Smithfield To Host Public Meeting On Downtown Traffic Changes
SMITHFIELD, N.C. — Plans to remove on-street parking along a busy stretch of Market Street and make traffic changes in downtown Smithfield will be the focus of a public meeting.
The Town of Smithfield will host a joint meeting with the town’s NCDOT Task Force on Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m. in the Smithfield Town Hall council chambers, 350 W. Market Street. Downtown business owners and interested residents are encouraged to attend.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced plans to remove on-street parking along East Market Street (U.S. 70 Business) between Second and North Seventh streets as a safety measure.
State transportation officials cite more than 500 crashes along the corridor during a recent five-year period, many involving parked vehicles that were struck or sideswiped.
In response, the Town of Smithfield and the Market Street Task Force have been working with NCDOT on a plan addressing downtown traffic and parking.
One proposal calls for creating one-way street pairs along downtown portions of Second and Third streets. Town officials say the change could improve traffic flow, enhance safety and create opportunities for additional downtown parking.
During the meeting, officials plan to:
- Share project plans and roadway improvements
- Provide updates on traffic and safety changes
- Discuss the proposed one-way street configuration downtown
- Answer questions from business owners and community members
Town officials are encouraging downtown stakeholders and residents to attend the meeting to learn more about the proposed changes and how they could affect the downtown area.
RELATED STORY: Smithfield Approves Plan Removing Market Street Parking, Creating One-Way Streets
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Could Town of Smithfield and NC DOT designate a truck route around the downtown area? Angled parking is not ideal and the lots are too small particularly on days when court is in session. Local businesses will lose business.
A truckroute around Smithfield is much needed, and the town’s proposal to re-classify two-way streets as one-way with angled parking is asinine. It takes community involvement to make DOT back down, but it can happen. DOT tried to bully its way through Pinehurst and its circular arrival to town. Pinehurst residents showed DOT the door. Smithfield needs to do the same.
There is a route for the trucks. Durwood Stephenson pkwy. The NCDOT tried talking to the town of Smithfield and they wouldn’t. So, the state took action. Remember, when you walk into a court room with your little 2 or 3 lawyers. The state will walk in with 10. And its not Bullying, it is keeping the citizens of Smithfield safe. But you don’t care about that. All you care about is convenience and your ego!
Around means go thru Selma..
Trucks can go Durwood Stephenson to Ava Gardner or swift creek to 70. No reason to have to travel through town. They are tearing up downtown and causing all the heartache.
Smithfield needs a centrally located Parking Deck, if they are going to do away with Market Street Parking.
Parking deck would be nothing but an outdoor homeless shelter after 6 pm
The meeting will be basically the DOT telling the Mayberry Task Force what they are going to do with Market Street, period!
Whatever the town does with the side streets they could care less about.
Using M Durwood pkwy is easier than navigating through town anyway getting to 95 or 301 and Buffalo rd, truck traffic should be taking advantage of that route.
What Smithfield really needs is entrance/exit ramps from Gardner and I-95 to I-42. This would alleviate the heavy traffic. Should have been done when the roads were built to start with. I think the “flyover” excluded Smithfield/Selma deliberately.