Extension of Front Street Near Reality

As the Clayton East Village development, which includes almost 300 home sites and a commercial district, moves closer to getting started, so does work on an extension of Front Street.

The new Front Street, long a part of the town's Transportation Plan, will extend from the Post Office eastward all the way to NC 42 East, opening up a connector to the post office that doesn't cross a railroad track. It will become a local gateway between Downtown and local residents.

“This is important for local traffic flow, and also for the unobstructed movement of emergency response crews to areas north of the railroad,” said Planning Director James L. “Skip” Browder.

The extension, which will be built to town standards as a part of the new development, also includes sidewalks and a greenway, which will improve pedestrian access to downtown as well. The street will also get some “traffic calming” features to combat speeding on the existing section of the street.

The connection between the existing dead end of Front Street with newer development, including commercial properties, is likely to promote a sense of prosperity and new possibilities for growth and redevelopment along this promonent gateway to the north side of Downtown Clayton. The project represents the sort of success that can be achieved through good planning, persistence, and public-private cooperation.

For more information on the project, visit the Planning Department at The Clayton Center.