Wed August 07, 2024 – Southeast Version
Map courtesy of Henderson County Engineering Division
An outline of the Ecusta Path, from Brevard Street to South Primary Boulevard.
The preliminary section of building at the Ecusta Path in western North Carolina is shifting ahead with the set up of six new bridges alongside what used to be as soon as an previous railroad mattress.
The primary section is scheduled to open in December, Henderson County Engineer Marcus Jones advised the Hendersonville Occasions-Information. It is going to come with 6 mi. of the path’s 19.4 general miles and price roughly $13 million.
When finished, the multi-use, paved Ecusta Path will attach the mountain cities of Hendersonville and Brevard, south of Asheville.
The pathway is being created on what used to be the previous Watco Rail line with the objective of offering pedestrians and cyclists the risk to discover various scenic landscapes within the house, from the French Wide River to rolling hills and mountain peaks.
The path website online used to be as soon as a Norfolk Southern rail line prior to being bought by way of Watco; alternatively, the road has now not been in operation for almost 20 years.
Within the first week of August, the half-dozen prefabricated metal bridges have been delivered to Henderson County from their production website online in Alabama. As soon as at their designated places, the bridges have been set by way of Asheville-based NHM Constructors LLC, the undertaking’s contractor.
The Hendersonville Occasions-Information reported Aug. 6 that the next move within the procedure is to stage the bridges and connect them to concrete bases on each and every finish. Jones mentioned this paintings will have to take anyplace from one to 2 weeks to perform.
He added that the brand new pedestrian bridges are changing six railroad trusses that have been prior to now at the land. Following their placement, no different new bridges can be required for Segment 1.
Early within the design, the Ecusta building staff evaluated the situation of each and every rail bridge in addition to restore prices and whether or not they may well be designed to hold an emergency or path upkeep car. In accordance with their findings, each and every current bridge wanted to get replaced with increased prefabricated metal buildings to steer clear of possible flood affects.
Jones mentioned each and every construction prices between $300,000 and $500,000, relying on its measurement. They range in period, however their widths are both 12 toes. in additional rural spaces of the county or 14 toes. vast within the city settings.
The six bridges because of be put in can be set alongside 5th Street, U.S. Freeway 64, Allen Boulevard, Church and Primary streets, Previous Home Street, and at Turley Falls Street and Brightwater Force.
Extra Paintings Forward to Create Scenic Trail
The Ecusta Path’s first section will stretch from South Primary Boulevard in downtown Hendersonville to the intersection of U.S. 64/Fight Creek Street within the small group of Horse Shoe. Even though nonetheless within the design section, the second one portion of the undertaking will lead hikers and cyclists from there to Brevard’s Oskar Blues Brewing, famous the Ecusta Path web site.
The reliable Ecusta Path groundbreaking used to be held ultimate October on the website online of the Veterans Therapeutic Farm in Hendersonville. Crews started paintings on the website online in December with clearing and grubbing proceeding into the spring, adopted by way of grading.
Jones prior to now advised the Occasions-Information that the following portion of the path is being designed and will have to be finished in about 4 years.
Different paintings being carried out at the Ecusta Path contains the set up of draining machine ditches and pipes, he added, noting that the subgrade for paving is just about completed.
“The bridges have been a reasonably large milestone,” Jones defined. “However the paving’s going to be beautiful important, even simply getting the primary layer down.”
Tarheel Paving in Hendersonville is in control of that paintings.
Jones mentioned contemporary wet climate occasionally prohibits paintings being carried out at the Ecusta Path and slows down the method, however building at the first section remains to be on agenda to be wrapped by way of the December goal date.
Jones prior to now advised the Occasions-Information that the following portion of the path is recently being designed and will have to be finished in about 4 years.
For now, the Ecusta Path can be closed whilst its first section is being built.
