Woodfin updates on Lenny’s Law effort; NCDOT adds 'high bicycle activity' signs ahead of proposed safety zones

Woodfin members updated the group on local bicycle‑safety efforts tied to what participants called "Lenny's Law," an effort prompted by a fatal Riverside Drive crash in July.

Member S1 described attending a French Broad Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting and presenting a proposal for bicycle safety zones — stretches of roadway with heightened enforcement and signage where bicycle activity is high. Member S1 said NCDOT recently added signs reading "caution, high bicycle activity" beneath existing share‑the‑road signs and that the idea of formal safety zones is now under NCDOT consideration. "They put up new signs underneath the share the road signs, which say caution, high bicycle activity," Member S1 said.

Members proposed starting a pilot on U.S. 251 (Riverside Drive), from Asheville down toward Marshall, to honor the crash victims and collect enforcement and usage data. Mike Swope, introduced in the meeting as director of Asheville on Bikes, was cited as a partner for using cycling data and accident records in siting zones. Staff proposed forming two subcommittees from the existing body to advance the Walk/Bike/Woodfin action plan: a "policy/plan/project" group and an "education/outreach/partnership" group; members were assigned to those subcommittees and asked to meet before January.

No formal ordinance or enforcement mechanism was adopted at the Nov. 12 meeting. Staff said the next steps include coordinating with NCDOT and local partners on enforcement options, using data (Strava or crash statistics) to identify priority corridors, and convening subcommittee meetings to seek funding and refine pilot design.

The topic will be revisited in future meetings as subcommittees develop recommendations and pursue possible MPO or county planning funds.