If a land-use plan developed by a private company for downtown Lumberton were fully implemented, visitors to the city in 20 years might guess that their GPS had been drinking.

The downtown area, as it is now clumsily configured, would hardly be recognizable. That, we believe, would be a good thing.

The 294-page plan, put together by Benchmark Planning consultants, can be seen by visiting benchmarkplanning.com/lumbertontomorrow. Staff writer Sarah Willets’ Page 1A story today attempts to distill the plan down to a manageable read, but those with a keen or vested interest should probably log onto their computer and take a long look. It is as comprehensive at its length suggests and includes plenty of artist renderings for those whose minds prefer a visual read.

Its vision statement reads: “Lumberton will direct growth and investment toward areas within the city to energize and strengthen its neighborhoods, businesses, and overall quality of life. The city’s vibrant future will be supported by enhanced connections between the downtown, the river and gateways, as well as growth policies that promote economic prosperity, healthy living, and preservation of the city’s unique southern charm.”

In fewer words, the plan attempts to make downtown easier to navigate, use greenery to make it more attractive to businesses and their patrons, and capitalize on its location next to the Lumber River.

Some of the more intriguing proposals are getting rid of one-way streets such as Elm and Chestnut, turning the Fifth Street bridge into a park where people could sit, enjoy lunch and absorb the river’s beauty, and turning the Elizabethtown area into a linear park, where pedestrians could enjoy greenery while walking to and from the downtown area.

These projects are specifically identified as long range, which is no surprise considering how ambitious they are. If work began this morning it would take years to fully finish, and unknowns are the cost and where the money would come from. The plan also identifies other projects that are listed as “high priority,” meaning they can be done quicker and at less cost, revamping Exit 19, which is an Interstate 95 gateway to downtown Lumberton, being among them.

The plan, according to city officials, is considered fluid, one that can be adapted depending on how priorities change going forward.

We are happy to see the city embark on such an ambitious path. The downtown area, in a single word, is broken — difficult to navigate, parking is a challenge, and there is very little cohesiveness in what it offers, making day-to-day survival harder for the few viable businesses that remain. It is what happens when there isn’t a plan — and development occurs randomly.

We don’t know what city residents will think of the proposal, nor can we make a good guess on its likelihood of evolving as is or as a resemble facsimile, but it is a plan for downtown, something that has not existed before.