The City of Hendersonville has taken an important step towards enhancing the City’s pedestrian infrastructure with the adoption of the “Walk Hendo” Pedestrian Plan. This new pedestrian plan aims to transform Hendersonville into a more walkable and pedestrian-friendly community by establishing a vision that supports multimodal goals, guides developer participation, and positions the City for future funding and partnership opportunities. Following a presentation at their December 7, 2023, meeting, Hendersonville City Council unanimously voted to adopt the plan.
“The Walk Hendo Pedestrian Plan is important because having the option to safely and efficiently walk in Hendersonville becomes more critical as our community grows,” said Hendersonville’s Strategic Projects Manager Matthew Manley. “Pedestrian improvement projects typically take many years to plan and to secure the necessary funding. Having an updated guiding document is a crucial step in making Hendersonville more walkable for all.”
The Walk Hendo Pedestrian Plan Process kicked off in April 2022 and was led by the Walk Hendo Steering Committee, Traffic Planning & Design, Hendersonville City Staff and NCDOT in collaboration with community members who provided input in online surveys and public meetings. The plan was funded through a Multimodal Planning Grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation Integrated Mobility Division.
The plan includes the following goals:
Connect People to Places
Walk Hendo prioritizes the creation of a seamless pedestrian network by linking sidewalks, greenways, and street crossings to key destinations and transit hubs. By fostering connectivity, the plan aims to facilitate easier access for residents and visitors.
Build Safer Streets
Ensuring safety for pedestrians of all ages is a cornerstone of the Walk Hendo plan. The City will focus on developing comfortable connections that prioritize safety, making streets safer for everyone.
Address Policy
To support the expansion of the pedestrian network, Walk Hendo emphasizes the importance of aligning City policies to enhance pedestrian access. The plan aims to integrate pedestrian-friendly considerations into the land development code and other City policies, ensuring that future development supports the creation of a more walkable community.
Promote a Culture of Walking
This plan seeks to create a culture where walking is not only encouraged but celebrated. By enhancing the comfort and safety of walking in Hendersonville, these elements will play a pivotal role in creating an environment that encourages and enables people to choose walking as a viable mode of transportation.
In collaboration with NCDOT, Hendersonville has demonstrated its commitment to pedestrian-friendly urban planning through a series of improvements.
A new pedestrian crossing has been completed at the intersection at South Grove Street and 176. The following projects with updated pedestrian signals and crossings are underway with estimated completions in Spring of 2024:
· Pedestrian improvements to Thompson St./US 64 intersection
· Pedestrian improvements to Orr’s Camp/US 64 intersection
· Pedestrian improvements to Howard Gap/US 64 intersection
· Pedestrian improvements to Fruitland/US 64 intersection
NCDOT has submitted for funding for improvements to the US 64 W/N. Oak St. intersection.
In addition to physical improvements, Hendersonville has introduced Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) at select intersections. LPIs give pedestrians a head start in the crosswalk before traffic receives a green signal, enhancing safety for those on foot.
Most large cities in North Carolina have implemented LPIs on a widespread scale, such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Asheville. Hendersonville is the first small city in the state to implement LPIs to the degree with which Hendersonville has according to Multimodal Engineer Ian Pike from Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
The City continues to actively pursue pedestrian-centric projects and looks forward to building upon these achievements in the years to come.
To view the presentation or check out the Walk Hendo Pedestrian Plan, visit https://www.hendersonvillenc.
