Answer Man: Will Chestnut Street potholes get fixed? Pre-Check coming to AVL?

Today’s batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck answers and the real deal:

Question: I live at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Furman Avenue. Chestnut is a very busy and narrow artery. It runs between Harris Teeter and Trader Joe’s, and it borders bed and breakfast inns, churches, homes and commercial buildings. Chestnut Street is very dangerous to the general public, and to motor vehicles. It has a horrible amount of potholes, uneven pavement and unsuccessful attempts at pavement patches. Avoiding the potholes, parked cars and vehicles coming in the opposite direction, as well as crossing very busy intersecting streets, is like trying to manage a very difficult obstacle course. When will the city of Asheville pave Chestnut Street? Navigating Chestnut Street is like driving in a Third World country! Does the city have any other improvements planned for Chestnut Street?

My answer: Have you driven in a Third World country? Because their access to Trader Joe's is vastly superior to what we have here.

Real answer: As a frequent driver of Chestnut Street myself, I sympathize with this reader. It's a mess.

But let's move on to the city sources.

"The great news is that Chestnut Street is slated to be repaved this year," said city of Asheville spokeswoman Polly McDaniel. "Currently, Chestnut Street from Broadway to Montford Avenue is under contract to be paved, and the work is scheduled to begin this spring."

Further, a contract to repave Chestnut Street from Broadway to Charlotte Street is under review, she said.

"The work on that section is expected to happen this summer," McDaniel said. "In the meantime, the city is patching the potholes."

Asheville Streets Division Manager Chad Bandy said his department in recent weeks has "dispatched pothole repairs in many areas," including the Chestnut Street area.

"The freeze-thaw cycle has produced many potholes this time of the year," he said. "The city has an online app and responsive desktop/mobile site called the Asheville App where residents can report issues such as potholes, a tree down, things of that nature."

You can find it at http://www.ashevillenc.gov/live/get/mobile_app.htm

Or download the Asheville App for free on your smartphone.

You can take a photo of the problem and submit your request by name or anonymously. You can also track the progress of the issue on the app.

I saw a couple of whopper potholes over there Tuesday, by the way.

Question: With Asheville Regional Airport having just had another record year of passenger traffic, why doesn't it offer a dedicated TSA PreCheck line through security? I know the standard answer will probably be something like "Most of the time, it's not needed," or that the airport does offer expedited screening for those with PreCheck. But not being able to use it when there IS a long line through security is frustrating, and even when there isn't a line those passengers with PreCheck still have to remove their liquids, laptops, etc. Thus, there's little advantage to having PreCheck. Is there any hope that AVL will soon have a dedicated PreCheck lane?

My answer: I've always found if you remove your liquids in front of the screeners, you get a special invitation to a private room for a serious talk.

Real answer: They're trying.

"The growth at AVL has been phenomenal, and we recognize the need for added amenities like TSA PreCheck," said Asheville Regional Airport spokeswoman Tina Kinsey. "We are actively working on this initiative for our travelers."

While it may seem like a simple add-on, it gets complicated.

"What many travelers don’t know is that there are specific rules around implementing TSA PreCheck, including the requirement that a dedicated screening lane and its equipment can only be used for TSA PreCheck (and not for routine screening of passengers)," Kinsey said. "The airport is working with the TSA to try and obtain additional equipment and personnel resources to staff an added lane for TSA PreCheck. We are hopeful that TSA will add a PreCheck lane, and we will keep the community updated as we know more."

With its increased traffic, the airport is well aware of the need for quicker screenings.

"The good news is that — even when lines appear longer than usual — TSA is able to efficiently screen passengers," Kinsey said. "And we do have expedited screening available for our PreCheck passengers, which means they don’t have to remove shoes, belts or light jackets."

And she slipped in a quick reminder: the industry standard is to arrive at any airport two hours before a domestic flight.

This is the opinion of John Boyle. Contact him at 232-5847 or jboyle@citizen-times.com