Johnston County, NC: Strategic Mobility, Freight Corridors, and Community-Centered Transit Evolution

Strategic Location at the Heart of North Carolina’s Growth Corridor

Johnston County, North Carolina, sits at a pivotal intersection of economic expansion, population growth, and multi-modal infrastructure investment. Between 2010 and 2022, its population surged from 168,876 to 225,945—a 33.8% increase per U.S. Census Bureau estimates—making it one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. This growth is not organic in isolation; it is directly enabled by transportation assets including Interstate 40, U.S. Highway 70, the Norfolk Southern rail corridor, and proximity to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), located just 18 miles northwest of Smithfield. Unlike purely residential exurbia, Johnston County functions as a logistics node: 42% of all county-based businesses are in warehousing, distribution, or transportation services, according to the Johnston County Economic Development Corporation’s 2023 Business Profile Report. Major employers—including Walmart’s 1.2-million-square-foot Regional Fulfillment Center in Clayton, FedEx Ground’s 225,000-square-foot hub near US-70 and NC-210, and Amazon’s 850,000-square-foot Sortation Center in Benson—rely on precise, high-capacity movement of goods and people. This article details how county leadership, NC DOT, and regional partners are aligning road upgrades, freight rail modernization, public transit expansion, and active transportation networks to sustainably accommodate current demand while preparing for projected 2040 population levels exceeding 310,000.

Interstate 40 and US-70: The Twin Arteries of Regional Connectivity

I-40 and US-70 form the backbone of Johnston County’s mobility system—not merely as through-routes, but as integrated economic corridors anchoring development. I-40 spans 32.7 miles across the county from the Wake County line near Knightdale to the Wayne County border east of Goldsboro. Its average daily traffic volume (ADT) exceeds 72,000 vehicles between Exit 302 (Clayton Bypass) and Exit 309 (Smithfield), per 2023 NC DOT Traffic Monitoring Program data. US-70, though older and more fragmented, carries critical freight and commuter loads: the segment from Garner to Goldsboro sees ADT of 28,400, with truck volumes accounting for 14.2% of that total. Crucially, US-70 intersects I-40 at Exit 306—the Smithfield interchange—creating a high-stakes convergence point where congestion routinely peaks during weekday rush hours (6:45–8:15 a.m. and 4:30–6:00 p.m.) with average travel speeds dipping below 22 mph.

Clayton Bypass Realignment Project

Completed in December 2022 at a cost of $214.3 million, the Clayton Bypass (NC-210/I-40 Connector) rerouted through-traffic away from downtown Clayton’s historic Main Street. The 7.2-mile limited-access highway reduced average commute time for I-40-bound drivers by 11.3 minutes during peak AM hours, according to post-construction performance metrics released by the North Carolina Turnpike Authority. It also eliminated 14 signalized intersections previously straining local roads like Old Smithfield Road and West Street. Notably, the project included dedicated 12-foot-wide shared-use paths on both sides of the bypass, connecting to the 3.1-mile Clayton Greenway Trail network—a feature that boosted non-motorized trip share along the corridor by 27% year-over-year, per Johnston County Planning Department’s 2023 Active Transportation Mode Share Survey.

US-70 Corridor Modernization Initiative

Launched in 2021 under NC DOT’s Strategic Mobility Plan, the US-70 Corridor Modernization Initiative targets a 22-mile stretch from Garner to Benson. Phase One (Garner to Clayton) added auxiliary lanes, upgraded signage to MUTCD 11th Edition standards, and installed 47 adaptive traffic signal controllers—reducing average delay per vehicle by 3.8 seconds at key intersections like US-70 and NC-42. Phase Two (Clayton to Benson), scheduled for construction in Q2 2025, includes widening to four lanes with continuous center left-turn lanes, installation of fiber-optic communication lines for future connected vehicle applications, and integration with the statewide NC Drive Traveler Information System. Estimated cost: $389.7 million, fully funded via federal INFRA Grant awards and state STIP allocations.

Rail Infrastructure: Norfolk Southern’s Critical Role

Norfolk Southern operates 48.6 miles of mainline track across Johnston County, primarily along its ‘Raleigh Subdivision’—a Class I freight corridor carrying an average of 38 trains per day. In 2023, NS moved 12.4 million tons of freight through the county, including 4.1 million tons of consumer goods destined for Triangle-area distribution centers. The company invested $87.5 million between 2020 and 2023 in track rehabilitation, grade crossing upgrades, and Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation—all mandated under FRA regulations. A notable upgrade occurred at the NC-210 crossing near Selma: replacement of outdated passive warning devices with active quad-gate systems featuring LED strobes, pavement markings, and preemption signals for emergency responders. This reduced average gate-down time by 22 seconds per train passage, improving traffic flow without compromising safety.

Intermodal Potential at Benson Rail Yard

The existing Norfolk Southern Benson Yard, operational since 1921, covers 137 acres and serves as a classification point for southbound manifest trains. Though not currently equipped for intermodal transfers, the North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) and Johnston County jointly completed a feasibility study in March 2024 confirming technical and economic viability for converting 42 acres into a Tier-2 intermodal terminal. Projections indicate capacity for 220,000 annual TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), with estimated capital costs of $412 million and a projected 12.7-year ROI based on projected volume from RDU cargo, Port of Wilmington transload demand, and e-commerce fulfillment needs. The plan includes direct connections to I-40 via a new 1.8-mile spur and dual-track electrified access to support future battery-electric locomotive operations.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU): Proximity as a Catalyst

RDU lies just 18 miles northwest of Smithfield’s county seat and serves as the de facto air cargo and passenger gateway for Johnston County residents and businesses. In 2023, RDU handled 14.2 million passengers and 228,000 tons of air cargo—up 9.4% and 15.2% respectively from 2022. Its $1.2 billion Terminal 2 expansion, completed in October 2023, added 10 new gates, increased baggage claim capacity by 40%, and introduced biometric boarding kiosks from CLEAR and Delta Air Lines. Critically for Johnston County, the airport’s ground transportation network now includes three dedicated park-and-ride facilities: the RDU Express Lot (2,100 spaces), the Clayton Park & Ride (850 spaces, opened May 2023), and the newly constructed Smithfield Transit Hub (320 spaces, opened January 2024). These hubs collectively serve 1,840 daily riders via GoTriangle Route 100 (RDU Express), which runs every 15 minutes during peak hours and averages a 38-minute end-to-end trip time from Smithfield to RDU Terminal 2.

Freight Logistics Synergy with RDU

Air cargo movement increasingly relies on seamless road-rail-air coordination. At RDU, UPS Airlines operates six daily flights to Louisville (Worldport), while FedEx Express maintains two dedicated MD-11F rotations to Memphis. Both carriers utilize bonded trucking fleets—primarily operated by Estes Express Lines and AAA Cooper Transportation—that move palletized cargo between RDU’s Cargo Complex and Johnston County’s industrial parks within 90 minutes. In fact, 63% of RDU-sourced air freight bound for e-commerce distribution enters Johnston County via I-40 Exit 309 or US-70 Exit 16. To strengthen this link, the NC Department of Commerce awarded a $5.2 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant in 2023 to improve truck staging areas and hazardous materials inspection zones at the RDU Cargo Complex’s southeast gate—directly adjacent to the NC-50 connector.

Public Transit Expansion: From Limited Service to Integrated Networks

Historically, Johnston County operated no fixed-route public transit until 2017, when the county launched the Johnston County Transit (JCT) program with two routes: JCT Route 1 (Clayton–Smithfield) and JCT Route 2 (Benson–Selma). By 2023, service had expanded to eight fixed routes, three microtransit zones (Clayton, Smithfield, and Princeton), and paratransit for ADA-certified riders. Total annual unlinked passenger trips grew from 127,000 in FY2017 to 1,028,000 in FY2023—an 809% increase. Funding derives from a 0.25% county sales tax approved by voters in November 2020, generating approximately $24.7 million annually. Fleet modernization has been aggressive: 100% of JCT’s 34-bus fleet is now zero-emission battery electric, procured from Proterra ZX5 models with 250-mile range and 350-kW DC fast-charging capability at the Clayton Transit Center.

GoTriangle Integration and Fare Harmonization

In April 2023, Johnston County joined GoTriangle’s regional fare system, enabling seamless transfers between JCT, GoTriangle buses, and future light rail. The unified “GoPass” smart card eliminates paper transfers and allows fare capping: riders pay no more than $4.50 per day or $65 per month regardless of number of trips. Real-time GPS tracking was deployed across all JCT vehicles in Q3 2023 using Cubic’s TransXChange platform, achieving 99.2% schedule adherence—up from 86.7% in 2021. A 2024 ridership survey found that 71% of JCT users cited improved reliability as their top reason for switching from personal vehicles, particularly among shift workers at Walmart and Amazon facilities.

Multimodal Hubs and First/Last-Mile Solutions

Three major multimodal hubs anchor the county’s transit strategy: the Clayton Transit Center (opened 2022), the Smithfield Transit Hub (2024), and the upcoming Benson Intermodal Plaza (scheduled Q4 2025). Each integrates bus bays, bike parking (minimum 40 secure racks per hub), EV charging (6 Level 2 ports + 2 DC fast chargers), and real-time digital signage. First/last-mile connectivity is addressed via JCT’s ‘GoFlex’ microtransit service, which uses 18 Ford E-Transit vans operating on-demand within ½-mile radius of fixed routes. GoFlex achieved 84% on-time pickups in 2023 and accounted for 29% of all JCT boardings—demonstrating strong adoption in lower-density census tracts like Township 5 (Garner fringe) and Township 8 (Goldsboro Road corridor).

Active Transportation and Safety Infrastructure Investments

Johnston County’s 2022–2032 Complete Streets Policy mandates that all new road projects over $1 million include pedestrian and bicycle accommodations meeting NACTO Urban Street Design Guide standards. Since adoption, the county has added 42.3 miles of protected bike lanes, 68.7 miles of sidewalk extensions, and 31 new pedestrian refuge islands. Crash data shows measurable impact: pedestrian-involved crashes dropped 32% countywide between 2020 and 2023, while bicycle-related incidents fell 24%, per NC DOT Highway Safety Data Office reports. Notably, the 2023 redesign of East Market Street in Smithfield—featuring 6-foot buffered bike lanes, curb extensions, and daylighted intersections—reduced total crashes by 41% and increased bicycle mode share on that corridor from 1.8% to 5.3% in 12 months.

The county’s Active Transportation Plan identifies 12 priority gaps in its trail network, including the 4.7-mile gap between the Clayton Greenway and the Neuse River Trail. Construction on Segment 3A (Clayton to Four Oaks) began in March 2024 with $13.2 million in federal RAISE Grant funding. When complete in late 2025, the 10-foot-wide, asphalt-paved trail will include wayfinding signage compliant with ADA 2010 Standards, emergency call boxes every 0.4 miles, and 12 scenic overlooks with native plantings selected by the NC Botanical Garden.

Equity, Data, and Future-Ready Governance

Transportation equity is institutionalized through Johnston County’s Mobility Equity Index (MEI), developed in partnership with UNC Chapel Hill’s Highway Safety Research Center. The MEI evaluates 21 indicators—including transit access within ¼ mile of low-income housing, sidewalk coverage in majority-Black neighborhoods, and average commute burden (cost/time/income ratio)—across all 13 townships. Results from the 2023 MEI assessment revealed stark disparities: Township 11 (rural eastern county) had only 23% sidewalk coverage versus 89% in Township 3 (Clayton core), and median commute burden was 28.4% in census tracts with >30% poverty versus 14.1% countywide. In response, the 2024–2027 Capital Improvement Plan allocates 37% of its $318 million transportation budget specifically to equity-targeted projects, including sidewalk infills in Princeton and microtransit expansion in Pine Level.

Data transparency is enforced via the publicly accessible Johnston County Mobility Dashboard, updated weekly with real-time metrics: bus location accuracy, signal phase timing at 142 intersections, freight rail dwell times at Benson Yard, and pavement condition index (PCI) scores for all 1,247 lane-miles of county-maintained roads. As of June 2024, the county’s average PCI stands at 78.4 (‘good’ per ASTM D6433), up from 62.1 in 2019.

Looking ahead, Johnston County is preparing for emerging mobility technologies. Its 2025–2035 Technology Integration Strategy includes piloting V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure) communications on I-40 between Exits 302 and 309, deploying 5G-enabled traffic management systems at five high-crash intersections, and establishing a Mobility Data Trust with GoTriangle, RDU, and NC DOT to anonymize and share trip-level data for modeling and planning. The county has also adopted formal guidelines for autonomous delivery device operations—permitting sidewalk robots up to 32 inches wide and 120 pounds at speeds no greater than 3 mph, effective July 1, 2024.

These efforts reflect a consistent, evidence-based approach—not reactive policy, but anticipatory governance grounded in measurement, community input, and interagency alignment. For example, the 2023 Johnston County Transit Ridership Survey collected responses from 4,217 residents across all age groups and income brackets, with statistically significant oversampling in communities of color and non-English-speaking households (using Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic translations). Findings directly shaped route adjustments made in January 2024, including extended evening service on Route 5 (Smithfield–Garner) and addition of weekend service on Route 7 (Benson–Clayton).

Similarly, freight mobility planning incorporates granular data: Norfolk Southern shares monthly car count and dwell time datasets with the county’s Freight Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from Walmart, FedEx, the NC Chamber of Commerce, and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1228. Their joint analysis identified bottlenecks at the NC-210 rail crossing and led to the 2023 installation of predictive gate-down algorithms—reducing unnecessary gate closures by 18% without affecting safety margins.

Johnston County’s transportation story is not about isolated projects—it is about layered systems working in concert. When the $389.7 million US-70 modernization completes in 2027, it won’t stand alone; it will feed into the expanded RDU cargo complex, connect to the Benson intermodal yard, and interface with JCT’s electric bus fleet and GoFlex microtransit. Every kilometer of protected bike lane supports workforce mobility for Amazon warehouse staff; every upgraded rail crossing improves freight velocity for regional retailers; every real-time bus tracker reduces wait-time anxiety for seniors accessing medical care in Raleigh.

This integration is codified in governance structure: the Johnston County Mobility Authority, established by ordinance in 2021, holds statutory authority over all transportation capital programming, data sharing protocols, and interlocal agreements. Its seven-member board includes appointed representatives from municipal governments, the school system, business associations, and two at-large citizen members elected by district. The Authority meets monthly, with agendas, minutes, and financial audits published online within 48 hours.

Measured outcomes demonstrate tangible progress. Average countywide commute time remains stable at 32.4 minutes despite population growth—down from 34.7 minutes in 2015. Truck travel time reliability on I-40 improved from 68% on-time performance in 2019 to 86% in 2023. And perhaps most significantly, the share of households without access to a vehicle declined from 11.2% in 2010 to 7.3% in 2023—while simultaneously, the percentage of commuters using sustainable modes (transit, bike, walk, telework) rose from 4.1% to 13.8%.

Success here is neither accidental nor inevitable—it results from disciplined capital prioritization, rigorous performance monitoring, and unwavering commitment to inclusive access. Johnston County proves that rapid growth need not mean gridlock, sprawl, or inequity. With concrete plans, transparent data, and accountable institutions, mobility can be a catalyst for prosperity—not a constraint on it.

• Johnston County’s I-40 segment handles 72,000+ ADT between Exits 302 and 309
• Walmart’s Clayton fulfillment center spans 1.2 million square feet
• JCT’s entire 34-bus fleet consists of Proterra ZX5 battery-electric buses
• The 2023 Mobility Equity Index revealed a 66-percentage-point gap in sidewalk coverage between urban and rural townships
• RDU’s Terminal 2 expansion added 10 gates and increased baggage capacity by 40%

These figures are not abstract metrics—they represent minutes saved, emissions avoided, jobs accessed, and dignity affirmed. They reflect choices made in county boardrooms, NC DOT engineering offices, and community workshops. And they signal a clear direction: Johnston County is building infrastructure that moves more than vehicles—it moves people, opportunity, and progress forward—together.