Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers:

Question: Even with all the recent — and deserved — hurrahs with the opening of the new gates at Asheville Regional Airport, the airport has been suspiciously quiet about how long it intends to have the pickup for Uber and Lyft (and taxis) in a distant, remote parking area. Do they ever plan to bring it closer to the terminal again? Or is this a permanent move? It doesn’t seem very hospitable for area residents and visitors to our fair community. I’ve even seen people walking from the terminal all the way to the south remote lot rather than waiting for the shuttle bus.

My answer: Sure, this is not ideal, but it does fit well with the airport’s new marketing slogan: “AVL: Get your 10,000 steps in with us before you fly!”

Real answer: The airport did indeed mark a major milestone in late June with the opening of its new North Concourse and TSA security check point. Construction on the new concourse officially broke ground on August 11, 2023, and the $400 million project, called “AVL Forward,” has remained on time and on budget, according to the airport’s website, flyavl.com.

The new facility will be 150 percent larger than the old one. 

The airport had 2.2 million passengers in 2024, “marking the second consecutive year over 2 million passengers traveled through the Airport,” according to the flyavl.com page about the terminal project. “In the last decade, AVL has seen record-breaking passenger traffic in most of the years, and from 2013 to 2023, nearly tripled its nonstop destinations from 10 to 27.”

So yes, the airport is booming. And with that comes some growing pains, as we’ve mentioned before regarding complaints about cell phone lots and other issues.

“Asheville Regional Airport understands that during this time of construction there have been and will continue to be pinch points in our passenger journey,” Asheville Regional Airport spokesperson Angi Daus said via email. “AVL is grateful to the community for their understanding and patience during this time.”

Now, regarding the rideshare situation. The parking lot is a good haul from the terminal, well to the south and even beyond the Marathon Station on Airport Road.

“The current rideshare and taxi pick up area is an example of a temporary solution to a much needed passenger service,” Daus said. “Although we recognize it is not ideal, this location will remain during the entirety of the construction process unless a more ideal location becomes available.”

Daus said “space constraints, public parking demands, and the support of safe and efficient traffic flow in front of the terminal” are the factors in play here.

“This temporary location will change,” Daus said. “However, the timeline and details of that change is dependent on a wide range of variables.”

The airport will send out updates on its social media channels and the flyavl.com website.

The entire AVL Forward project is slated to finish in about two and a half years.

“Looking ahead, the next milestone will come at the end of August when the rental car check-in counters move out of temporary trailers and into the Legacy Terminal’s ticket lobby,” the airport website noted. “This move will clear the way for the continued expansion of baggage claim and the construction of a new rental car lobby adjacent to baggage claim.”

Question: There has been a streetlight down on Kimberly Avenue, close to the stop sign at Griffing Boulevard, since Helene hit in September. It’s been lying there peacefully on its side for about nine months. Can you work your usual magic? Or let me know the person in the city responsible for getting it back up on its feet?

My answer: First of all, lying peacefully on one’s side for nine months sounds strangely enticing to me at this point in my life.

Real answer: “The City of Asheville was made aware of this damaged light pole through the Asheville App recently,” city spokesperson Jessica Hughes told me July 10. “Duke Energy maintains this light pole, so our staff sent the information to Duke, who generated a work order to fix it.”

Duke Energy told the city’s traffic engineer that “additional work is required that will extend beyond the normal five-day repair time, and a temporary light pole will be installed in the near future until a matching pole can be installed,” Hughes added.

One of our photographers swung by this intersection Thursday morning, and it looks like that temporary pole is up, so at least some magic is happening here.

Duke Energy spokesperson Logan Stewart said the city’s account is accurate.

“We are currently working to integrate new smart technology that — when fully operational — will notify us when lights are out,” Stewart said. “Until then, we rely on the public to help notify us when they see streetlights out as we have historically done.

Most times these lights do get fixed more quickly.

“Generally, when we need to repair an underground cable for a streetlight, it takes approximately 10 additional business days, and if we have to totally replace it, up to 20 additional business days,” Stewart said Thursday. “We are currently working with the City of Asheville on a potential plan to improve the lights and poles along Kimberly Avenue, and as part of that we have ordered a specific type of permanent pole to replace the damaged pole mentioned (above). That pole is currently in transit and we should have it installed in about a week or two.”

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Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.

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