Vehicular access to the former West Johnson Street in Louisburg will be closed in stages beginning Friday, October 31, 2025. The closure affects the area adjacent to the Judge Hamilton H. Hobgood Courthouse Annex.
On October 31, the western end of Johnson Street at S. Church Street will close for utility work related to an electrical realignment project. This includes a section of S. Church Street. A detour is available via Elm Street and Riverbend Park Street. The affected portion of S. Church Street is expected to reopen by Saturday, November 1.
From November 1 through November 2, access to the parking lot behind the Annex building from Johnson Street will be closed for additional weekend utility work. However, entry from S. Church Street will remain open during this period.
Between November 3 and November 6, access from Johnson Street to the parking lot behind the Annex building will reopen, but all on-street parking along Johnson Street will be closed.
Starting Friday, November 7, vehicular access to the entire section of Johnson Street adjacent to the Annex building will close permanently due to construction for the Franklin County Judicial Complex development. Parking behind the Annex remains accessible from S. Church Street, with additional spaces available near Louisburg Town Hall and other downtown locations.
Handicap parking can be found on West Nash Street near Louisburg Town Hall, as well as on Market Street, North Main St (at the Amphitheater), and South Main St (gravel area of Franklin County property). Attendees of courthouse operations are advised to allow extra time for parking and navigating downtown during construction.
Franklin County describes itself as a community “rooted in agriculture yet rapidly expanding its industrial and manufacturing sectors,” offering both historic downtowns and proximity to Raleigh and Research Triangle Park.
In related education data for Franklin County schools:
– In science ACT testing during the 2022-23 school year, about 14.9% of seniors (76 out of 510) were considered college-ready (source), while among juniors it was approximately 13.1% (72 out of 551) (source).
– For reading on the ACT in that same year, around 23.9% of seniors (122 out of 510) met college readiness benchmarks (source), compared with roughly 22.5% (124 out of 551) among juniors (source).
– In math ACT results for seniors, about 12.7% (65 out of 510) were considered ready for college-level work (source). For juniors taking math ACTs that year, it was about 10.9% (60 out of 551) (source).
Individuals visiting downtown or attending court-related activities should plan accordingly due to these scheduled changes.
