Lower speeds on South Madison and no parking on part of Franklin Street are on the agenda Tuesday for Whiteville City Council.
The N.C. Dept. of Transportation (NCDOT) has asked that the city support dropping the speed limit on South Madison from the Lee/Franklin intersection to Love Mill Road. In a memo to the board, City Manager Darren Currie said DOT wants to lower the speed limit to make vehicles slow down as they approach the new roundabout at the Lee/Franklin intersection.
The speed limit along South Madison is 45 miles per hour from the Soules Swamp Bridge to Love Mill, 20 through the downtown area and 35 mph past Columbus Street heading north. The proposal would drop the 45 mph section to 35.
In an unrelated matter, the council is being asked to prohibit parking from East Main to Walter Street on both sides of Frankling. Traffic to and from the License Plate agency is causing “severe safety issues,” according to the agenda, prompting complaints to the city and NCDOT.
City staff noted that visibility can be obscured for motorists leaving the agency and Merritt’s Sporting Goods, creating a traffic hazard. Parking is available both on the property and in the free lot across Franklin.
