Thanks to a federal mandate, the Smithfield Public Works Department has had to redesign its street signs to make them bigger and more reflective. The new signs come with a higher price tag though.

"Citizens will notice as the older street-name signs fade out, they will be replaced with the larger, easier-to-read signs," said Lenny Branch, the town's public works director. "These larger signs will make things simpler for motorists as they look for ways to navigate through Smithfield; 911 emergency responders will find these signs much easier to read during emergency situations as well."

The old six-inch-high signs have all capital letters, and they aren't as reflective as the new, eight-inch-high signs. The new signs also feature lowercase letters. The information shown on the signs - street name, direction and block number - hasn't changed.

The older signs don't meet new federal requirements for size and reflectivity. The Federal Highway Administration had set a deadline of 2018 for all signs to follow the rules, but the date was scrapped last August. Now towns can make the switch gradually, a move Smithfield leaders are happy about.

Installing new signs only when the old ones wear out or go missing will allow the town to spread out its spending. While the old signs cost $12.33 each, the new ones run $18.69, Branch said.

"The Public Works Department is looking for available grants and funds to try and offset the added cost," he said. "We have not received any federal government funding for signage at this time."

So far, the town has installed 16 of the new signs, including several on the new Booker Dairy Road Extension. With no deadline, Branch figures it could be years before all Smithfield signs show the new design.

"Compared to a lot of places I have personally visited, the town of Smithfield street blades are in excellent shape at this time," he said.