Hendersonville – The City of Hendersonville seeks public input to guide its policies to make downtown even more accessible and attractive to pedestrians and for cyclists and others to better travel within the entire city.
Bear figurines, chalk art, flowers, and benches beneath shady trees are among the features along Hendersonville’s historic mile-long Main Street. The public is encouraged to express their opinions on the importance of these and other amenities, as well as what they should include more or less of.
To guide the City Pedestrian Plan’s update, a steering committee set up the Walk Hendo Community Input Meeting for Monday, July 25. The public is encouraged to drop by anytime between 5-7 p.m. at the City Operations Center at 305 Williams St. There will be visual displays, officials present, and the chance to jot down and submit suggestions.
Those who live or work in Hendersonville or often visit there are urged to weigh in on the “community’s vision, strategies, goals, and recommended actions to make the city more pedestrian-friendly and walkable for all,” City Communications Director Allison Justus stated. The primary aim is to improve “walking and moving throughout the city.”
That can include traveling by bicycle in special lanes or with wider road shoulders, or by foot along paths such as the 3.5-mile Oklawaha Greenway trail that links four parks. The pedestrian master plan project coincides with the development of the 19.4-mile Ecusta Trail from Hendersonville to Brevard. The railroad corridor is planned as a multi-use route for cycling, jogging, walking, and wheelchair movement, and ideally for businesses to emerge along a scenic “linear park.” Friends of the Ecusta Trail and also Conserving Carolina have a $6.5 million capital campaign for trail construction.
An online survey to collect similar feedback launches July 25, and lasts through August.
Once the pedestrian plan is revised, “the City and NCDOT can use it to direct how projects are constructed, make policy choices, build programs and events, and apply for new types of funding,” Justus said. She noted a state transportation grant for West Hendo was matched by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club. Traffic Planning & Design, based in Asheville, is in charge of the project.
Barking about Parking
Parking access is pivotal to people patronizing businesses. The closer one can park to a destination, the more likely a person will visit it—especially in bad weather. Insufficient parking is at the top of the list.many people’s concerns, based on public comments and surveys over the years. “To support our active business district, we need parking to be convenient and available,” he said. “Main Street parking is currently free and convenient, but rarely available.”
A new 323-space, compact, four-level parking garage is going up at the southeastern corner of Church Street and Fifth Avenue. It is expected to open early next year.
User fees will drastically help pay for this $8.2 million project, as parking spaces will switch from free to metered. However, parking will be free for the first 30 minutes in those spots or for the first hour in the new garage. Pahle said, “Metering the premier parking locations and constructing the parking garage is a sustainable solution for our growing community.”
Open Streets
A basic decision is how much of the Main Street sidewalk should remain dedicated to a spacious and safe pedestrian flow, and how much to allow for merchant displays or extended dining space. Outdoor dining extended deeper than usual on the sidewalk — right up to the Main Street road’s edge — during Downtown Hendersonville’s special Open Streets days implemented in 2020. To promote a more relaxed feel for pedestrians, Main Street was closed to vehicular traffic. But that greatly reduced nearby parking.
The Open Street promotions were a way that the city tried variations of its rules. Objectives include seeing how it might increase both the number of visitors, and how long they remain downtown. The idea is that the longer they stay and walk around, the more shops they encounter and might patronize. Many visitors told the Tribune they did just that.
A.J. and Brandy Soto suggest more Open Street days in Hendersonville, adding a musical twist from similar special days in Columbia, S.C., near where they live. They liked how teen musicians got a central, pedestrian-trafficked spot there to play and to get donations to help them pay for their musical studies. They also suggest small water reservoirs along the main road for pet dogs.
The Sotos brought their two children and their dog to Hendersonville to see bear figurines, the Henderson County Heritage Museum, and walk along Main. They were happy with the bonus of chalk art. Brandy marveled at how one artist depicted “sparkling blue eyes” by adding a white light glimmer. They ate at White Duck Taco Shop at 500 Seventh Ave. E., after searching online for local taco shops ahead of their trip.
Bears, Chalk
The Apple Festival and other downtown festivals, outdoor music concerts, nearby farmer’s markets, and other special events draw extra crowds.
Bears rule supreme for many locals and visitors alike. Bearfootin’ is the free outdoor public art walk of 20 colorfully and artistically decorated fiberglass bear figurines each summer. The display is in its 20th year. Many visitors say the bears draw them to Main Street, where they explore shops and restaurants while walking to see the bears.
Sidewalk murals are a recent phenomenon, on the downtown’s perimeter and leading from it to the Historic Seventh Avenue District. A protective coating is sprayed on top, so the artistry lasts longer to resist smearing and fading from sunlight.
Chalk it Up! is a much more temporary art exhibit. Chalk on Main Street sidewalk panels is much more easily washed off by rain. The latest Chalk it Up! was created this past Saturday. A Columbia, S.C. couple, among other Main Street strollers, discovered it as it was underway, and their two young daughters participated.
To do the survey online, check www.hendersonvillenc.gov/walkhendo from July 25 through August. For more info, go to www.hendersonvillenc.gov/walkhendo.