Agenda - 10-16-1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

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F-xcerpt from PAS report - "Street Naming geographical prefixes or suffixes to indicate direction; in that system, directional suffixes follow a street name (e.g., 120 Place, N.E.) and indicate a north -south road, while di. rectional preftxes indicate an east -west road (e.g.. N.E. 200 Place). In order for this to be helpful, rather than con- fusing to citizens, this distinction would have to be widely publicized. In other systems, such prefixes and suffixes are used to denote quadrants of a geographical area and not direction of a street in relation to a base line. Postal service officials differ as to preferences for suf- fixes or prefixes: one representative of the Postal Service in Washington contended that suffixes are much more likely to be dropped than prefixes and that prefixes should be preferred. An article in American City,, how- ever, suggests that directional suffixes —which allow streets to be filed alphabetically —are to be preferred over directional prefixes. The typical method of assuring uni- form assignment of thoroughfare designations is through a check in the subdivision review process, but, in at least one community, suffixes are assigned by the Police De- partment to achieve this objective. If property numbers radiate from the base intersecting streets and there are a lot of through streets, it is easier to locate streets having directional suffixes. STREET NAMES AS LOCATIONAL DEVICES There are a number of ways of naming streets systema- tically to facilitate locating a particular street in a com- munity. The use of names based on existing physical or political features is the simplest example of this mecha- nism. The methods to be discussed in this chapter are: thoroughfare designations, theme names, alphabetical se- quencing, the quadrant system; and the coordinate or Lyman system. THOROUGHFARE DESIGNATIONS The use of thoroughfare designations as a locational de- vice is probably the simplest method of street naming. In such a system. thoroughfares with specific physical char- acteristics are defined and certain street -name suffixes are consistently applied. The most common designations are those of "street" and "avenue." Historically, "streets" has been used for east -west thoroughfares and "avenues" for north -south thoroughfares. Such a system can be applied regardless of whether names or numbers treated as names are used. Just this differentiation be- tween north -south and east -west streets can cut the search for a location by one -half. A systematic thoroughfare designation for all types of roads is a logical extension of the street and avenue sys- tem used by some communities. (See Figure 2) A standar- dized list of thoroughfare designations can define the direc- tion, width, and function of streets. This review of the literature indicates that there is only some similarity in the definitions of thoroughfare designations used by different municipalities. The following is a list of definitions that have been used in some communities. Lack of standardization between municipalities is rela- tively unimportant as long as a uniform designation of 6. Moots, J. Brewer, and Trant, Bruce S.. "Street Renaming Is No Cinch." American City, August 1962, pp. 82 -84. & ProiDert y Nh &, ering Systems streets of different types is followed within the same y risdiction. Nevertheless, it would greatly increase the us fulness of the designations if they were standardize throughout the country. Definitions of Thoroughfare Designations Used by Various Jurisdictions Boulevard A street with a median reflecting the boulevard character implied in the name. (Same definition applies to parkways) A major thoroughfare running in a diagonal direc- tion, rather than east -west or north - south. It must connect at least two sections and act as a collector. Unusually wide thoroughfares in residential sections with shade trees or shrubbery in the center plat, and the name can even be used with numbered thoroughfares. (Same definition for parkways) A street divided by a landscaped center island and generally designated by. a name, not a number used as a name. Courts Permanently closed streets such as cul-de -sacs. Dead end rights -of -way under 1,000 feet in length which run east and west. A minor street less than 500 feet in length, ending in a turnaround. Horseshoe- shaped streets generally designated by one name throughout their entire length. Places or courts are all cul-de -sacs or permanent dead -end roads. East -west streets less than 1,000 feet in length. All dead -end streets. Drives Winding thoroughfares. Curving streets. longer than 1,000 feet. Diagonal, curvilinear, or other types of roads not previously mentioned. Roads that meander about and continue through to other rights -of -way. Secondary facilities that connect with each other. A curvilinear street of more than 1,000 feet in length, generally designated by a name. Highways Designated state or federal highways. This term could be used even when a road generally runs north -south or east -west. U.S. routes are designated as highways. Interstate Roads of the highest order, characterized by limited