April 7, 2011

Franklin Street gets 'new' name – Franklin Street

PORTLAND — Henceforth, Franklin Street will be known as Franklin Street.

click image to enlarge

What goes up must come down: A Portland Public Works employee installed this sign in March 2001. Last month it was replaced by one that says Franklin Street.

Even though the road that links Marginal Way and I-295 to Commercial Street appears to have been officially named Franklin Street since it was built in the 1780s, it acquired "Arterial" in the 1960s when it was widened to four lanes.

City spokeswoman Nicole Clegg said officials haven't been able to find any record that the name was officially changed from street to arterial, but she said some street signs carried that designation and businesses and residents receive mail sent to either Franklin Street or Franklin Arterial.

So after the City Council ruled last year that it was not an arterial, but a street, Portland ordered new streets signs, which were put up last month. The city also told the USPS about the name "change," but mail sent to Arterial will still be delivered for a year.

The exit signs on I-295 already refer to the road as Franklin Street.

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