Misnumbered addresses widespread problem in Taunton. Why residents don't want them fixed

TAUNTON — How widespread across the city of Taunton is the issue of badly numbered or out-of-sequence street addresses?

City Engineer Mike Patneaude told the Gazette there are street numbering plans on file, some going back to the 1960s, that were never followed through with. Most of these plans, not digitized, include adding and renumbering addresses.

While Patneaude doesn't know the exact number of problem addresses, there are currently over 1,100 street numbering plans on file, whether whole streets, parts of streets, or individual addresses, his department has regarding these anomalies.

Problems include addresses out of sequence, odds and even addresses on the same side of the street and addresses that are fractions.

Officials from both the fire and engineering departments said that plans are in place to fix as many of these public safety concerns as possible. 

Taunton Fire Lt. Kevin Farrar told the City Council June 4 that misnumbered street addresses can result in delays to emergency calls for fire, police and emergency medical services. The fire and engineering departments have been slowly generating a list over the last decade of residence and street number changes to correct.

“If a 911 caller reporting an emergency provides an address that is not on the actual street, or is located out of sequence, then we have a problem with that address,” Farrar told the Gazette.

City has renumbered these streets in past

The city has renumbered streets and addresses before, just like it's renamed streets.

Patneuade said records indicate that over the decades, renumberings, both whole streets or sections, have occurred for County, Worcester, Burt, Weir, W. Britannia, Whittenton, Cohannet and Bay streets and Middleboro and Somerset avenues.

In recent years, Patneuade said, examples include changing the name of the Holloway Street Bypass to Staples Street in 2017, which resulted in two address changes, and incorporating South Boundary Road into Bassett Street in 2021, which resulted in five address changes.

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Misnumbered streets a public safety concern

The city’s Engineering Department, not the City Council, has sole discretion over the numbering of streets, and it can change the numbers based on safety concerns expressed by the public safety departments.

Farrar brought up a successful case of changing a street for the greater good during his June 4 presentation to the Council.  In 2017, the city renumbered the portion of Highstone Street leading into North Precinct Street in Lakeville, as North Precinct Street. The reason being is Massasoit State Park cuts off the street. You can’t drive through it.

When a 911 call came in, it was imperative the Fire Department knew which side of the park the emergency response team needed to originate from: the Turner Street/East Taunton side or the North Precinct Street/Lakeville side.

Farrar said “in this scenario, the residents were asking for assistance” as six homes on the portion of then Highstone Street straddling the East Taunton-Lakeville line were worried about delayed responses to emergency calls.  Now that street is renamed as part of North Precinct Street.

Said Farrar: “Improving response and eliminating confusion is both possible and proven.”

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Woodlawn Street still slated for renumbering despite backlash

The city plans to renumber a whole street, Woodlawn Street in East Taunton, due to some odds and even numbers jumping sides on the street, a few numbers being out of sequence, and one home having a fraction, 4 ? Woodlawn St.

Regarding fractions used for addresses, Standards for Massachusetts Municipalities, issued by the state's Bureau of Geographic Information (MASS GIS), states street numbers should be whole numbers, but "fractional addresses have been assigned to fill in while preserving sequence, but they should not be used for new address assignmentsunless absolutely necessary."

The renumbering would be for 29 homes, a decision which has angered numerous residents on Woodlawn Street.

"What I don't understand is there are streets far worse than ours. Why not prioritize those streets, as opposed to our street with no issues? This makes no sense," said Richard Murray, resident of 10 Woodlawn St. who has lived on the street for 33 years.

Murray reiterated his statements to Council: Woodlawn St. is only 3/10 of a mile long, with a cul-de-sac at the end, and residents on the street, to his knowledge, have never had any emergency service or other, like food delivery, have any difficulty finding an address on the street.

Carla Walsh of 94 Woodlawn St. agreed, saying she's had ambulances come to her home a few times and they had no issues finding her home.

Eileen MacKinnon, also of 10 Woodlawn St., submitted a petition to the City Council, with 27 of the 29 homes signing it, proclaiming opposition to the renumbering.

"It's a dead end. There are no hidden driveways," she said, adding you can see the numbers for every home from the street on people's mailboxes.

MacKinnon argued city officials never presented to Council and residents evidence indicating that Woodlawn Street is high risk when it came to finding homes during emergency calls.

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Why was Woodlawn chosen?

Engineer Patneaude, though not explaining why Woodlawn Street is a priority over other streets, explained attention to the street started when a building permit application was created for an open lot on the street, between #9 and #11.

With no whole odd numbers available for an in-sequence address, Patneuade said the Department started looking at "the other problems on the street."

Patenaude soon learned there were renumbering plans for Woodlawn Street on file in his department going all the way back to 1968 when that street had multiple homes developed, which required new addresses. The plans were never followed through, and numbering on the street got worse.

Patneaude concluded "it became obvious that the problem could no longer be put off and needed to be addressed."

Farrar, during the June 4 Council meeting, indicated that, despite the 29 homes being a large amount, it was still considered an easier task than other streets and addresses on their working list.

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Why weren't residents notified sooner?

Residents of Woodlawn Street told the Gazette they never received any notification from the City about plans to change all the addresses.

Michael Walsh, also of 94 Woodlawn St., said when he and others first heard of the proposal, residents scrambled to attend Council meetings and speak their minds about their opposition, during public input for both the May 21 and May 28 meetings, and at the June 4 hearing.

Steven Simmons, of 17 Woodlawn St., believes the city was trying to get this pushed through quietly.

"They were sneaks about the whole thing. They knew they were going to get pushback. They tried pulling the wool over our eyes," he said.

But Mayor Shaunna O' Connell's office told the Gazette via email that once a date was finalized for the renumbering, residents would be notified by mail, along with information to assist them.

"In this case, the relevant departments involved were in the middle of this process and had not yet finalized the renumbering plan, therefore notice had not yet been sent out," before residents started communicating to the City Council back in May, the mayor's office said.

Michael Walsh believes there's no reason, at the very least, Woodlawn Street couldn't be "at the bottom of the list" for renumbering, and is being made into an example, saying "all those streets with actual problems" will meet with little resistance once his street is changed.

Frustration over having to update documents

Numerous residents expressed frustration over the amount of documents, accounts, and other things they will have to change with the new address, including: the title and deed to their homes, mailing address, drivers licenses, business licenses, every form of home, property, and health insurance, bills, taxes, passports, utilities and social security benefits.

MacKinnon said many of the residents on Woodlawn Street are seniors and/or retirees on fixed incomes. Besides the amount of time and hardship it will take changing everything to her new address, she is concerned with the possible costs.

Simmons said he confirmed with his mortgage company that he will have to change his deed and title, which will cost at least a few hundred dollars. He will also have to change his business licenses.

"This is not a simple change. This is my livelihood," he said.

Fire chief says GPS not enough

Residents opposed to renumbering their street told both the Council and the Gazette that first responders should be able to rely on GPS to find their homes.

In a letter dated June 28 to the Gazette, Fire Chief Steven Lavigne reiterated the problems with full dependence on GPS, which public safety departments already use.

“A widely held perception is that the use of GPS technology is the answer. However, it cannot be the only method in place to locate citizens during their time of need. Technology works, until it doesn’t,” he said.

Lavigne cited the shutdown of the state’s entire 911 system a few weeks ago due to a firewall issue as an example of technological failures occurring out of the blue.

Lavigne added best practices regarding street numbering being in sequence, with no fractions, and with odds on one side and evens on the other, align with what’s recommended by Mass GIS, State 911 and the National Emergency Numbering Association.

City Solicitor Matthew Costa explained in a May 31 letter to City Council a municipality is responsible for issuing street numbers and, if a tragedy were to occur where police or fire didn’t make it to an emergency call on time due to difficulties finding the location, the city could be held liable.

In a new letter from Costa to Council, dated July 3, he stated “The City will notify the postmaster, State GIS, Registry of Deeds, and all City Departments of these changes. Additionally, each homeowner will receive a letter detailing their new number assignment, the effective date, and other pertinent information to assist residents. Reflective street number signage will also be provided to residents at no cost.”

When will Woodlawn Street be renumbered?

The date given by Costa for the new numbering system for Woodlawn Street to be in place is Sept. 1.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton renumbering streets despite intense pushback. What to know