Two Major Roads In Clayton Are Getting New Names

CLAYTON – Beginning February 10, two major roads in Clayton and Johnston County will receive new names as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) redesignation of the US 70 Bypass to Interstate 42 (I-42). The changes include renaming NC 42 West to Veterans Parkway, US 70 Business to Clayton Boulevard, and also a portion of S Lombard Street to Veterans Parkway.

“We understand that road name changes are an inconvenience, and we want to assure residents and businesses that these changes are not something the Town of Clayton or Johnston County sought to implement. However, they have become necessary due to the introduction of I-42 in our region,” said Town of Clayton Communication Director Nathanael Shelton.

The redesignation of US 70 to I-42 necessitates renaming these roads to eliminate potential confusion. For example, without renaming NC 42 West, its intersection with I-42 could cause confusion, particularly for emergency responders. Additionally, the US 70 Business designation cannot remain because it no longer has a “parent” US 70. By naming these roads now, the Town of Clayton and Johnston County aim to ensure long-term stability for residents and businesses, avoiding repeated address changes in the future.

“The intersection of similar road designations, such as NC 42 and I-42, would create confusion and delay emergency response times, which we are committed to avoiding,” said Shelton. “These changes are necessary to ensuring public safety and maintaining clear, consistent navigation for all who live in, work in, or visit our community.”

For most residents and businesses, only the street name will change, while house and building numbers will remain the same. For example, 1234 US 70 Business will become 1234 Clayton Boulevard, and 4567 NC 42 W will be 4567 Veterans Parkway. An exception applies to a small portion of S Lombard Street, which will become Veterans Parkway between Barber Mill Road and US 70 Business. Both the street name and numbers will change to align with the other addresses along Veterans Parkway.

Those directly impacted by the road name changes are encouraged to begin updating their addresses on Feb. 1 with service providers, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and delivery and subscription services like Amazon, Walmart, etc.
To assist the community, an interactive map of affected addresses and detailed project information is available at townofclaytonnc.org/roadrename.