Members of the Brevard ETAB (Ecusta Trail Advisory Board) discussed bridges, connecting the Ecusta Trail to the Estatoe Trail, and other issues at their meeting on Wednesday, May 29.

Chris Burns, Henderson County’s representative on the ETAB, reported that all of the pilings for the bridges on the first six miles (Ecusta East) have been driven and four of the six bridge abutments are in place. As a result, the bridges should be installed in August and the first six miles is on schedule to be open in December.

Burns also reported that part of the federal funds can be used for amenities, some of which are now under design, and that design permitting for the next 6 miles in Henderson County (Ecusta West) has begun. That phase will include the bridge over the French Broad River between Horseshoe and Etowah.

“Things are moving very nicely at this point,” said Burns.

Lonnie Watkins of NCDOT reported that three of the bridges along the trail could possibly be modified or repurposed instead of being replaced. The advantages of modifying the three bridges are: the bridge spans would be shorter, older aesthetics would remain, and the cost would be $500,000 less than having new bridges.

“They are in pretty solid condition,” said Watkins of the three bridges.

Paul Ray of the Brevard Planning Department said the city had hoped it could repurpose the current bridge over the Davidson River, but has since learned from engineers that it needs to be replaced.
Ray said bridge engineers informed him that repurposing three of the bridges would save about $1 million.

Ray said other advantages to keeping the older bridges is that they would need to be inspected less, repairs would be less expensive since redundant support structures have been built into the older bridges, and the bridges would be grandfathered in floodplain regulations.

He agreed with Larry Chapman, who represents the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners on the ETAB, that all costs, including amenities, would need to be considered in deciding whether or not to replace or modify the three bridges.

Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof said she would like to see the pros and cons of replacing or repurposing the bridges, as well as the cost differences, presented at the next ETAB meeting.

Watkins also said they have begun making a short list of amenities and where they may potentially be located on the trail.

As she did regarding the bridges, Copelof also requested that NCDOT present the list of amenities included in the trail design, as well as the first 30 percent of the design for the Transylvania County section of the trail, at the next meeting. She added that the city needs the final 30 percent design completed before the city begins its public engagement sessions this summer.

“None of us have seen the design,” said Copelof.

Regarding the western end of the trail, Watkins said there are four possible options for connecting the Ecusta Trail to the existing Estatoe Trail, and the city needs to select an option in the coming week. Two of the options would require the attainment of right-of-way. Watkins said the federal grant money could not be used to acquire right-of-way, but possibly could be used to have the two trails connect.

The proposed Ecusta Trail ends about 400-500 feet from the existing Estatoe Trail.

Aaron Baker, who also sits on the Brevard City Council as well as the ETAB, presented a draft resolution that would have the western terminus of the Ecusta Trail be on Main Street in downtown Brevard. He said the draft is “more of a vision document.”

If the terminus of the trail is on Main Street, the city would have to make some changes to its Estatoe Trail – such as its width – in order to look like the Ecusta Trail.

Brevard City Manager Wilson Hooper informed the ETAB that he had met with city staff and a former city manager who serves as a mentor to discuss providing services and governance of the Ecusta Trail. He said the city council and other organizations need to meet and determine who is going to be making future decisions, especially since numerous decisions are “coming down the pike pretty fast.”

Hooper said the city needs to consult with Henderson County regarding the level of services the municipalities will provide regarding the trail, and added that governance of the trail might be different once construction of the trail is completed.

Hooper said they also discussed multi-jurisdictional agreements, including ones that worked and ones that did not. He added that government entities have MOUs with each other but sign contracts with private entities.

As a result of the need for multi-organizational cooperation in regard to governance, it was suggested and agreed upon that the Brevard City Council, ETAB and City of Brevard Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee meet together. A tentative joint meeting of the three groups will be held Wednesday, June 26, at 1:30 p.m. in the Brevard City Council chambers. That meeting will replace the regularly scheduled ETAB meeting.

By John Lanier