Here's a road project that

shouldn't be overlooked

I'm disappointed that Smithfield's leaders continue to bypass a road-improvement project that would greatly improve traffic flow while boosting the economy of Downtown Smithfield.

I'm talking about widening Market Street to five lanes from Bright Leaf Boulevard to I-95. Obviously, that would include replacing the railroad underpass --- an undertaking that would add considerable cost to the project.

Even so, these things have been done numerous times throughout the state of North Carolina in recent times. Why not us?

Already we're seeing traffic back-ups at the two-lane bottleneck beneath the railroad tracks, especially for westbound traffic held up by the traffic signals at Bright Leaf Boulevard.

And wouldn't it be good for Downtown Smithfield businesses if they were better connected to the town's "front door" for visitors from I-95 and the outlets?

Here's a wild idea: Instead of demolishing the massive concrete underpass and replacing it with a wider structure, keep it in place and construct two single-lane overpasses on either side. That way, traffic on the inside lanes would continue to go under the tracks while traffic on the outside lanes would use the overpasses.

Crazy? Yes. But what a "tourist attraction" it could be!

Smithfield's confusing streets

The Town Council's approval this week of a request to "close" a block of Meadowbrook Drive that was never built, nor will be built, reminds me of South Smithfield's confusing street names.

The block of street that isn't there between South First and Vermont streets leaves Meadowbrook Drive with two disconnected segments, creating confusion for deliveries and visitors, not to mention emergency responders. Too bad there aren't two names for those separate streets.

Elsewhere in that part of town are several streets with multiple segments that don't join up. Crescent Drive is the most confusing of the lot with five sections that appear to be five different streets.

Thank goodness for phone "apps" and such that can lead folks to addresses they're looking for. But for those of us who like to "follow our nose" to reach a destination, Smithfield's street-naming scheme is a mess.

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