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Wayne: Where the Streets Have Three Names

May 07, 2008 - WAYNE -- Selectmen decided it would be in the best interest of the town to give a section of Route 133 that runs through the center of Wayne one name.

As of Thursday, that name is Main Street.

Up until now, three road names identified where people lived on that one continuous highway -- New Sandwich Road, Main Street and Beech Hill Road.

The result has been some confusion, such as numerous homes having the same house numbers.

Selectman David Criss said the different street names has created a problem for emergency services, package and mail delivery and other services.

Residents who live on that section of roadway were invited to an informational meeting on Thursday to discuss the matter.

Representatives of emergency services, including the local Fire Department and dispatching services from Winthrop, as well as Winthrop Ambulance Service, also attended the meeting.

"The result of that conversation was the board's decision to direct the renaming of the entire section of that road Main Street," said Town Manager Pam Grimshaw. "Numbering will be consecutive, starting at the Winthrop-Wayne town lines and going to Livermore Falls."

The task of naming roads was most recently part of the town's Emergency-911 addressing project in 1996.

Emergency responders "confirmed that having one name with consecutive numbering will increase response time and they will be able to find people without confusion," Grimshaw said.

An ordinance requires that residents be informed 30 days prior to the change of address taking effect. That date is tentatively Aug. 1.

She said a tentative addressing list was passed out to residents at the meeting. The numbering was based on a mathematical formula, she said.

"I'll be working with our addressing officer to develop the new addressing list," she said.

Changing the name of the road will be an inconvenience for residents, but the Fire Department has volunteered to assist residents with numbering their mailboxes and homes.

Ideally, Grimshaw said, the town would designate one day, probably a Saturday, when people can seek help.

The Selectboard further directed that more street signs be installed at intersections to clearly identify the road.

She said those signs would be paid for out of the town's sign budget.

The cost of that has yet to be determined.

By Mechele Cooper, Kennebec Journal, May 3, 2008


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