As he has walked the campaign trail in Morrisville in recent weeks, Creighton Blackwell says he's hearing a chorus of concern over growth.

"It's kept coming back to growth, particularly with our roadways," Blackwell says.

Blackwell, 36, said residents complained most often about congestion, which he said isn't aided by road projects such as the recent expansion of Morrisville-Carpenter Road.

He himself has felt the pains of sitting in heavy traffic during his own commute, which takes him on a winding path from his home to the Interstate 40 interchange on Airport Road.

"It can take 15 or 20 minutes just to get to I-40, which is only like three miles away," said Blackwell, who works in downtown Raleigh.

Finding solutions to such problems won't be easy, Blackwell said, but it's a cause to which he's committed.

He said citizen input will be key as town leaders plot a course for future planning of transportation, spending and other needs.

On transportation: Improving traffic flow through Morrisville could be tricky in part because a number of roads in town, such as N.C. 54, are maintained by the state.

To see that transportation needs are met, Blackwell said town leaders will have to make their voices heard.

"In those cases, you have to play a bigger role with the state," Blackwell said. "That goes into establishing our identity, increasing our political punch."

On growth: A period of slower growth caused by the economic recession has and will continue to be a boon for Morrisville in terms of future planning, Blackwell said.

"It's great in the sense that it gives us time to look at the complete parameters of who we are," he said.

"We have some time to look at our ordinances and ask questions about whether certain areas are developable or not, or whether we would want to see development more in this area or closer to I-40.

"If we use our time wisely, we'll bring all our people to the table to look at solutions for one, five and 10 years out," Blackwell added.

"That's the type of planning we have to be able to do, especially in the unstable environment we're in now."

On spending: Blackwell said he would carry his professional expertise into his work on the Town Council.

Blackwell said he hopes to become a strong advocate for "fiscal efficiency."

His own evaluation of Morrisville's budget showed him that town leaders need to do more to cut expenditures in order to keep taxes low.

"From what I've looked at, it's definitely tight," he said. "There's not a lot of wiggle room. That is a major concern."

Blackwell said that the town's finances should top the list of concerns among Morrisville's leaders.

"It's the number one issue because if we don't have a lot to spend but we still have big plans, then we have to look at things and ask how we are going to pay for it.

"You have to have foresight when looking at budgets and be able to make decisions based on sustainability models," he said.

"Even at a time when things are tough, you still have to push for short-term results based on long-term principles," Blackwell continued. "It's about being very efficient in how you make decisions."