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63-548: The River Arts District runs north along the east side of the French Broad River from the Lyman Street Curve to Jeff Bowen Bridge and along Depot Street and Roberts Street from Clingman Avenue. Starting in the early-to-mid-19th century, the riverfront's even ground and untainted openspace made it a popular trade route. Soon farmers, homesteads, inns and local small stores were drawn to take advantage of

126-420: A boat in the river. At the time, this type of entertainment was not only unique but left a strong impression. Unfortunately, in 1915 a fire destroyed much of Riverside Park and the following year brought more devastation. In 1916 massive flooding not only destroyed what remained of Riverview Park but swept away the watershed community. The many local industry and business owners – who for years had thrived along

189-641: A charette team. Peter Batchelor, the Chairman of the NC AIA, then divided the joint charette into three primary groups: The first team focused on how to effectively reestablish a connection between downtown Asheville and the riverfront. Another team concentrated on how far the river could extend within city limits. The third group analyzed the river's prominent attributes in Asheville and Western North Carolina. In 1989, after extensive planning and public discussion,

252-527: A demonstration project for the entire French Broad River watershed, connected a 17 miles (27 km) Greenway System along the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers and represented the consolidation of over 20 years of community planning. The greenway system would run along the French Broad River from Broadway Avenue through the central riverfront, along the WECAN neighborhood, through the recreational areas to

315-613: A larger project extending I-26 from its former western terminus at I-40/I-240 to U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) near Kingsport, Tennessee . However, NCDOT officially identifies this part of I-26 as Future 26. Years prior to the loop's completion, I-240 was known as I-140; however, no signage was ever posted for I-140. The I-140 designation has now been given to a spur route in Wilmington . I-240 begins at an interchange with I-26 and I-40 west of Asheville . I-240 and I-26 travel concurrently for four miles (6.4 km) along

378-415: A number of businesses. The Asheville Citizen-Times said the storm "fundamentally changed the district" and that while some businesses would return, others might not, and returning the district to how it was would take years. About 80 percent of the district was destroyed. Interstate 240 (North Carolina) Interstate 240 ( I-240 ) is a 9.1-mile-long (14.6 km) Interstate Highway loop in

441-581: A series of access parks along the 117 miles of the French Broad River. Due to advocacy of regional policy analysts, politicians and local agencies, conservation groups and economists reset the agenda to develop and redevelop the French Broad's riverfront. In 1987 the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the Land of Sky attained funding through a civil works planning grant. A loosely knit group of volunteers and conservation advocates known as

504-675: A year after the first, in September 1995. In 1999, RiverLink received funding from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to implement the final phase, extending the greenway trail even further along the river next to Amboy Road. Moreover, in addition to the extension, the funding of this phase included a handicapped accessible fishing pier that was installed overlooking the river. Asheville Motor Speedway on Amboy Road closed in 1999. RiverLink raised $ 1.6 million to purchase and develop

567-409: Is a restaurant visited three times by President Barack Obama , though it has moved since then due to road improvements. 12 Bones added a second location in 2008 which will move for another road project. New Belgium Brewing Company announced plans for a second Asheville brewery April 5, 2012. This operation would go on 20 acres that included a former landfill and a livestock market. This development

630-730: Is a section of the NC Division of Parks and Recreation . A system of launch point sites was created along the river to support the trail. The portion of the French Broad River in Tennessee was designated as a state scenic river by the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Approximately 33 miles (53 km) of the river in Cocke County, starting at the North Carolina border and extending downstream to

693-619: Is believed to be one of the oldest in the world, cutting over eons through ancient rocks in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The French Broad predates the Alleghanian orogeny , through the resulting mountains it cuts; however, the current topographic relief of the Southern Appalachians is relatively new, making it virtually impossible to estimate the age of the river. The Cherokee people,

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756-881: Is one of the larger TVA developments on a tributary of the Tennessee River. (The two other very large ones are Norris Lake on the Clinch River and Cherokee Lake on the Holston River.) In 1987, the North Carolina General Assembly established the French Broad River State Trail as a blueway which follows the river for 117 miles (188 km). The paddle trail is a part of the North Carolina State Trails System, which

819-531: Is one of the oldest buildings in the district. Built in 1887, it was the fifth large factory in the area. Moses and Caesar Cone took over C.E. Graham Manufacturing in 1893 and changed its name to Asheville Cotton Mills, which made coarse plaid cloth. Cone Mills closed the factory complex in 1953, and it remained empty for the next 40 years. Clyde Savings Bank sold the complex to the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County in 1993. Most of

882-644: The Bald Mountains , the river enters Cocke County, Tennessee . In Cocke County, the river passes through Del Rio and receives the waters of both the Pigeon and the Nolichucky rivers northwest of Newport . The river enters the slack waters of Douglas Lake , which was created by the Tennessee Valley Authority 's Douglas Dam in Sevier County , approximately 32 miles (51 km) upstream from

945-676: The Holston River at Knoxville forms the beginning of the Tennessee River . The river flows through the counties of Transylvania, Buncombe , Henderson , and Madison in North Carolina, and Cocke , Jefferson , Sevier , and Knox in Tennessee. It drains large portions of the Pisgah National Forest and the Cherokee National Forest . The headwaters of the French Broad River are near

1008-511: The 122,000-square-foot building burned April 2, 1995, in a fire determined to be arson. The society called the building "the key structure in the area's redevelopment." The fire destroyed a water tower intended to be a symbol of the new district. Eileen and Marty Black bought the remaining building in 2002, renovated it, and moved into Cotton Mill Studios with other artists. Another major building built by Nabisco on Depot Street in 1907 became Lift Studios. Artist Daniel McClendon and his wife bought

1071-670: The 1970s, when the federal government attended to the deteriorating state of the nation's river systems and passed the Clean Water Act . Under this new policy, environmental regulation standards were raised and public interest was heightened. Citizen groups began to look at the river and the Land-of-Sky Regional Council (LOS) assembled a group of conservation advocates, called the French Broad River Foundation (FBRF), to help create

1134-488: The 1990s RiverLink strived to bring the pieces of the Riverfront Plan together in a progressive manner. In 1991 Carolina Power & Light Company offered RiverLink a two-mile-long donation of property which became the first link in the urban riverfront greenway . For years the west bank riverfront property had been used as an "unofficial" land fill for construction companies and concrete manufacturers. Once

1197-556: The 2016–2025 STIP. Section A, between Haywood Road and Brevard Road, will be a widening project with reconfiguration of ramps at Haywood, Amboy and Brevard. Section B, between north of Haywood Road to US 19 /US 23/ US 70 , is the most expensive section of the project at $ 332 million. After a review of various alternative designs, both state and federal agencies chose Alternative 4B , which will convert Patton Avenue along Bowen Bridges to local traffic and reroute I-240 along I-26 further north. Section C,

1260-617: The Amboy Road Exit of I-240. The plan also followed the Swannanoa River from its confluence with the French Broad through the Biltmore Village and up river to Tunnel Road and Azalea Park where it ended. Similar to the original Riverfront Plan, though in significantly richer detail, the new design centered on three diverse concepts: First, with a road alignment study, it addressed specific development zones within

1323-599: The Cherokee homelands in this region, which included areas of present-day northwestern South Carolina, northeastern Georgia, and southeastern Tennessee. The French called the river the Agiqua , borrowing one of the Cherokee names. Initiated as a project during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt , Douglas Dam was completed in the 1940s on the lower French Broad by the TVA to provide electricity and flood control. It

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1386-580: The Defense Association's arguments was the highway's proximity to Zealandia , the estate of Philip Henry, whose Tudor mansion was covered by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act . However, when the mansion was named to the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1977, the destruction of the mountain had started. The four-mile (6.4 km) project was completed October 31, 1980. In 1971, NC 191

1449-642: The French Broad River Foundation, in 1987 she started RiverLink, a regional non-profit organization. If the French Broad River was to be successfully revitalized, the final plan had to truly represent and incorporate the wants and needs of the entire community. To gain a better understanding of the natural complexities that Asheville's riverfront presented, RiverLink recruited members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) & American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) to form

1512-654: The French Broad River had been previously championed by others. One of the earliest advocates was a young author and educator named Wilma Dykeman , whose book "The French Broad," detailed the linkage between economic development and economic protection. Once the updated plan was refined and Asheville City Council adopted it, RiverLink aptly re-branded the new design as The Wilma Dykeman Riverway Plan. As of 2010, by championing thousands of supporters and working with local government, RiverLink had contributed several popular parks and greenway extensions to The Wilma Dykeman Riverway Plan. The most notable of these achievements included

1575-426: The French Broad River – abandoned their buildings and relocated to higher ground. Soon after, Asheville's traffic system experienced rapid growth, and new highways and roads cut off access points to the river. Industries began leaving the area in the 1940s due to flooding. Over time, the French Broad defaulted to an unregulated dumping site and leisure enjoyment was impossible and forgotten. This wouldn't change until

1638-669: The French Broad Riverfront Planning Commission were asked to team up with the French Broad River Foundation and Asheville's Chamber of Commerce to create the Asheville Riverfront Plan. In the 1980s, as efforts to clean up the river intensified with citizen advocacy groups like the FBRF, policy makers came to finally see the critical importance of the French Broad River to the region. For one, local economists began to recognize

1701-490: The I-26/I-240/I-40 interchange, will be reconfigured to include missing ramp connects and a widening of I-40 through the area. The approximately seven-mile (11 km) project planned to begin right-of-way acquisition in 2019, though delays included state money and worries over how neighborhoods would be affected. The estimated cost increased from $ 750 million in 2017 to $ 1.2 billion in 2023. The final contract for

1764-670: The I-26/I-240/I-40 interchange, will be reconfigured to include missing ramp connects and a widening of I-40 through the area. The approximately seven-mile (11 km) project will begin right-of-way acquisition in 2019, with construction on all three sections in 2021. Additional plans for I-240 in west Asheville call for its expansion from four lanes to eight lanes. As part of the I-26 Connector , in 2016, both state and federal agencies chose Alternative 4B , which will convert Patton Avenue along Bowen Bridge to local traffic and reroute I-240 along I-26 further north. In addition,

1827-550: The Smoky Park Bridge, the main connector across the French Broad River . The original lanes, opened January 23, 1952, became westbound lanes. The next step began with the 1964 presentation by J. O. "Buck" Buchanan to the NC Highway Commission Board. An Interstate Highway was to be built from the east to downtown Asheville to connect with the existing freeway. The best way to do this, it

1890-528: The US state of North Carolina . It serves as an urban connector for Asheville and runs in a semicircle around the north of the city's downtown district between exits 53B and 46B of I-40 . Between those points, I-40 continues in an east–west direction further south of the city, roughly parallel to the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers. The western segment of I-240 is now being cosigned with I-26 as part of

1953-422: The area along the river could be improved, much less a destination. The design received nationwide recognition for its ingenuity and thoughtful craftsmanship upon public presentation. National Geographic featured the plan as a new greenway initiative for WNC in its June 1990 issue. Also, the Riverfront Plan received The American Planning Association ’s Large Scale Planning Award, a prestigious honor given only to

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2016-499: The best designs in the nation. Local governments soon adopted the Asheville Riverfront Plan to depict a unified vision for a revitalized riverfront. Buncombe County welcomed it as their new Master Plan for the river way and the City of Asheville included the ARP as an addendum to its award winning 2010 Comprehensive Plan. The implementation process could begin a design framework needed for

2079-466: The charette team completed The Asheville Riverfront Plan. The design included a detailed layout of the riverfront, complete with diagrams of the urban corridor, maps of future greenway space and descriptions of the charrette ’s findings and suggestions. More importantly, the plan's mixed use for revitalizing the French Broad River satisfied the needs of all the community – environmental, recreation and business constituents. At that time, few people believed

2142-597: The city owned in the River Arts District. The Riverside Drive Redevelopment Plan included work on historic buildings, wetlands , and "visitor amenities". Funding included a TIGER grant of $ 14.6 million announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a visit to Asheville on September 12, 2014. Because of the New Belgium project, the River Arts District experienced significant growth. RADTIP had an estimated cost of $ 34.3 million, with

2205-399: The city's total expected contribution of $ 17.5 million, including $ 9 million from the 2015–16 budget. Its purpose was to upgrade roads and add sidewalks, greenways , bike lanes and infrastructure improvements. A later estimate of $ 50 million went even higher as total bids and other costs ended up at $ 76 million. On June 27, 2017, the city council changed the plan to reduce

2268-525: The construction. The company had several connections to those responsible for the road plan: company president Baxter Taylor was a business partner of Ted Jordan, a highway board member and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Highway Committee; they founded Hyde Insurance Company, which sold $ 39.9 million (equivalent to $ 157 million in 2023 ) in bonds to finance the plan. And Buchanan went on to work in public relations for Asheville Contracting. One of

2331-500: The cost to $ 54.6 million. This action allowed the federal grant to be used, along with hotel tax revenues of $ 2.5 million. After the addition of $ 6 million, the city's contribution totalled $ 32 million. Dropped from the plan were three of the greenways, and other improvements would be scaled back. Work on the plan began in August 2017. Flooding due to the remnants of Hurricane Helene in September 2024 seriously damaged

2394-477: The donation of land from CP&L was accepted, RiverLink and The City of Asheville entered into a public-private partnership to develop it as the French Broad River Park & Greenway System. With the city's help, RiverLink received a grant from The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation to hire a landscape architecture firm to develop the master plan and construction drawings. A principal goal of

2457-468: The east–west freeway around downtown Asheville, designated US 19/US 23, opened from the Beaucatcher Tunnel westward to NC 191 . By 1966, Hanover Street had been converted to a freeway, which carried U.S. Highway 19 Business (US 19 Bus.)/ US 23 Bus. /NC 191; additional freeway was constructed from Haywood Street to I-40. In 1968, eastbound lanes were added to

2520-609: The economic opportunity. In the late 19th century, the Western North Carolina Railroad expanded along the French Broad River and the banks' land value increased. The river's natural attributes drew crowds and Asheville grew to be a small and economically adorned city. After the first railroads reached Asheville in October 1880, industries began to locate along the French Broad River. The two-story Cotton Mill building, where denim and flannel were made,

2583-787: The entire revitalization of the riverfront. During September 1991, with strong support from local government authorities and the public, RiverLink received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to develop what is now known as The Asheville Riverfront Open Space Design Guidelines. Once again RiverLink helped assemble a charette team with ALSA/AIA, and groups were divided. This time issues such as signage, river access, public art, support facilities, structures and landscaping were addressed. Through public forums constituents came to agree that all open space development should accentuate

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2646-404: The historic Indigenous Americans who occupied the area at the time of European invasion and conquest, referred to the river by different names: Poelico and Agiqua ("broad") in the mountains of the headwaters; Zillicoah upriver of the confluence at present-day Asheville; and Tahkeeosteh (racing waters) from Asheville downriver. The river is considered to roughly mark the eastern boundary of

2709-444: The long abandoned building in 2011 and renovated it. By the very early 20th century, Asheville's portion of French Broad riverfront had become a prime destination point for travelers and a pivotal recreational and leisure space for residents. The Asheville Electric Company created a small diversion off the French Broad and named it Riverside Park. The park erected a carousel, a boat house and a movie screen that could only be viewed from

2772-623: The main project, awarded to Archer–Wright Joint Venture, totalled $ 1.15 billion, the largest contract in the state's history. The design was selected May 15, 2024. The entire route is in Asheville , Buncombe County . French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee . It flows 218 miles (351 km) from near the town of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina , into Tennessee, where its confluence with

2835-450: The most-used park in the region, Carrier Park, and the French Broad River Park & Greenway System. Asheville's greenway system included 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of contiguous trail. Artists had moved into abandoned buildings in the 1970s, and the non-profit RiverLink began working to save the buildings. The 1989 plan began the formal process, which led to design guidelines in 1991 and the French Broad master plan in 1993. RiverLink started

2898-465: The northern section of downtown Asheville. US 70/US 74A exits off I-240 at Charlotte Street. The Interstate continues through a cut in the mountain before turning back to the south. I-240 cross the Swannanoa River near Asheville Mall before terminating at an interchange with I-40 while the roadway continues on as US 74A, known locally as Charlotte Highway. In the early 1960s,

2961-499: The old speedway, then donated the site, with a conservation easement , to the city. The 50-acre site was rechristened as Carrier Park and joined the French Broad River Park System. Much of the original design remained unrealized despite these accomplishments, however. Not only was there a lack of funding to continue implementation, but the Riverfront Plan had become outdated. Since the fifteen-year-old plan

3024-446: The plan was to infuse characteristics of the old Riverside Park into The French Broad River Park. Also, RiverLink raised the funds needed to install picnic tables, benches, bike racks, bollards and other amenities. On September 21, 1994, the first part of the project was completed and the French Broad River Park became the first greenway (or watershed) built within the City of Asheville. Phase two added another loop of greenway trails only

3087-472: The process of revitalizing the neighborhood in 1992 with the purchase of Warehouse Studios, which became a textile museum with small retail stores. Also in 1992, Pattiy Torno began renovations on several buildings she bought in 1989, making them available for artist studios, eventually calling them Curve Studios and Garden. Artists began taking over abandoned warehouses. As of 2010, over 140 art studios occupied 16 buildings. 12 Bones Smokehouse, started in 2005,

3150-703: The river's mouth. Near Sevierville , at Kodak , the French Broad River receives the flow of the Little Pigeon River , which drains much of the Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains . After flowing through a wide gap in Bays Mountain , it enters Knox County . Its confluence with the Holston River forms the Tennessee River at a place known as "Forks of the River", at the eastern edge of Knoxville . The French Broad River

3213-472: The riverfront's massive recreational and economic development potential. Also, through a series of management studies and evaluations by the LOS and local government agencies, it was determined that for the region to grow, the French Broad would have to be Buncombe County's primary potable water source. In 1986, Karen Cragnolin moved to Asheville and asked how she could contribute to the city. After being referred to

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3276-415: The seventeen miles. Secondly, detailed site-plans and transportation engineering illustrations enhanced plan implementation. Lastly, market analysis demonstrated how the revitalization of the river could further reinforce traditional industries such as health/wellness, recreation, arts, crafts and entrepreneurship. RiverLink had long emphasized that since the mid-1900s, many of their initiatives to revitalize

3339-574: The state's March decision led to the change. North Carolina Department of Transportation statistics show the eight-lane bridge to be the most traveled section of highway in Western North Carolina, with 99,000 vehicles a day. A planned construction project, dubbed the I-26 Connector, is a $ 600–800-million project to build the missing gap of I-26 through Asheville. Broken into three sections, they are all planned and funded in

3402-556: The stream is joined by the Middle and East forks to form the French Broad River. From there it flows northeast through the Appalachian Mountains into Henderson , and Buncombe counties. In Buncombe County, the river flows through Asheville where it receives the water of the Swannanoa River . Downstream of Asheville, the river passes north through Marshall and Madison County . After passing through Hot Springs in

3465-609: The town of Rosman in Transylvania County , North Carolina, just northwest of the Eastern Continental Divide near the northwest border of South Carolina . They spill from a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall called Courthouse Falls at the terminus of Courthouse Creek near Balsam Grove . The waterfall feeds into a creek that becomes the North Fork, which joins the West Fork west of Rosman. South of Rosman,

3528-505: The unique geographical op aspects of Asheville and Western North Carolina. When completed, like the Riverfront Plan, the Open Space Guidelines were well received by the public. Local governments immediately adopted them and they were approved by The Asheville Council. The OSG now influence the City of Asheville's river zoning district, river parks and greenways, serving as a blueprint for sustainable development. Throughout

3591-473: The western section of the routing. I-240 travels almost parallel to the French Broad River to its east. In the northwestern part of the route, US 19 , US 23 , and U.S. Highway 74 Alternate (US 74A) merge onto I-240 to cross the French Broad River. After crossing the river, I-26 proper ends and becomes Future I-26. Future I-26/US 19/US 23 exit off to the north and US 70 merges with I-240. The concurrent highways travel through

3654-648: Was concluded, was to blast an 800-foot-wide (240 m) passage through Beaucatcher Mountain . The Beaucatcher Mountain Defense Association, formed in the early 1970s, endorsed a tunnel , which would mean only about five percent of the mountain would be disturbed. In 1977, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) selected Asheville Contracting Co. for the project. Three million cubic feet (0.085 × 10 ^  m ) of rock, including greywacke believed to be one billion years old, would have to be moved, and all of it could be used in

3717-640: Was considered a major milestone in the district's development. Also in 2012, 165 artists in 19 buildings opened their studios for the River Arts District Studio Stroll. On January 22, 2013, the city council asked for a study of road, bicycle and sidewalk improvements referred to as the River Arts District Transportation Improvement Plan (RADTIP). The city council approved a $ 30 million plan on September 9, 2014, for property

3780-476: Was extended along part of the unsigned freeway from Haywood Street to Brevard Road. On November 1, 1980, I-240 was officially established on the western half of the freeway from I-40 to Charlotte Street; NC 191 was rerouted north along Brevard Road to its current terminus at Haywood Street. By 1982, I-240 was extended through the Beaucatcher Cut onto new freeway east to I-40. In 1995, all of I-240

3843-702: Was first introduced, the zoning, demographics and development of Asheville's riverfront had vastly changed. Design modifications reflecting these new developments, diverging land use patterns and new community needs and desires along the river would be necessary. By 2004, RiverLink had raised over $ 250,000 and was able to update the Riverfront Plan appropriately to accurately keep pace with current conditions and demands. Among those who financially contributed to its creation were: North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT), The City of Asheville , Buncombe County , The Asheville Merchants Association, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Progress Energy . An updated plan,

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3906-524: Was named the Billy Graham Freeway. In 1989, the North Carolina General Assembly approved a plan for urban loops around the state's major cities. Included in this plan was a bypass for Asheville, which included an "I-26 Connector" to link two sections of I-26 , one ending south of Asheville, and the other north of the city designated "Future 26". For the controversial plan, $ 14.2 million (equivalent to $ 30.4 million in 2023 )

3969-603: Was spent, but, in 2010, the I-26 Connector was demoted to last among 21 urban loop projects. Improvements to I-240 were scheduled for 2020. On April 5, 2012, the North Carolina Board of Transportation voted unanimously to rename the Smoky Park Bridge for Capt. Jeffrey Bowen, an Asheville firefighter who died in July ;2011 fighting a fire. The board's policy traditionally prohibited naming state roads and bridges for firefighters, but numerous protests of

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