Smithfield reviews downtown transportation study proposing wider sidewalks, parking changes and one-way options

A consultant team hired by the North Carolina Department of Transportation presented a final Downtown Smithfield Transportation Study to the Town of Smithfield Council on March 4, outlining alternatives to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow on US 70 Business through downtown.

The study team, led by Candace Andre of VHB, reported that the US 70 Business corridor has a higher-than-expected crash rate and projected growing delays through 2050 if no work is done. "We've seen over 500 crashes in 5 years, and 50% of those are sideswipes to parked motor vehicles," Andre said, adding that more than 80% of those crashes were property-damage-only.

Why it matters: The corridor is the town's main street and also a state highway; changes could alter parking close to storefronts, shift traffic patterns onto neighborhood streets and require state, federal or grant funding. Council members and residents repeatedly raised concerns about lost parking, effects on nearby residential streets and the need for quick, interim fixes.

Study highlights and recommendations

The study area runs roughly from the Neuse River to Brightleaf Boulevard. The project team analyzed existing conditions, public outreach results, traffic operations, parking counts and alternatives. Key findings and…