WEAVERVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Community members in Weaverville are speaking out in support of an old pedestrian bridge over Merrimon Avenue.
Demolition of the bridge had been scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, but that plan is now on hold. Property owners say the bridge has historical value.
According to the Dry Ridge Historical Museum, the bridge dates back to 1909, when it was built by the Coleman family, who owned property on both sides of what is now Merrimon Avenue.
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At the time, there was a trolley below the bridge that ran between Weaverville and Asheville.
The bridge allowed the Coleman family to move between their properties without crossing the tracks.
“In order to make that accessible on both sides, after they dug out the trolley line, the state put up a bridge between the now two pieces of property, same family,” said Erika Franzi, one of the current owners of the property.
MARCH 11, 2026 -{ }Community members in Weaverville are speaking out in support of an old pedestrian bridge over Merrimon Avenue. (Photo: Dry Ridge Historical Museum)
Now, the property is owned by the Conrad family. The bridge itself is no longer accessible, but the family argues it still deserves to be preserved.
“But for us, it’s less about the utility of the bridge and more about just, you know, not swooping in and taking down a piece of our history,” Franzi said.
They are not alone in their efforts to keep the bridge standing.
MARCH 11, 2026 -Community members in Weaverville are speaking out in support of an old pedestrian bridge over Merrimon Avenue. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
“That bridge survived Helene. So, you have to give it some credit. In other words, it’s not imminent that it’s falling,” said local resident Addie Blum.
The bridge did sustain damage during Hurricane Helene, but not enough to cause it to collapse. However, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) says the bridge is still unsafe.
“Based on the most recent bridge inspection, as well as a couple other factors, NCDOT engineers determined the best course of action is to remove that structure,” said David Uchiyama, communications officer for NCDOT.
MARCH 11, 2026 -Community members in Weaverville are speaking out in support of an old pedestrian bridge over Merrimon Avenue. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
The bridge had been scheduled for demolition on Tuesday. But after significant community pushback, the transportation department paused the project.
“We’re going to examine other potential opportunities, present those to the town, and determine the best outcome,” Uchiyama said.
The Conrad family says they understand the safety concerns but hope repairs could be made instead of removing the bridge entirely.
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“Someone who doesn’t know the situation may look at that bridge and think, well, you know what? This isn’t a monument, but it is. And the reason that it’s in the condition it’s in now is because the state hasn’t maintained it in a few years,” Franzi said.
An NCDOT spokesperson said they are working with the family to determine who ultimately has the authority to decide the bridge’s future.
The Conrad family claims they hold the bridge in perpetuity after purchasing the property from the Coleman family.
