Brevard/Transylvania County Ecusta Trail Advisory Board Meeting: January 25, 2023

In Henderson County news, the advisory committee (RTAC) approved the latest engineering design for the Henderson segment of the Ecusta Trail (ET), opening the door to permitting and construction. Work is expected to start July 2023, with a paved trail completed from downtown Hendersonville to Horse Shoe by the end of this year.  

Mark Tooley (Conserving Carolina) reported that removal of the train trestle over the Davidson River will begin February 1, 2023.  This project should be complete within a few weeks. Paul Ray (Brevard Planning Department) interjected that floodplain development permits must be issued prior to the start of demolition.

Larry Chapman noted that Mayor Copelof will attend the next meeting of the Transylvania Board of Commissioners to request a letter of support for the City of Brevard’s RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant proposal.  Clark Lovelace mentioned that the Tourism Development Authority of Transylvania (TDA) was also preparing a letter of support.  Clark also noted that 2023 is designated as “North Carolina Year of the Trail”. The TDA is adding a web page devoted to ET, including a blog series.  Due to the proximity of Trail construction, discussion followed about the need to convene a meeting of the two counties in order to plan for branding and signage consistency across the length of the trail.

In other news, Kristin Cozza, the new Trail and Greenways Coordinator at Conserving Carolina, introduced herself, expressing her excitement to be a part of this project. 

Next meeting of this advisory board occurs February 22, 2023 at 3:30pm.