A consultant may be called in to determine potential traffic generated by the proposed reopening of an asphalt plant on Pleasant Street.

General Manager John Carroll said yesterday the town and the Lorusso Co., which is seeking to reactivate the plant at 601 Pleasant St., have talked about a deal to hire a consultant, based on a scope of work to be developed by the town.

Carroll said he met with Lorusso Co. representatives, who presented a volume of information on the plan. Since the information was highly technical, Carroll said he asked whether the company would be willing to pay for hiring an expert.

Carroll said company representatives verbally agreed in principle to pay for the consultant, pending joint approval of what exactly the consultant will study. ‘‘They want to see the scope first,’’ said Carroll.

Carroll said the consultant might only be looking at traffic, since the town has requested the company first go through environmental permitting for the plant. The Department of Environmental Protection will look at any potential air quality issues the plant’s reactivation may have.

‘‘If you get the environmental stuff out of the way first, it makes things much, much easier at the hearings,’’ said Carroll.

Norfolk Asphalt Co. is seeking to reactivate the old plant at 601 Pleasant St., between Dean and Morse streets.

The plan will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals Aug. 28 for a hearing in which the company will seek a special permit to allow equipment upgrading and operation of the plant, which is allowed in the district as a matter of right.

The site is zoned for manufacturing.

The ZBA will also be asked to rule that the plant has been active over the past few years, even though it was only used primarily as a storage facility.

‘‘That’s a question for the ZBA,’’ Carroll told selectmen last week.

Pare Corp. has also been hired by the developer to do a traffic analysis. Based on feedback from town officials, the company will focus specifically on the intersections of Pleasant and Morse, Dean and Sumner streets.

The proposal includes the installation of all new equipment at the site.