Patton Avenue Pedestrians / Hillcrest crosswalk .

Asheville used to have affordable grocery stores on the north and south side and they also used to have the cross walk open from Hillcrest to the opposite side of the bridge. Due to "drug related issues" they closed this cross walk. Now we have people that live mostly on the downtown side of the bridge trying to shop on Patton avenue but also having to cross the expressway to get in and out of Hillcrest. Now, all of us know that drugs are always going to be there so why bother with closing the cross walk. People that come to the hill for drugs will get there one way or another. Closing this cross walk has done nothing to help reduce drug traffic or eliminate drug traffic. Instead it has been an expense to the city to build it and then close it and now people on the Hill or near that neighborhood have no way except risking their lives crossing the expressway to get to and from where they are going on Patton. Open the friggin' crossway! Make the city more pedestrian and biker friendly. This is ridiculous. While you're at it run a trolley down the center of Patton ave.