City Council has found it necessary that
a prefix be added to Forest Avenue for efficient public safety operation
and delivery of emergency services. This change was considered at the
request of the La Porte Fire Department to prevent repeated instances of
confusion between Forrest Avenue in the City of La Porte and Forest
Avenue in the City of Shoreacres.
Two years ago the City of Shoreacres
contracted with the City of La Porte to provide emergency medical
services (EMS). Thereafter the extremely similar street names, Forrest
and Forest, together with addresses in the same block number series
created a unique problem for La Porte fire and EMS dispatchers. Since
then confusion between the streets has led to at least one significant
delay in the arrival of an EMS unit.
Last year the City of La Porte sought to
prevent the new confusion and formally changed their street name from
Forrest Avenue to North Forrest Avenue. At that time the City of
Shoreacres was asked by La Porte to change its street, Forest Avenue, to
South Forest Avenue. The City of Shoreacres deferred taking action at
that time.
Recently the issue was raised by La
Porte again and as a result placed under reconsideration by Shoreacres.
The inconvenience of a street name change was weighed against the risks
associated with delayed arrival of emergency fire or EMS personnel.
Ultimately public safety took precedence.
Given that some Shoreacres residents
have unofficially used a West Forest Avenue address for many years, City
staff proposed adopting east and west prefixes (from Old Highway 146) in
lieu of South Forest.
This action was formally taken by the
City of Shoreacres last night (Ordinance
2011-85, 01/10/11). A letter will soon be sent to each resident on
Forest Avenue notifying them of the street name change and the reason
that the change was required.
The City regrets any inconvenience that
this may cause its residents.