After intense community pushback, the North Carolina Department of Transportation paused its scheduled demolition of a historic footbridge in Weaverville with ties to the town’s electric trolley era.
The footbridge, which dates back to the 1950s, has been deemed unsafe by the NC DOT.
“It does not serve any function — not for pedestrians, not for cyclists,” said David Uchiyama, NC DOT western communications manager. “However, we are temporarily pausing removal of the steel-and-timber structure following conversations with the town, community members and adjacent land owners.”
A link to the trolley era
The bridge was originally constructed when the Asheville & East Tennessee Railroad extended electric trolley service between Asheville to Weaverville in the early 20th-century. Developed under R. S. Howland, the line followed a corridor that roughly parallels today’s Merrimon Avenue and operated until 1922…