TERRE HAUTE —
What used to be called U.S. 40 from the Wabash River west through West Terre Haute to Interstate 70 needs to be renamed and, probably, get new street addresses, a Vigo County planner recommends.
Several miles to the east, a section of Indiana 46 from near Riley Road north to I-70 also will need readdressing in the next couple of years when the 641 bypass is completed, said Jeremy Weir, executive director of the Vigo County Area Planning Department.
Weir this week told the Vigo County Commissioners those areas need to be brought into compliance with the county’s unified address system. Weir said a public hearing before the Vigo County Plan Commission would be needed to allow public input on a resolution.
Because it can no longer be called U.S. 40, the road currently does not have a name — or at least just one name. “We need to figure out what we want to name that section of roadway,” Weir said Wednesday.
“The bigger issue on the name of the street is there is a two-block section in West Terre Haute known as East National Avenue, so when we rename this section of roadway, it will come in as National Avenue, then two blocks of East National Avenue, then back to National Avenue,” Weir said.
While the route is no longer designated as U.S. 40, the Indiana Department of Transportation will continue to maintain the road until completion of the final two phases of the 641 bypass, scheduled for 2014, said INDOT spokeswoman Debbie Calder.
Then Vigo County and West Terre Haute will be responsible for upkeep and maintenance of the road, under an agreement with the state, Calder said.
Another county problem is that current address ranges for the portion of the road in West Terre Haute have lower numbers than those used in the county. Those pre-existing address ranges were grandfathered into a countywide zoning/uniform addressing ordinance.
“Also, the pre-existing address ranges did not match the remainder of Vigo County. On their east-west address ranges, the even and odd street address are opposite of what was applied in the county,” Weir said. “You will have a stretch of roadway that has even numbers on the right side of the road and then it will switch to even numbers on the opposite side of the road [once out of town limits],” Weir said.
The Planning Department will first need to determine the number of addresses impacted by doing a study, Weir said. That which could take up to a month to complete and might require overtime pay for the department, he said, which would first need Vigo County Council approval.
“I think it is best that we have a public meeting and notify all those whose addresses will be changed or have a new street name,” Weir said.
In addition, Weir said addresses along Indiana 46 should be considered, from near Riley Road north to I-70. That section will be named 641 once the bypass is completed. The county must also determine the number of homes and business that could be impacted from an address change in that area.
Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.
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