Familiar Roads May Get New Names
By CARRA HIGGINS, Staff WriterRoad names give a sense of direction for some, and for others a place to call home. Many roads have had the same name for years, making them a part of history. But all that could change with the new 911 mapping.
E-911 directors, private companies, office of emergency management and others are facing problems because they cannot have two similar road names in the same county and therefore, have to come up with new names.
In Barbour County, OEM Director Larry Allan had to deal with four Brushy Fork Roads.
A 1st Street in Belington and a 1st Street in Philippi are not necessarily an issue, according to Allan, because when emergency crews are dispatched they are told what city.
To help with naming, Allan is working with residents, historical societies and others to ensure the proper road names in Barbour County. Allan is also working with developers to name routes within housing developments as they are being built.
Randolph County Commissioner Mike Taylor explained that Davis Avenue and Davis Street in Elkins are examples of conflicting names within the same city and county.
Taylor said the county plans to work with the city of Elkins to resolve any similar road names.
Randolph County OEM Director Marvin Hill said more than one municipality with the same street name should not be a problem. As with Barbour County, emergency crews are told what city corresponds with the street, Hill said.
When road names are changed, Hill does not foresee emergency responders being confused and inadvertently going to the wrong street. Communication and coordination is the key to ensure everyone knows where they'll find the home with the emergency, Hill explained.
When Smoky Hollow Road in Tucker County was changed to Mt. Zion Road, Muriel Nestor, a life-long resident of the road, took action.
"Heavens to Betsy it's never been Mt. Zion Road," Nestor said.
She presented a petition to the Division of Highways with signatures from every resident on the road, she said.
Nestor doesn't know what prompted the name change, but said she did not receive a letter telling her of the change.
Residents of roads will have some input in Randolph County, Hill explained. How a name is determine may differ depending on how many people live there. Those involved with the mapping may go door to door speaking to homeowners on the road to discuss the name, Hill explained.
"We're trying to make it the least painful as possible," Hill said.
If the majority of people living on the same road agree to a name, the county commissioners are likely to approve the name if it does not conflict with another road in Randolph County, Taylor said.
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GRizzly56
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08-30-08 9:09 PM
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addendem= oh yeah and not just 72/38. and 219
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GRizzly56
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08-30-08 9:08 PM
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The`Bear;says where a rural area is = windy acres road off mt zion road tucker county road has no name=but has a lot of wind and rain snow and power outages hey how about repairing mount zion road and the no name road's in tucker county stop spending our taxes on bike trail??we have a rough time getting in and out summer and winter commissioners them self's need to ride the roads between tucker and randolph co0unties
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