As the Triangle continues to grow, the arc of fringe cities surrounding the region will start to evolve. Sanford has started to see the growth pressure.
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Continuing our Triangle Fringe City series with a look at the future of Smithfield and Selma. Be sure to check out the introduction, Henderson, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Goldsboro, and Smithfield / Selma features if you missed them.
Sanford is a city of roughly 30,000 about 45 miles Southwest of Raleigh and 50 miles Southwest of Durham. It is located at the interchange of US-1 and US-421 (Future I-685) which are both freeway grade facilities offering direct access to Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and in the future I-95.
It is also located along the corridor of the future S-Line high speed rail corridor. The S-Line TOD (Transit Oriented Development) Study proposes a station in Downtown Sanford with a good amount of smart, walkable, mixed-use development surrounding.
Downtown Sanford features a couple blocks of classic brick buildings lined with a few shops and restaurants bisected by the railroad tracks.
While the rate of Downtown decline is far less in Sanford when compared to a few earlier cities in this series, the sprawl influence is still evident. Strip centers have dominated the landscape outside of Downtown and sprawl style subdivisions are becoming numerous.
While there aren’t many three bedroom properties within walking distance of Downtown Sanford for under $300,000, there’s a glut of vacant infill lots just waiting for development.
Looking toward the future
Sanford’s location along the future S-line, mega industrial development sites, and freeways give it a major leg up as a future industrial and economic hub. The sheer amount of infill and re-use potential make it a way more attractive option for becoming a thriving, and livable community than endless sprawl.
While it’s a bit far for a daily driving commute to Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and Fayetteville, the future S-line and mega industrial sites put Sanford within easy reach to many of these places.
Unlike many of the cities featured earlier in this series where growth will be a long term play, the growth is here in Sanford.
Stay tuned next time as we explore the future of Pittsboro.
Cover photo via GoogleEarth
Phil Veasley is a registered Professional Engineer in NC and GA. Opinions and insights are my own and are not representative of my employer or any organization. Any ideas displayed on this site are purely that – just ideas to help improve the future of the built environment and begin discussions.
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Phil Veasley 
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