Buncombe County Launches First Pedestrian Plan for Unincorporated Areas

Buncombe County has begun work on a countywide Pedestrian Plan intended to guide where sidewalks, crosswalks and walking connections should be built in unincorporated areas. The project, which started in the summer of 2025, is expected to take about 12 months and will produce a big-picture vision linking neighborhoods to schools, job centers and other important destinations.

Community input will shape the plan from the outset. A drop-in style Pedestrian Plan community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Enka-Candler Public Library, 1404 Sand Hill Road in Candler. Additional meetings at other locations will be announced later this winter. Early outreach will include community meetings, focus groups, online surveys and targeted efforts to collect resident feedback. A Steering Committee and the broader community will provide guidance and direction before the plan is presented to the Board of Commissioners.

For Buncombe residents who walk, bike or rely on short trips to reach work, school or services, the plan represents a concrete effort to improve safety and convenience in parts of the county that lack municipal sidewalks. Decisions informed by local feedback could determine which corridors receive priority investments and how crosswalks and sidewalk networks are phased over time.

The project is funded by federal aid administered through the North Carolina Department of Transportation, a funding stream that links local priorities to state and national transportation policy. That support can leverage planning work into future construction and grant opportunities, depending on priorities identified through community engagement and Steering Committee recommendations.

To learn more about community meetings, Steering Committee opportunities, and feedback options, visit the Pedestrian Plan Engage Page. The county’s timeline and engagement approach aim to ensure that residents who live and work in unincorporated Buncombe County have a direct role in shaping walkable, connected neighborhoods as the plan moves toward completion later this year.