LAWRENCE COUNTY Addressing an issue of safety

Some communities are refusing to change duplicate street names.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Soon there won't be a house or a road in Lawrence County without a number or a name.
The largely rural county has a number of homes with rural route addresses and post office box numbers, but for safety's sake county commissioners want everyone to have a number and a name.
The project, being completed by L. Robert Kimbell and Associates of Ebensburg, Pa., will help the county's 911 Center locate houses in an instant with exact directions, a street name and number.
"Ambulances will be able to find you quicker. It's for the better. It's better for your safety," said Kathy Berkebile, the addressing project manager.
Berkebile said Taylor Township residents who didn't previously have street addresses will receive letters in about three weeks informing them of their new addresses.
Other townships and boroughs will follow as municipal leaders and postal officials approve of the changes, she said.
Delay: The work on the addressing project is about a year behind schedule because L. Robert Kimbell couldn't find enough field workers to collect information about property in the county and delays from the U.S. Postal Service which must make certain there are no duplicate street names and numbers in surrounding counties.
There have also been problems getting some communities to cooperate, she said.
Some refuse to change names that are duplicated in other communities.
Refusal: South New Castle Borough Councilwoman Edna Mihok recently said they won't change the names of streets that are the same as those in the city of New Castle.
"Elderly people living there just don't understand," Mihok said.
County commissioners said they hope to meet with those who aren't cooperating and discuss the problems.
Commissioners, however, noted that the county has no authority to change street names; that is solely the discretion of a municipality.