Whether you’re a tourist, a roadgeek, or interested in the Geographical Names of places, you must have wondered why roads change names. A knowledge of this information will not only satisfy your curiosity but will also improve your understanding of road names.
Odonymy refers to the study of road names.
Road names are chosen based on different reasons. It can be about that area’s traits, landscape, or natural features. Some are also determined based on the surnames of historical or important figures.
But if a road is continuous, why do they change names?
Roads change names when two separate routes are merged during road reconstruction, to mark the entrance of a new city/ state, to avoid problems associated with renaming roads, to preserve the cultural memory of the residents, and to maintain the honor of historical figures.
This article will detail why roads change names, the process of renaming roads, why street names seem to change arbitrarily, why some street names change when you go through an intersection, and why one street has two different names.
Reasons why roads change names include:
Road reconstruction
When roads are expanded and realigned, it sometimes involves connecting two separate routes. As a result, the two streets are transformed into one continuous road while retaining their individual names.
To mark the entrance of a different city/state
Most roads connect to different cities or states, and when that’s the case, the road, even though it’s a continuous road, will have another name to mark this change.
When you embark on a road trip, you must have noticed that a straight road often switches its name to reflect the traits of this new city or state.
To avoid the problems associated with renaming roads
Renaming roads requires applying with the relevant government agencies and changing the overhead road signs, addresses, and structures to synchronize with the new names, which is an expensive and time-consuming process.
This involves a bureaucratic procedure that includes sending in a proposal for a name change and following several other processes to get it approved.
In the United States, for example, some towns require payment of a certain fee and a written agreement from land and property owners abutting the roads before granting the approval requests.
The Preservation of Cultural Memory
Some road names hold many cultural memories for residents of the city and have an overall effect on their community identity. Therefore, the road names are not changed after realignment to avoid going against their will and preferences.
For example, if you think deeply about it, there is a particular road in the town where you grew up that holds many childhood memories.
And as you decide to take a road trip to visit your parents, family, or old friends in that area after a long time, once you view the name of that road on the overhead street sign, there is this nostalgic feeling that usually engulfs you.
Like you, residents of these communities are sentimentally attached to these names.
In this situation, changing the names of the road because of road realignment will destroy that memory.
Urbanization shouldn’t be associated with destroying these memories; rather, it should be about preserving this cultural memory. Therefore, when these roads are realigned, they retain their original names.
The Preservation of Cultural Memory
Some roads are named after historical figures to honor them, which must be maintained when merging. Changing the names of the streets because of road development will defeat the purpose behind the naming.
For instance, if two different roads are named after two historical figures. During realignment, they are transformed into one continuous route. If you want to change the name to avoid confusing tourists or new residents, it presents a dilemma.
The critical question is, which name will absorb the other? If you choose one name over the other, does it mean that the individual is more important than the other?
To solve this problem, the roads maintain their original names.
What is the Process of Renaming a Road?
Different countries have specific processes for renaming a road. In Australia, for instance, the Council handles this responsibility according to the guidelines established by the Office of the Geographical Names.
In the US, the process varies by state and County. In North Carolina, for example, a road name change for a municipality or county procedure involves checking out if the road is state-maintained. If it is state-maintained, they will follow due process by contacting the appropriate District office.
However, what most countries have in common is that when an applicant provides a recommendation for the name of a road to be changed, the relevant authorities will have to approve the application for a name change.
This mitigates the conflict that may arise when two roads have the same name, which will pose a problem for the emergency response team during an emergency.
Why Do the Names of Streets/Roads Seem to Change Arbitrarily?
The names of streets/roads seem to change arbitrarily because, in most cases, two pre-existing streets with different names are usually connected in the process of extending the roads. As a result, the road names are sometimes not changed, and the old names are preserved.
That’s why you can come across some streets with no distinct difference bearing different names even when there’s no visible boundary.
Another reason is that some streets spill over to a different area or a different subdivision in a city. In this case, the street names would change to reflect the guidelines or rules in which the other location or subdivision names their streets.
Why Do Some Street Names Change When You Go Through an Intersection?
One typical reason for this is that the roads on the street didn’t begin as a single road. Then, during road development, the roads were connected, but the streets still maintained their original names.
According to a city planner, Mary Kopaskie Brown, this usually occurs when the roads in two different streets are reconstructed and connected over time. However, names remain unchanged because they affect residents and property owners. Hence, the old names are preserved.
As a resident, a property, or a business owner, making the new street name reflected in all your official documents and information will be pretty cumbersome, especially for a business owner whose customers and suppliers are already familiar with that business address.
As a resident, you may be worried about your mail getting mixed up somewhere due to changed street names.
Is It Possible for One Street to Have 2 Different Names? Conclusion
One street can have two different names for different portions of the street. As a result, you can see some sides bearing a different name from the other side.
In addition, one street can have two different names when the street has been renamed, and the residents have not gotten used to the new names after the change.
Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, New York, is a typical example. The street was renamed “Avenue of the Americas” on October 20, 1945, to represent Pan-American Unity and to recognize Central and South America.
However, New Yorkers stuck with the old name. Will you blame them? Even though the intent behind changing the name is noble, Sixth Avenue is what they are used to.
Also, “Sixth Avenue” is more straightforward and just rolls off the tongue, while the other name is too wordy.
In 1984, Mayor Edward I. Koch restored the Sixth Avenue signs to supplement the new sign. Now, the street signs bear both names.
Also, some streets have multilingual names in multilingual countries to reflect these multilingual traits.
For example, in Belgium, where the official languages are Dutch, French, and German, with Dutch being 57%, French 42%, and German 1%, street names are often translated into these languages.
Conclusion
Roads can change names for several reasons, like when two separate roads are connected during reconstruction, to mark the entrance of a new city, preserve the residents’ cultural memory, and maintain the commemoration of historical figures.
The process of changing road names varies from place to place, but generally, it can be time-consuming and expensive.
You can also find out that streets change names arbitrarily and when you go through an intersection because the roads on two different streets are merged after road extension.
There are cases where one street can bear two different names. It includes when the street name has been changed, but the new name has not stuck with the residents. Also, in multilingual countries, the street names are translated into all the official languages spoken in that country.
Now that you know why roads and streets change names when you next embark on a road trip, you can take note of these specific occurrences.
You can also check out this exciting video to see how roads are reconstructed.
