State Department of Transportation officials visited Princeville’s town meeting Monday night and heard Mayor Delia Perkins ask about U.S. 258.

“(U.S.) 258 from the red light gets traffic from Scotland Neck, Hobgood and Speed,” Perkins said. “Do you have any plans for that?”

The draft Edgecombe County 2035 Capacity Deficiencies map shows that stretch of road “significantly over capacity.” Capacity is at 9,000 now and projected to increase to 15,100 by 2035, according to the map.

The portion of road from the Tar River Bridge toward Princeville is at 11,600 now and projected to increase to 22,300 by 2035, also “significantly over capacity.”

Traffic engineer Julie Bollinger said the planned Daniel Street Extension “might take some of the traffic you don’t want, trucks.”

Town Manager Sam Knight also asked if Main Street could be widened from the bridge to Mullins Street when the new bridge is built. It is planned to be widened to Washington Street as part of the bridge project.

Bollinger and her supervisor Scott Walston said they would take their input back to county Transportation Planning Committee, which is preparing a Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). They also thanked Knight for Knight attending the meetings.

Edgecombe County last had a Thoroughfare Plan completed in 1997, and Tarboro and Princeville last had a thoroughfare plan completed in 1980.

In other business:

Knight said plans for Heritage Park are being finalized. He intends to see about more funding for “a small water park.”

The town manager said work on the Heritage Museum had been completed and plans for a grand opening would be announced soon.

Anyone interested in helping with the Christmas Parade should contact Town Clerk Tara Lloyd.

The mayor told Knight to contact Dr. Brown again about cleaning up her yard next to the Senior Center. “If she doesn’t cut it,” Perkins said, “we’ll cut it (and charge her $100).”

After the meeting, Knight said he hoped to have his water study completed later this week and be able to announce what the rate increase would be. Princeville buys its water from Tarboro, which raised rates 15 percent on Aug. 1.

“I think we’re looking at a 13 percent increase,” Knight said. “We have to do this so we can pay Tarboro.”