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Committee backs draft transit network but urges staff to pursue long-term funding
Summary
The PEDE Committee reviewed a draft ART transit network that increases frequency on key corridors but requires coverage trade-offs; the committee voted to forward the plan to full council alongside a request that staff pursue a long-term dedicated funding strategy to support service improvements.
The Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee reviewed the draft Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) for ART Asheville Rides Transit on July 21 and agreed to forward the plan to full council along with a council-direction asking staff to pursue long-term funding options.
Transportation staff and consultants from Jarrett Walker presented a draft network that shifts toward ridership (roughly 40% coverage / 60% ridership in the draft) and proposes 15-minute frequency on several corridors, including Hillcrest, the River Arts District and parts of Biltmore Avenue. Jessica Morris, assistant director of transportation, said the study was cost-neutral: improvements come from reallocating existing vehicle hours, which creates trade-offs and some reductions in coverage in lower-ridership areas.
Staff presented modeled impacts: combined 15- and 30-minute access within 0.5 mile would grow from 28% to 37% of residents, and 15-minute service would expand to cover roughly 8% of the population within 0.5 mile; however, the share of residents more than 0.5 mile from any service would increase slightly from about 39% to 42%. Staff also reported job-access gains (30-minute job access rising from about 48% to 54%) and said most Housing Authority communities would retain frequency; three (Hillcrest, Maplecrest and Assen Towers) would receive 15-minute service in the draft network.
Council members pressed staff for route-level detail and safety context: several asked about the W2/Brevard Road corridor and planned development (Ferry Road, Transformation Village), sidewalk gaps for new transfer patterns on Haywood Road, and whether partner-funded shuttles or microtransit were viable ways to preserve coverage. Consultants said some restorations are possible but would require taking service from other corridors and could undermine time-transfer benefits that depend on routes operating on 15-, 30- or 60-minute cycles.
Council debate shifted to funding. Multiple members argued the analysis shows the limits of reallocating a fixed budget and urged a proactive, city-led long-term revenue strategy. Chair Maggie Ullman proposed, and the committee carried, a recommendation that staff present the COA to full council together with a request that council direct staff to pursue a long-term funding strategy (options discussed included targeted sales taxes, partnership contributions, federal grants and an executive government-relations effort). The committee and several public commenters emphasized that any route reductions should be paired with mitigations so current riders are not left without meaningful alternatives.
Public commenters called in in support of the draft network and the funding directive: Jack Igelman, chair of the Multimodal Transportation Commission, spoke for the commissions unanimous recommendation in favor of the draft; other callers (including transit riders and a business coalition) urged a nudge toward ridership and pushed council to pursue dedicated funding to avoid long-term cuts.
Staff said they will provide detailed engagement materials and raw comments to council before the Tuesday meeting; any service changes would not be implemented before the start of the fiscal year in July 2027 and would follow council action and the citys implementation planning.
