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There really shouldn't be that much congestion in the Asheville area. I've been in cities that are two and three times larger and have nowhere near the traffic issues as Asheville does.
Today (July 24th) I was going from Marion to Mills River (60 miles). I left at 4:15pm and didn't get there until 6:35pm. Sweeten Creek Road, Hendersonville Road, and I-26 were all backed up in both directions. I understand there was an accident on I-26 eastbound but all three and both directions???
During rush times I don't think there is any area that isn't a parking lot. I'm so glad I don't live or work in Asheville.
The joy of living in a place where everyone wants to visit or live I-26 has been a bottle neck as long as we've lived here (12 yrs). It is a DOT state issue regardining widening or constructing new roads. Write your representative.
There really shouldn't be that much congestion in the Asheville area. I've been in cities that are two and three times larger and have nowhere near the traffic issues as Asheville does.
Today (July 24th) I was going from Marion to Mills River (60 miles). I left at 4:15pm and didn't get there until 6:35pm. Sweeten Creek Road, Hendersonville Road, and I-26 were all backed up in both directions. I understand there was an accident on I-26 eastbound but all three and both directions???
During rush times I don't think there is any area that isn't a parking lot. I'm so glad I don't live or work in Asheville.
Rant over. Sorry.
You were traveling near Asheville between those hours on summer Friday ! Tourists pour in on Friday afternoons, people coming to and from work (yes, there is employment here); what did you expect ? Plus there was an accident on I26E, so people were using the exits. Try I85 and 485 near Charlotte and I85 around Greenville SC any time of the day. If drivers on I26 stop thinking they can drive at NASCAR, things would be safer.
For what it's worth, I came from Avl to Hvl this past Tuesday, a pretty red Corvette (yes, convertible), top down, grey haired man w/blonde passenger, CA tags, almost took flight in the fast lane next to me .... then ... decided he needed to get off at the Rt. 25 Mountain Home exit and cut in front of me doing at least 75 mph. and almost ditched there before straightening out and exiting.
Now, friends .... this is only one example of a $hi! for brains showoff who could have taken out 10 cars easily, and maybe an 18 wheeler or two.
Widening I26 to accommodate these jackasses and ruining the beauty of the NC roads is only going to make things worse. In all the years I've been here, I don't think I've seen one flashing lane warning or NC State Police on I26 or on I40, and that is necessary. Disrespectful hyperactive folks from states where they're living the fast life want to come here for the beauty of the place and want to maintain their fast living style here. Shame on them.
We’ve been here nine years, and I26 has been a bottleneck that entire time, for sure. Two weeks before we moved I was down here doing to prep work on the house and made the mistake of coming down I26 one afternoon to get here. It took about 45 minutes to get from I40 to Long Shoals. If I remember, I had something delivered a little later and mentioned it to the guys delivering whatever it was. They said that was a little extreme, but jams on I26 were not at all unusual. Now I just avoid it except for very off times.
Hendersonville and Sweeten Creek suffer from
1) Very high volume, particularly when I26 is not flowing
2) Apparently part of the stimulus was funding for traffic lights, because they put them up everywhere. And despite their claims, they are not at all synced to allow any sort of flow.
3) Poor driving skills. Between people too busy on the phone, texting, or chatting to notice the light has been green and traffic ahead of them moved 20 seconds ago, people who look like they are terrified behind the wheel, people who are just plain glacial, and people who have no concept why there are two lanes (or for that matter, even that the odd center lane is to get in when you are ready to make a left turn) it hinders the flow even further. Honestly, we need a driving boot camp here in Hooterville.
Then add to the mix the constant push to entice people to move here when the roads in many places do not support the added volume. And in many cases, the surrounding terrain and development does not support any practical plan to alleviate the problem.
As far as traffic backing up in both directions, no place beats California for that. The two of the three worst traffic jams I have ever sat through were in the Bay Area. In both of those cases the cause was an accident......on the opposite direction of a divided highway and off on the far shoulder.
There really shouldn't be that much congestion in the Asheville area. I've been in cities that are two and three times larger and have nowhere near the traffic issues as Asheville does.
Today (July 24th) I was going from Marion to Mills River (60 miles). I left at 4:15pm and didn't get there until 6:35pm. Sweeten Creek Road, Hendersonville Road, and I-26 were all backed up in both directions. I understand there was an accident on I-26 eastbound but all three and both directions???
During rush times I don't think there is any area that isn't a parking lot. I'm so glad I don't live or work in Asheville.
Rant over. Sorry.
Your not allowed to talk about bad Asheville. Shame on you. I agree with you here traffic shouldn't be so bad for the size town that Asheville is. I work in Arden & coming home from work at 5ish Brevard was packed. What usually take me about 20 mins took me almost 45 to get home.
I-26 is extremely crowded anywhere near Asheville on almost any day at anytime. Not a fan at all of the highway layout in and around Asheville. Worst I have ever seen. Seems to make the situation worse.
On July 19th, I left Franklin at about 10:30 to drive to a community near Landrum SC. Google maps and my GPS agreed the best route was to take the Great Smoky Mtn Expy to I-40 to I-26. Traffic was moving along on 23/74 and suddenly I came to a complete stop and crawled for a long time. Once I got on I-26 and began heading toward Hendersonville, I didn't have any trouble.
I prefer back roads. During the week (I was there for 8 days) when I drove to Tryon, Columbus and Mill Spring from Gowensville, I took 11 to 14 to 108 and there were only a few other cars on the road. I was just cruising around, wasting gas and polluting the environment. (don't judge me!) Anyway, it was smooth sailing each time I drove on 11 or 14. Guess that's one advantage of living in the boonies.
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I-26 has been a bottle neck as long as we've lived here (12 yrs). It is a DOT state issue regardining widening or constructing new roads. Write your representative.
I agree with you here traffic shouldn't be so bad for the size town that Asheville is. I work in Arden & coming home from work at 5ish Brevard was packed. What usually take me about 20 mins took me almost 45 to get home.
