Street Name Confusion Hits Tacoma

The News Tribune’s Peter Callaghan offers a few more bits of investigative insight following Voelpel’s column about changing the name of Puyallup Avenue.

To avoid confusion for customers, I think we need more street names that are literal descriptions of what can be found on the street. I’m comforted by streets like Tacoma Mall Boulevard, Enchanted Parkway, Supermall Drive, Dock Street, Southwest Bachelor Road and Burning Tree Lane.

But if cities and towns insist on using the names of other towns for street names, they really ought to help folks out. Perhaps prefacing the street name with a (Not) or drawing a red circle with the slash through it.

I like it. 

Link to The News Tribune

To do your own research and see how our city names have changed, you can check out this 1887 map of the city.