Asheville City Announces Partial Reopening of French Broad Riverfront Greenways & Parks

Asheville --  Press Release City of Asheville: The City of Asheville is committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors to parks and public spaces damaged by Tropical Storm Helene and thanks the community for their cooperation.

As federal inspections of impacted areas are completed and those areas are deemed safe, community members can expect a phased approach to reopening these cherished public spaces when possible. Full rebuilding of parks, greenways, and public infrastructure along this corridor will take years.

"City staff have been picking up extra work assignments and working around the clock to document damages and assess temporary measures to not only get these spaces accessible to our community but to ensure FEMA understands the depth and breadth of the impact from Helene on our public lands," says City of Asheville Recovery Coordinator Bridget Herring.

For safety and enjoyment, visitors are urged to exercise caution and be mindful of surroundings while utilizing the reopened areas. Please adhere to any posted signage, barriers, or instructions from park staff regarding closed areas or potential hazards. For more tips on exploring outdoor spaces post-Helene, check out this article.

French Broad Riverfront

The City is pleased to announce the partial reopening of several popular outdoor areas and active transportation facilities, including:

Fully Open

Amboy Riverfront Park

Craven Street Trailhead Park

Craven Street Bridge Boating Access Area

Jean Webb Park

Wilma Dykeman Greenway

Partially Open

Carrier Park’s picnic shelter and adjacent wetlands educational area, rolling lawn, and east parking lot are open (the west side of the park remains closed except for French Broad River Greenway)

French Broad River Greenway is open from Hominy Creek River Park to Amboy Riverfront Park and Craven Street to French Broad River Park (the portion within French Broad River Park to Amboy Riverfront Park remains closed)

Fully Closed

French Broad River Park

Pearson Bridge River Access Area

In areas now accessible to the public, visitors should be aware that certain sections within these parks and greenways may have sustained catastrophic damage and remain closed at this time or have temporary detours in place. Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) were recently posted for design services to rebuild Helene-related damage to public areas along the French Broad River and in the Azalea Road area.

The City appreciates the public's patience and understanding as staff work diligently to fully restore all areas for public use. Updates on the reopening of additional sections will be provided as they become available.

For general information about Asheville’s storm recovery, visit  ashevillerecovers  For more information about Helene Recovery Projects, visit the Projects tab.

Cover Image: WNCTimes