Asheville Reporter

To ensure the safety and security of all individuals attending the Wednesday, August 14, 2024 campaign event at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium within the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, the following roads will be closed and services impacted as early as tomorrow, August 13.

Road closures beginning Tuesday, August 13 at 12 p.m. include:

- Haywood Street from Battery Park Ave. to O’Henry Ave.

- Page Avenue from Haywood St. to Battle Square

- Walnut Street from Haywood St. to Rankin Ave.

- Hiawassee Street from Flint St. to N. Lexington Ave.

- Flint Street from Haywood St. to Cherry St.

- Vanderbilt Place

All roads are anticipated to reopen on Wednesday, August 14 around 10 p.m.

Parking availability downtown:

All City-owned parking garages will be open throughout the event. The Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville garage will be open with entry and exit access only from Rankin Ave. Additionally, the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville garage, Rankin garage and Wall Street garage will initiate event parking rates on Wednesday, August 14 beginning at 8 a.m.

The following on-street parking locations will be closed beginning the evening of August 12:

- Haywood St. between Battery Park and Page Ave.

- Page Ave. between Haywood St. and Battle Square

- Hiawassee St.

- Vanderbilt Place

- W. Walnut St.

Vehicles remaining in these closed parking spaces after 9 a.m on Tuesday, August 13 will be towed at the owner’s expense.

Routes N3 and N4 will be detoured Tuesday, August 13 from 5:00 a.m. to Wednesday, August 14 at midnight. The following stops will be missed: 881, 974, 973,975, 963, and 787.

Sanitation services moved to Tuesday, August 13:

There will be no trash or recycling collection on Wednesday August 14. All community members and businesses are asked to place bins out by Tuesday, August 13 at 5 p.m. Sanitation trucks will collect trash and recycling between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

On-going project impacts:

The night closures of Patton Ave., previously scheduled for the Carter Ann Patton Stormwater project have been postponed to Monday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 20.

The Asheville Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals attending the Trump campaign event at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville (HCCA) on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Public safety is the City’s top priority with extensive preparation in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies continuing throughout the event.

To enhance security, officers will maintain a strong presence in the HCCA area by vehicle patrols as well as foot and bicycle patrols.

The Asheville Police Department respects First Amendment rights for peaceful assembly while ensuring public safety: "We would like to remind everyone that while North Carolina law permits open carry there is an exception prohibiting possession of firearms and other dangerous weapons at parades or demonstrations on public property."

Community members are encouraged to treat each other with respect while adhering to applicable laws for a safe exercise of free speech rights.

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