When word got out the city of Durango was accepting suggestions on what to name the nameless road connecting the downtown fire station and Powerhouse to Camino del Rio, residents were not shy about voicing their thoughts.
Among popular suggestions were “Gallagher Way,” “Dunaway Way” and “Hoch Way.” The first two reference two late fire and EMS members of Durango Fire Protection District, and the third is a shout out to former City Planner Greg Hoch.
But when the issue came before the Durango Planning Commission last week, another question – one of practicality – arose.
The commission ultimately decided to go with West 12th Street for its simplicity and practicality, and because some map apps and organizations have already dubbed the road West 12th Street.
Daniel Murray, city planner and staff liaison to the Planning Commission, said because the road in question runs east-west where it begins, its name would contain either street, way or court.
The city’s naming conventions stipulate that avenues run north-south through town. So, suggestions like the city’s proposed Electric Avenue in reference to the Powerhouse were dead on arrival.
Murray also said DFPD and the Powerhouse will have to change the addresses to account for the to-be-named road, which will be necessary regardless of what it will eventually be called.
Murray encouraged commissioners to consider what a dedication might mean years from now. City policy says city assets named in honor of public figures should demonstrate a meaning that can carry itself for generations.
The city would also need written permission to name a street or road after someone – which it received from the Gallagher and Dunaway families.
“It’s no easy task, I know, for the Planning Commission to weigh in on this request,” Murray said. “There are a lot of options for a road name and there’s many variables for these road names.”
Between Oct. 6 and Oct. 18, the city received 1,054 responses from residents about what to name the road that accesses the downtown fire station.
The results were:
- Gallagher Way received 258 votes of support.
- Residents cast 182 votes for Get Out the Way, Way.
- Similarly, Electric Avenue received 181 votes.
- Firepower Way received 74 votes.
- West 12th Street received 53 votes of support.
- Fifty-one votes were cast for Sepp Kuss Way.
- Look Twice Way received 23 votes.
- Doughty Way, named after recently retired DFPD Fire Chief Hal Doughty, received 21 votes.
- Hoch Way received 40 votes.
- And Powerhouse Lane received 20 votes.
Planning Commission Chairwoman Susan Ulery, as well as members Alma Evans and Sarah Pritchard, all agreed they favor naming roads practically, and that City Council should consider revising the city code to exclude honorific names from streets and roads.
Many online maps such as Google Maps, the Colorado Department of Transportation and even the city’s engineering staff members already use West 12th Street to reference the nameless road, Murray said. Therefore, West 12th Street was a simple and straightforward recommendation.
Ulery said street names serve the practical and critical purpose of helping residents and visitors find their way around town.
“That is fairly important when you want people to arrive at their chosen destination,” she said.
She said that doesn’t matter as much in this scenario because DFPD doesn't need help finding its own downtown fire station. But she still prefers preserving honorific names for buildings, parks, plaques and memorials.
Ulery also said street name changes can have unintended consequences, from wayfinding headaches to requiring businesses and people to update their address, which can be an onerous affair.
Pritchard said she feels similarly to her colleagues.
“It is already being listed as West 12th Street in maps and such,” she said. “From my background as a municipal planner in the past, I know a lot of communities have elected to remove the ability to name streets after people for similar reasons … As there can always be indirect consequences with something like that.”
She said the city of Durango has many people who are “wonderful and worthy of honoring,” and choosing between one or another feels arbitrarily difficult.
Evans feels the same way.
“As non-sexy as it is or not a creative, funny name, it certainly is clear and gets the job done,” she said of calling the road West 12th Street. “That’s what I would recommend just to avoid confusion. And in the future … (the city) should take street names off the honorarium list, and let’s choose some better ways to honor (people and occasions).”
The Planning Commission’s unanimous recommendation will be reviewed by City Council at a later date.
cburney@durangoherald.com
