Tonight: Asheville’s Transportation Future

Via BlogAsheville:

Design Forum: Asheville’s Transportation Future

Wed., May 20th from 6-8pm
Asheville Design Center
8 College Street

Please join us as two transportation planning specialists lead a discussion concerning Asheville’s transportation future.

The speakers are Joachim Bruder, a prominent architect from Germany, now living in Asheville, and Dr. David Johnson, an Asheville resident, Board member of the ADC and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee.

The speakers will address a series of questions regarding future transportation options for the Asheville Metro area, including:

* Asheville has a fairly extensive bus system and a new plan to make it better. Will the improved bus system fulfill future public transportation needs?
* Should we consider a new fixed route technology in the foreseeable future?
* Is Asheville too small to support a tram or similar system?
* How might a small metro like Asheville’s pay for a tram system?
* Are there examples in the US or Europe of successful use of electric tram systems in cities the size of Asheville Metro?
* What technologies are available and what construction requirements do they involve?
* Are the technologies compatible with existing traffic flows?
* Would people use a tram system? Which people?
* What would a possible route configuration for Asheville look like?
* Could the system be put in place in stages or phases? What might these look like?
* Can we learn any lessons from Charlotte’s new light rail system?
* Would a proposed tram system qualify for federal stimulus funding?

Ample time for questions and discussion will be provided at the end of the presentations. We’ll have wine and cheese available as well. We hope you can join us.

For more information, contact Chrisl Joyell, ADC Executive Director at chris@ashevilledesigncenter.org or call 828.782.7894.