Despite having lived here for two years and being a committee chairperson of the Cary Newcomers Club, she sheepishly admits: "I still can't find my way around."

Waalkes said she hasn't figured out Cary's road system. Nor has she learned the routes to specific destinations such as Town Hall on North Academy Street or Lake Pine on Lake Pine Drive.

It's not as easy as the other cities where she has lived -- San Francisco, Philadelphia and Grand Rapids, Mich.-- which were engineered to be "more grid-like" than Cary, she says.

Cary leaders hope a new way-finding system will solve at least part of the problem for current and future residents.

Signs posted around town will help residents and visitors find their way to parks, sports venues and other town facilities and to the downtown district.

That's good news for Waalkes, who says, "I don't know how to get to any of those places."

A primary goal of the plan, according to the town, is to create a way-finding system that blends in with other signs in downtown and at town facilities managed by the parks, recreation and cultural resources department.

Other objectives of the plan include:

Supporting and promoting a distinct identity for Cary;

Raising community and visitor awareness of downtown Cary and Cary's town-wide recreation and cultural resource facilities;

Enhancing the success and market potential for arts, entertainment, retail, dining and economic growth and development downtown;

Decreasing traffic congestion by reducing visitors' search time for destinations and parking.

The town will hold an open house for residents to learn about and comment on a draft design plan.

The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the Page-Walker Gallery next to Town Hall.