New turning lane coming to Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville

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Click the image to see the WLOS report.

Here’s a reminder that a new turning lane and stoplight will be built on Merrimon Avenue to improve the intersection for the new Harris Teeter and Trader Joe’s stores that are under construction there. The Asheville Citizen-Times reported the story over the summer, and WLOS did an update story Monday.

The city of Asheville is also requiring wider-than-normal sidewalks “to help pedestrian traffic,” according to WLOS.

In the WLOS report, City of Asheville Transportation Department Director Ken Putnam says drivers will not be able to make a left out of the Trader Joe’s parking lot, only a right. Twenty thousand cars a day drive on Merrimon, according to the video.

From WLOS:

Headed southbound, at the developers’ expense, a new turn lane will be built and stop light added that will go into the main entrance of Harris Teeter. Nearly 20,000 cars a day use Merrimon Avenue. That’s one of the reason’s Harris Teeter chose to build there.

Trader Joe’s is a different story. That’s why the NCDOT has decided folks will not be able to make a left out of Trader Joe’s. Only a right hand turn will be allowed. The city has also required wider than normal sidewalks to be built to help pedestrian traffic.

There is also additional traffic expected along Chestnut as people cut across from Broadway. The city says residents are working with the developer to talk about any concerns they have.

 Read the article and see the WLOS video here.

9 Comments

Tyler November 29, 2012 - 3:55 pm

I’m still not sure why TJ’s decided to build on Merrimon – it is such a conjested area and difficult to navigate.

We’ve got plenty of room down here in South Asheville – between the location for the soon to be closed Lowe’s Foods to where the old Cici’s Pizza was beside Tupelo Honey.

Jules November 29, 2012 - 12:38 pm

Now if they will just install a dedicated turn signal at Merrimon and Edgewood. Ridiculous that there isn’t one with the volume of traffic there.

cranky November 28, 2012 - 7:50 pm

golly – haven’t you figured out that trader joes creates a total charlie foxtrot for traffic and the parking lot will be too small – the only decent parking lot i’ve ever seen around a tjs is in greenville, sc and i’ve been to countless tjs across the country….

prepare for the trader joespocalypse!

orulz November 28, 2012 - 9:09 am

What should have been a complete no brainer with these two projects that didn’t happen at all is for left turn lanes for both directions from Merrimon onto Chestnut.

The one opportunity to remove the southbound “no left turn” restriction, and install a dedicated left turn lane from northbound Merrimon to Chestnut, has been lost. This is something that’s been needed for 50 years and to me there’s no excuse for missing the opportunity.

hauntedheadnc November 27, 2012 - 5:06 pm

I wonder why these suburban-style supermarkets and the enormous increase in traffic they’ll bring was more acceptable to the neighborhood than the urban village that was proposed a few years ago. I really don’t get it.

North Asheville November 28, 2012 - 10:53 am

Perhaps you can ask Heather Rayburn & Ben Gillum. Didn’t they lead the opposition to the urban village project? Was Cecil Bothwell involved in stopping that project?

North Asheville Neighbor November 27, 2012 - 10:12 am

While I am pleased to have these shopping options in my neighborhood, it will seriously complicate what is already a dangerous commute.

Although I know that it would be a very difficult thing to do, I think the time has come for an honest discussion about a north bound turn lane on Merrimon between Marcellus and Broad streets.

Parking on East Chestnut street, east of Merrimon Ave. will have to go. As it is there is often a traffic obstruction at that intersection due to parked cars. I’m not entirely sure why parking is allowed on such a busy street.

These are all annoying growing pains, but if we do not seriously address these concerns now, it is going to become much much worse in the coming years.

MAH8462 November 29, 2012 - 8:32 am

This is so true! That spot drives me crazy. I hate when driving chestnut west to Merrimon i get way over so the cars going the other way can continue on., But so manny people are so passive when driving around here that they just sit there and wait. Then when tuurning south on to Merrimon fro west Chestnut I sort of go slow so the car that needs to turn coming the the other direction can turn north, they just sit there and wait for all the traffic to clear. Im like people lets learn how to drive already!

Doug Sahm November 29, 2012 - 9:12 am

Their is actually a rule in the city for this situation; the car in the lane of the parked cars has to yield to the other car coming the other way. In other words if your side of the road has parked cars, you have to stop and wait for the cars to come the other way before going.

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