First Step for Traffic Solutions

Hold a series of town meetings for citizens and neighborhoods to voice their own solutions on traffic--who needs all those expensive traffic studies when you have already figured it out!

Blairmont

Install a right-turning-lane from Deerfield Rd. onto State Farm Rd. to prevent traffic from backing up toward Blairmont during the morning rush hour.

Poplar Hill

Explore more ways to make it easier--and safer--to make a left turn from Highland Ave. onto Hwy. 105. This may be impossible, but if the current high school property is redeveloped, maybe there could somehow be an alignment with that traffic light.

Wendy's Intersection

Repair the stop light glitch at the Wendy’s Intersection that causes traffic to bottleneck in front of Taco Bell.

Explore more ways to facilitate pedestrian crossing. Perhaps we could install pedestrian crossing islands between lanes. This would not take much space and would allow pedestrians to cross midway and then wait until they can complete the crossing. 

State Farm Rd.

Lengthen the right-turn lane going from St. Farm Rd. to Hwy. 105 Ext.--this would help prevent traffic from backing up on State Farm Rd.

Post Office

Install a right-turn-lane exiting from the post office onto Blowing Rock Rd. to help prevent traffic from backing up into the post office parking lot.

King St.

Ask ASU if they would allow a connector street from Howard St. to Rivers St. to help relieve traffic on King St.

Bus System

Work to install weather-proof shelters at bus stops--this would help increase ridership.

NC Department of Transportation

Establish a stronger dialogue with the NC Department of Transportation Regional Division. Let them know what problems we are having and work toward quicker solutions.

Boone By-Pass

Explore using Meadowview Dr. and Greenway Rd. as a de facto by-pass to relieve traffic on Blowing Rock Rd. Motorists are already using this route. Let's just make it a little easier. All it would take is one extra lane starting at the Winkler's Creek Bridge and then turning left onto Wilson Rd. going to Hwy 105.  

Greenway Trail

Extend the Greenway Trail to the ASU campus! Why is this taking so long?!

Start a new branch of the Greenway Trail that runs from the Industrial Park to the ASU campus.

Bicycle Lanes

Request that the NC Department of Transportation consider installing bike paths that connect University Village and Farthing St. to Hardin Park and the new high school.

Encourage Student Housing within Walking Distance to Campus

Encourage more student housing close to campus so they can walk rather than drive. Two prime areas for this would be: (1) along East Howard St. between Dan’l Boone Inn and the First Presbyterian Church and (2) along West Howard St. between the Wilcox Emporium and the ASU campus. These could become areas for high-density, mixed-use with a certain percentage devoted to retail and the remainder devoted to student housing. Parking would be extremely limited and would be primarily devoted to retail, but hopefully the students won't need cars as they can walk to campus and town. Residents who wanted cars could park them at a satellite area on the periphery of town using the bus or the Greenway for access. Another area that could be geared toward mixed-use is the area between Hardees and Wachovia. This could become an area with not only housing, but also hotels, shops, and restuarants that line Boone Creek which is currently culverted. All of these areas are extremely accessible by foot to ASU and could be designated redevelopment zones where the town would encourage high-density, mixed-use development. These areas could be modeled after downtown King St. Another advantage to using these areas for high-density, mixed-use is that they don't encroach on any existing neighborhoods--thus preserving the sanctity of the neighborhoods!

Simply Put:

You sure are wasting a lot of gas!