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation but that additional county funding will likely be needed for work beyond the original plans.
The board was told that the Beaver Dam Creek section remains suspended while the county awaits NCDOT approval of a new scope of work. Daines said negotiations are also continuing with landowners along the Anka Heritage Trail alignment; some parcels originally expected for the trail are now being reconsidered by their owners.
Daines described how riparian-buffer recommendations are reshaping alignments: "greenway...the requirement for any kind of leeway in between a greenway is typically like 10 feet. ... We're having negotiations where the riparian area needs to be more like 30 feet, which will significantly change any alignment for a greenway." She said areas farther from the water held up better during floods and that the county and partners such as RiverLink are seeking a balance between environmental protection and creating connections.
On estimated costs, Daines said the Highway 251 section had been estimated at about $4,500,000 and that the county typically contributes a 20% match; bond funds had been designated earlier to complete the budget based on prior engineering. She stressed that federal and state funding for locally administered NCDOT projects is milestone‑based and reimbursable: "The way that it works is we're given X amount of dollars per milestone... the very first large amount of money that gets spent on any Greenway project is...engineering and design."
The advisory board heard a tentative timeline: consultants hope to reach construction within roughly two years on Highway 251 if new engineering and right-of-way negotiations proceed, but Daines cautioned that the new alignments and added environmental work have put the projects back at least a couple of years.
Why this matters: the county’s greenways are regional connectors for recreation and mobility, and alignment changes or additional bridges and environmental work can raise costs and push back construction. The board will continue to receive updates as consultants finalize engineering and as the county clarifies funding options.
Less critical details: Daines said county staff are coordinating with RiverLink and other partners on design and buffers; she noted that the NCDOT will not provide extra funds beyond its approved scope and that any county-incurred additional work will require local funding decisions.
