Challenges in Commuting for Buncombe County’s Expanding Workforce
As Buncombe County’s workforce expands, reaching jobs has become a significant challenge. This was highlighted by Tristan Winkler, director of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, during a meeting with the county’s Board of Commissioners.
Winkler presented various data, including census figures, to illustrate that fewer Asheville and Buncombe employees now live near their workplaces compared to previous years, especially those with lower incomes. From 2002 to 2019, the total number of workers living within Asheville’s city limits stayed constant despite a workforce increase of 35,000 people. However, for those earning less than $3,333 per month, about 3,000 fewer are residing in the city. This trend is attributed to rising rents, which have pushed low-income workers to areas like unincorporated Buncombe, Haywood, and Henderson counties.
The displacement of workers to rural areas significantly affects transportation demand. Winkler noted that these residents are more likely to rely on cars, leading to increased congestion as public transit and cycling options remain limited. “We know that if there continues to be more growth focused further and further out, we’re likely to have more of those traffic impacts,” Winkler explained.
To address these transportation challenges, Winkler suggested that efforts should focus on permitting and building housing in urban neighborhoods. He pointed out that Asheville has fallen behind in this regard, with only four new housing units permitted per 1,000 residents in 2024, compared to nearly 16 per 1,000 in unincorporated Buncombe County.
Additional Developments
- The Board of Commissioners approved a resolution of intent for Buncombe to join North Carolina’s Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure Program (C-PACE). This program facilitates financing for eco-friendly improvements through property tax assessments. A public hearing and formal vote are scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3.
- Clark Duncan of the Economic Development Coalition of Asheville-Buncombe County delivered his group’s annual report, highlighting projects like a training facility for advanced manufacturing and the Optimist Ventures initiative, which invests in local startups.
- Vannoy Construction secured a $13.8 million contract for renovations at the Buncombe County Courthouse, focusing on plumbing infrastructure updates.
- The county allocated over $800,000 in federal transit grant funding to Asheville, with conditions such as not requesting additional county funds for bus service expansion.
- Buncombe accepted a reimbursement of over $63,000 from FEMA for deploying its urban search and rescue task force during Tropical Storm Erin.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meets every first and third Tuesday at 200 College St., Room 326, in downtown Asheville. The next meeting is on Tuesday, Feb. 3. A special budget work session is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 22.
For more details, view the full recording and agenda of the Jan. 20 meeting.
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