Developers cite NCDOT‑approved traffic study; DOT improvements built into plan

Traffic expert James Voso told the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment that the project's traffic impact analysis was scoped with NCDOT, submitted and approved, and that the modeling incorporated planned DOT improvements tied to an Interstate 26 widening project. Voso said the project did not meet NCDOT's 3,000‑trips‑per‑day threshold but did meet the county threshold that requires a study; NCDOT reviewed and accepted the study and the developer incorporated the DOT recommendations into the project.

Voso cautioned the board that the TIA’s conclusions are contingent on the modeled DOT improvements actually being built. "If for some reason those improvements aren't made ... those intersections would need to be revisited," he said, adding that NCDOT's final decision notes monitoring and a potential requirement that the developer implement additional mitigation if modeled improvements do not occur. Board members asked about triggers for reevaluation; Voso said DOT would monitor conditions and, if operational problems emerge or DOT changes its plans, the study and mitigation could be revisited. The traffic expert also told the board he considers the DOT project that was modeled to be funded and under construction.