March 26 Update: Enhanced crosswalk committed for April · Multi-agency review underway · Action still needed.
Estes Elementary Koontz Intermediate Valley Springs Middle TC Roberson High

Our Kids Deserve
Safe Roads.

March 26 Public Safety Committee — What Happened
✅ Enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive committed — as early as April 2026.
✅ Multi-agency coordination committed — APD, Sheriff’s Office, NCDOT, and BCS will continue meeting. Community invited to participate.
❌ Parking restrictions on Pinchot declined — city says parked cars act as traffic calming. No-parking signs near intersections already exist but aren’t enforced. We’re pursuing curb extensions that physically prevent parking near crosswalk approaches — no enforcement needed.
❌ Flashing crosswalk beacon declined — city cites federal design standards restricting flashers at stop-controlled intersections. We’ve pivoted to physical solutions: raised crosswalks and curb extensions.
⏳ MSTA study still unimplemented — NCDOT delivered recommendations to Buncombe County Schools in October 2025. Five months later, implementation has not begun.

Four schools. One dangerous corridor. Two school bus crashes in under a year. NCDOT crash data shows Overlook Road at 3.2 times the statewide average for roads of its type.

The City of Asheville, NCDOT, and the Sheriff’s Office are now coordinating on this corridor. But Buncombe County Schools has had a traffic study with specific recommendations sitting on their desk since October 2025 — and hasn’t acted. They need to hear from you.

NCDOT Crash Data — Overlook Road (2022–2025)
58
Crashes
34
Injuries
3.2×
State Average

Two school bus crashes in under a year. Over half of all crashes occur during school arrival and dismissal. Zero crashes on Saturdays. 65% concentrated at one intersection — Long Shoals and Overlook. 2025 was the most severe year on record.

Source: NCDOT TEAAS Study #41000078494 · Delivered March 10, 2026

Most Impact — Takes 60 Seconds
✉  Email Superintendent Jackson
Opens your email app · Copies the full BCS Board of Education · Subject & body already written
✉  Email City Council Hold the city to its crosswalk commitment & push for MPO participation
📋  File a Traffic Report City of Asheville tracks every submission — this feeds the official record
January 30, 2026 · Pinchot Drive · Documented

A school bus carrying students struck a parked vehicle on Pinchot Drive, highlighting the dangerous conditions created when school buses must navigate two-way traffic alongside vehicles parked on both sides of the road.

April 23, 2025 · Long Shoals & Overlook · NCDOT-Verified

At 7:01 AM during school arrival, a car traveling 45 MPH struck a school bus making a left turn at the Long Shoals/Overlook intersection (NCDOT Crash #108122853). One injury. This is the exact left-turn collision pattern that dominates this intersection — and it involved a bus full of students.

Pinchot Drive & Overlook Road · NCDOT-Verified

NCDOT data confirms multiple crashes at the Pinchot Drive/Overlook Road intersection, including rear-end and angle collisions during school hours. This intersection sits at the mouth of the school corridor.

Overlook Road Corridor · NCDOT-Verified

NCDOT data shows 58 crashes on Overlook Road in four years, with 65% concentrated at the Long Shoals intersection. Left-turn collisions — drivers fighting to exit school driveways into live traffic — account for over half of all crashes.

Woodvine Drive & Pinchot Drive · Community-Reported

Multiple residents report vehicles running the stop sign at Woodvine Drive and Pinchot Drive — a direct result of cut-through drivers using the neighborhood as a shortcut during school dismissal.

What It Looks Like Every Day
Dr. Pinkerton directing traffic in the rain
Estes Elementary Principal Dr. Paula Pinkerton directs traffic in the rain — because there’s no crossing guard and no traffic officer
Parents stuck trying to exit Estes parking lot
Parents backed up inside the Estes Elementary parking lot with no way out — Overlook Road
No Parking Any Time sign with school traffic behind it
No signal, no officer — drivers attempting a left turn onto Overlook Road must wait for a gap that never comes
Wide shot -- no room for emergency vehicles to pass
No room for an emergency vehicle to pass — Pinchot Drive
Dismissal queue backed up along Pinchot Drive
Dismissal queue — Pinchot Drive
Cars parked along Pinchot Drive
Pinchot Drive during school hours
School pickup queue along Pinchot Drive
School pickup queue — Pinchot Drive
License plates blurred · Photos taken February 2026
⚠  The Problem Is Spreading

School dismissal congestion on Overlook Road is pushing drivers through Biltmore Park and surrounding streets to reach I-26. These routes were never meant for cut-through volume — and they’re creating new hazards blocks from the schools.

Bent Oak → Crocus → Red Fox → Pinchot → Olmstead → Columbine → Schenck Pkwy → Long Shoals → I-26
Burnside → Olmstead → Dearborn → Schenck Pkwy → Long Shoals → I-26
🛑

Residents report vehicles running the stop sign at Woodvine & Pinchot — a direct result of cut-through drivers using the neighborhood as a shortcut.

If you live on any of these streets, your voice matters — email Superintendent Jackson or City Council using the buttons above.

Details
What We’re Asking For
  • Buncombe County Schools: Implement the MSTA study recommendations — starting with rerouting the Estes Elementary car rider line off Overlook Road. The study was delivered in October 2025. Provide a public timeline.
  • City of Asheville: Deliver the enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive by April as committed. Install a raised crosswalk and curb extensions at Pinchot crosswalk approaches — physical improvements that improve pedestrian visibility and slow traffic without requiring enforcement. Participate in the NCDOT corridor review through the French Broad River MPO.
  • NCDOT: Complete the corridor review through the FBR MPO as committed by Division 13 Engineer Tim Anderson. Address Level of Service F intersections on Overlook Road.
  • All agencies: Continue multi-agency coordination and include community representation in those meetings.
  • Address cut-through traffic on residential streets — Bent Oak, Crocus, Red Fox, Woodvine, Olmstead, Columbine, Burnside, Dearborn, and Schenck Pkwy

✓ Committed March 26: Enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive (April 2026). Multi-agency working group continuation with community participation.

Script: Email Superintendent Jackson

To: robert.jackson@bcsemail.org
CC: Full Board of Education (see BCS Board Contacts below)
Subject: School Traffic Safety — MSTA Study Implementation

Superintendent Jackson, I am a [parent at (school) / resident of (neighborhood)] writing about the South Buncombe school corridor — Overlook Road, Pinchot Drive, Springside Road, and Long Shoals Road — serving Estes Elementary, Koontz Intermediate, Valley Springs Middle, and TC Roberson High. Two school buses have crashed on this corridor in under a year. NCDOT crash data shows Overlook Road at 3.2 times the statewide average for roads of its type. NCDOT’s MSTA unit completed a Traffic Operations Study for all four schools in October 2025 and delivered it to Buncombe County Schools. That study recommends rerouting the Estes Elementary car rider line off Overlook Road — a change that would significantly reduce daily conflict between parent vehicles, school buses, and pedestrians. Five months later, implementation has not begun. The City of Asheville, the Sheriff’s Office, and NCDOT are all actively working on this corridor. Buncombe County Schools needs to do the same. I’m asking you to provide a public timeline for implementing the MSTA recommendations, starting with the Estes car rider reroute. [Add one personal sentence — e.g., “My child rides the bus on this corridor every day.”] Sincerely, [Name · Address]
Script: Email City Council

To: ashevillenccouncil@ashevillenc.gov
Subject: School Traffic Safety — Follow Through on March 26 Commitments

Dear Asheville City Council, I am a [parent at (school) / resident of (neighborhood)] following up on the South Buncombe school corridor discussed at the March 26 Public Safety Committee meeting. Two school buses have crashed on this corridor in under a year. NCDOT crash data shows Overlook Road at 3.2 times the statewide average. At the March 26 meeting, the city traffic engineer committed to an enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive as early as April. I’m asking Council to ensure that commitment is met on schedule. I’m also asking the city to install a raised crosswalk and curb extensions at Pinchot crosswalk approaches — physical improvements that protect pedestrians without requiring enforcement — and to participate fully in the NCDOT corridor review through the French Broad River MPO. The Sheriff’s Office, NCDOT, and Buncombe County Schools are all engaged. The city needs to match that urgency. [Add one personal sentence] Sincerely, [Name · Address]
BCS Board of Education Contacts

Superintendent: Robert Jackson

NameDistrict
Rob Elliot (Chair)District 3
Kim Plemmons (Vice-Chair)District 6
Ann FranklinDistrict 1
Greg CheathamDistrict 2
Amy Churchill ★District 4
Judy LewisDistrict 5
Charles Martin ★At-Large

★ Amy Churchill and Charles Martin have been actively engaged on school traffic safety in this corridor.

City Council Contacts

Email all at once: ashevillenccouncil@ashevillenc.gov

NameRole
Esther ManheimerMayor
Antanette Mosley ★★Vice Mayor
Kim Roney ★★Council Member
Bo Hess ★★Council Member
Sheneika SmithCouncil Member
Sage TurnerCouncil Member
Maggie UllmanCouncil Member

★★ Vice Mayor Mosley connected us with the City Manager’s Office. Kim Roney has personally visited the school corridor and is actively engaged. Bo Hess was engaged at the March 26 committee meeting and pushed for concrete solutions.

Buncombe County Commissioners

Pinchot and Springside are City roads. Overlook and Long Shoals are NCDOT. Schools are Buncombe County. No single agency owns the full problem — make sure none of them can point at the others.

CommissionerDistrict
Amanda EdwardsChair
Al WhitesidesDistrict 1
Jennifer HortonDistrict 1
Martin MooreDistrict 2
Terri WellsDistrict 2
Daryl BallDistrict 3
Parker SloanDistrict 3
Official Crash Data — NCDOT Verified

The data is in. On March 10, 2026, NCDOT delivered official crash data from the state’s TEAAS database for this corridor. The numbers confirm what this community has been saying.

Overlook Road (Long Shoals to Springside/Pinchot, 0.55 miles): 58 crashes in four years. 34 injuries. $398,700 in property damage. Crash rate: 742 per 100 million vehicle miles — 3.2 times the NC statewide average. Left-turn collisions account for over half of all crashes. Over half of all crashes occur during the school arrival and dismissal window (7–9 AM, 2–4 PM). Zero crashes on Saturdays — this is a school-day pattern. 65% of crashes are concentrated at the Long Shoals/Overlook intersection. 2025 was the most severe year on record for injuries (16) and property damage ($150,300).

Long Shoals/Overlook Intersection: 56 crashes. 31 injuries. $349,000 in damage. Left turns and rear-end collisions account for 71% of crashes at this intersection. On April 23, 2025, a car traveling 45 MPH struck a school bus making a left turn at 7:01 AM during school arrival (Crash #108122853) — one injury.

Springside Road (Hendersonville Rd to Overlook, 0.8 miles): 18 crashes. 9 injuries. $192,500 in damage. Crash rate: 513 per 100 million VMT — 2.2 times the statewide average.

Pinchot Drive (Overlook to Holt/Woodvine, 0.32 miles): 5 reported crashes plus the January 30, 2026 bus collision (not yet in the database). Crash rate: 335 per 100 million VMT — 1.4 times the statewide average for a residential street.

Source: NCDOT TEAAS Studies #41000078494, #41000078493, #41000078495, #41000078522 · Period: Jan 2022–Dec 2025 · NC statewide average: 233 per 100 MVMT

Download Source Data (PDF)

Overlook Road · 58 crashes · 15 pages
Long Shoals / Overlook Intersection · 56 crashes · 13 pages
Springside Road · 18 crashes · 11 pages
Pinchot Drive · 5 crashes · 8 pages

Official NCDOT Traffic Engineering Accident Analysis System reports. Unmodified.

Recent Progress

March 26, 2026 — Public Safety Committee Hearing

The committee heard the corridor. City traffic engineer committed to an enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive as early as April. Parking restrictions and flashing crosswalk beacon were declined. APD presented speed studies and framed the issue as a school operations problem. Sheriff Quentin Miller attended and was the strongest voice pushing for urgent action. Multi-agency working group committed to continued meetings with community participation. NCDOT Division 13 MPO review was referenced in public comment. Both the Biltmore Park HOA and Oak Forest HOA submitted formal letters of support.

March 19, 2026 — State Traffic Study Confirms Failing Intersections

An NCDOT Traffic Operations Study completed in October 2025 examined all four schools and the surrounding road network. Key findings: multiple intersections along Overlook Road already received a failing grade for traffic flow — the worst rating possible. Long Shoals Road at Overlook, which carries 38,000 cars a day, is expected to get worse. The study recommends rerouting Estes car rider traffic off Overlook Road — but the recommendation was shelved because of funding.

March 10, 2026 — NCDOT Crash Data Delivered

NCDOT’s official crash database confirms Overlook Road’s crash rate is 3.2 times the statewide average. 58 crashes, 34 injuries, nearly $400,000 in damage — over half during school hours. Full data in “Official Crash Data” above.

March 9, 2026 — Your Emails Are Working

Council is hearing you. Council Member Kim Roney has personally visited the corridor during peak hours and confirmed Council is receiving significant community contact.

Earlier: City Manager’s Office workgroup convened (March 2) · APD enforcement response (Feb 24) · Traffic calming study formally initiated (Feb 2026)

FAQs

What happened at the March 26 meeting?
The city committed to an enhanced crosswalk on Pinchot Drive, potentially as early as April. Our requests for parking restrictions and a flashing crosswalk beacon were declined. APD presented speed studies and framed the issue as a school operations problem. A multi-agency working group committed to continued meetings, and community participation has been invited. Sheriff Miller attended and was the strongest advocate for urgent action.

Why are we now emailing the superintendent?
NCDOT delivered a traffic study to Buncombe County Schools in October 2025 with specific recommendations, including rerouting the Estes car rider line off Overlook Road. Five months later, nothing has been implemented. APD’s own presentation to the committee stated that the study’s recommendations are the responsibility of the school system. BCS needs to act on what’s in front of them.

Is this a city or county issue?
Both — which is why it hasn’t been fixed. Pinchot and Springside are City roads; Overlook and Long Shoals are NCDOT; schools are Buncombe County. No single agency owns the full problem. The Jackson email puts pressure on BCS; the Council email keeps the city accountable for its commitments.

I don’t have kids at these schools. Does this affect me?
Yes — if you live in Biltmore Park or nearby. Cut-through school traffic is now using residential streets to reach I-26, with stop sign violations reported at Woodvine and Pinchot.

Will one email really make a difference?
Yes — and we have proof. Council Member Kim Roney confirmed the volume of community emails is being noticed. The Jackson email also copies the entire Board of Education — so seven elected officials see every message.

What’s a realistic timeline?
The enhanced crosswalk is committed for April 2026. The multi-agency meetings are ongoing. The MPO corridor review is committed but not yet scheduled. The MSTA study recommendations could be acted on now — the only barrier is BCS prioritizing them. The goal is to prevent these commitments from fading into bureaucratic inertia.