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Officials report steady ridership on Ecusta Trail; $24.7 million bridge drives Phase II cost
Summary
Henderson County staff told the joint meeting that the Ecusta Trail averages about 6,700 users per week, Phase I is complete, and Phase II — chiefly a French Broad River bridge — is estimated at $24.7 million; the county is coordinating closures tied to US‑64 work.
Assistant County Manager Chris Todd told the joint meeting the Ecusta Trail "is a 19–mile corridor" extending from downtown Hendersonville toward Brevard and that the trail has seen heavy usage since opening. Todd said the trail averaged about 6,700 users per week and that in September 2025 the trail recorded about 7,800 users.
Todd said no local funds paid for corridor acquisition or construction; financing included occupancy-tax (TDA) dollars, two federal grants and Department of Transportation funds. He described Phase II as a design‑build project focused on a French Broad River bridge with an estimated cost of $24.7 million and warned that at least two roundabouts associated with the US‑64 project will affect the trail. He also said White Pine Drive will have a 30‑day closure and Daniel Drive a 40‑day closure tied to the highway work.
Trail operations staff are tracking incidents such as high-speed e‑bikes and failures to stop at signs; Todd said the Rail Trail Advisory Committee and cycling community are involved in educating users. He added that the Friends of the Ecusta Trail had pledged $750,000 for amenities, including trash receptacles and calling stations planned for late summer or fall. Officials asked municipalities to prepare for intermittent closures and to coordinate community messaging.
