Aug. 31, 2026
By Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
A public input session for the “In the Loop” downtown Brevard circulation study was held Aug. 31 in the Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room where the Land of Sky regional planning organization and the City of Brevard, in partnership with the private Raleigh-based McAdams planning, design, and engineering firm, shared initial plans for a proposed downtown circulation corridor for Broad and Caldwell streets around downtown Brevard.
The Land of Sky study analyzed traffic patterns, safety trends, pedestrian activity, bicycle connections, parking, and future growth in and around downtown Brevard to explore several options for Broad and Caldwell streets.
Among the suggestions presented to elected officials Monday afternoon was a possible one-way pairing of those two major thoroughfares that would loop traffic around the center of downtown Brevard, as well as suggested updates to the existing two-way configuration.
“The purpose of this public meeting is to share what we have been working on with the Downtown Brevard Circulation Study,” explained Land of Sky Economic and Community Development coordinator Vicki Eastland. “There has been lots of analysis on traffic, safety trends, and freight movements as well as pedestrian and bicycle activity and connections. We want to share this information with the public and get feedback from the community and a better understanding from folks that use this corridor daily on their experiences. We would also like to hear what improvements they would like to see, if any, along the Caldwell and Broad Streets corridor.”
Representatives from Brevard City Council, the Transylvania County Board of Commissioners, and the N.C. Department of Transportation had a special presentation on the study Monday afternoon before the general public was invited to view renderings and information regarding the proposed downtown loop.
Heart of Brevard Executive Director Nicole Bentley said her downtown business organization has a strong interest in both what the Land of Sky RPO presented Monday night and how these potential changes could affect accessibility, economic investment, and downtown events in Brevard and Transylvania County.
“As alternatives are evaluated through the ongoing circulation study, we believe it’s equally important to understand how they could affect our locally owned businesses, future economic development, walkability and the signature events that bring our downtown to life,” Bentley explained. “Our hope is that this process leads to solutions that improve safety and mobility while preserving the historic character and sense of place that define downtown Brevard, strengthens the businesses that anchor our community today, and fosters the confidence and investment needed for downtown to thrive well into the future.”
A second public input session on the downtown circulation study has been scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29 at the Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room, 212 South Gaston Street, to begin at 5:30 p.m. and last until 7 p.m.