Woodfin Greenway and Blueway Project Moves Forward After Years of Planning

Tropical Storm Helene carved through the planned path of the Woodfin Greenway and Blueway, washing out sections of the route along the French Broad River and forcing a redesign that has pushed the project's completion from 2025 to the end of the decade, Buncombe County officials confirmed during a Woodfin Town Council meeting on March 17.

The over 3-mile Woodfin Greenway is now expected to begin construction in 2028 and reach completion in 2029, after the greenway alignment is redesigned, right-of-way plans are finalized, and NCDOT submits new plans on the project's scope following storm damage. "Our consultant is hoping to get construction started in two years, as opposed to the original timeline to start construction this year," said Allison Dains, director of Buncombe County Parks and Recreation, noting that some areas were "washed away" by Helene.

The $11 million Woodfin Greenway is funded through the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, the county itself, and over $9 million in federal grants administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization. Additional scoping work prompted by storm damage has already cost $141,380. Timing for the separate $5 million Beaverdam Creek Greenway remains uncertain, with no timeline released pending NCDOT's completion of a new scope of work.

The project, first approved in 2017, encompasses multiple sections. "We have the Greenway portion, the Highway 251 section, as well as the Beaver Dam Creek section," Dains said. "And so it's a collaborative effort, ultimately one that all county residents will be able to enjoy." The Town of Woodfin holds responsibility for the Blueway portion and the riverside expansion, while Buncombe County Parks and Recreation supports design and construction of the greenway elements.

When completed, the greenway will connect Woodfin to the Wilma Dykeman Greenway extension, which leads into the River Arts District, becoming part of a planned network of more than 25 miles of paths centering on the French Broad River. The broader Woodfin Greenway and Blueway plan includes 5 miles of new greenways linking two parks, an in-stream whitewater feature known as Taylor's Wave, and an expansion of Riverside Park that adds 4.5 acres of formerly landfill land to create an 8.5-acre park and trail system in a census tract identified as an Area of Persistent Poverty.

Dains described the project's core aims as connectivity, health, and overall well-being outdoors. Those goals have attracted a wide coalition of funders, including the Federal Highway Administration via NCDOT, the NC Departments of Environmental Quality and Parks and Recreation, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, landowners providing easements, and private donors including the Silver family. In 2016, Woodfin voters approved a $4.5 million general obligation bond referendum to support construction.

The Town of Woodfin hired a dedicated project manager in 2021 to coordinate among all partners. That team includes Town Manager Shannon Tuch, Project and Facilities Manager Luke Williams, and Special Projects Consultant Eric Hardy. Construction on Taylor's Wave and Riverside Park had already broken ground before the storm, with those elements operating on a separate schedule from the linear greenway trail. With design and right-of-way work still ahead, the greenway path to the River Arts District remains a 2029 destination.