Confusing roads: a follow-up
In just a few weeks into my new job writing about newcomers, by far the most common topic newcomers have raised is Charlotte's changing road names.
Here's a sampling of some of the trouble spots readers mentioned in respons to last weekend's column about them:
--Billy Graham Parkway to Woodlawn to Runnymede. “The name changes were so confusing for my parents, they promptly became lost.” Karen Belciglio, south Charlotte
--Old Lancaster Highway to South Polk to North Polk to South Boulevard. “What on earth could be the reason for so many changes?” Deborah Moore Clark, Ballantyne
--Reames Road to W.T. Harris Boulevard. “I feel sorry for those who don’t regularly travel in Charlotte. This is a most confusing place.” Robert Cuminale, south Charlotte
--South Tryon Street, York Road, and Highway 49 South. “I never can remember which of the three names is on the street signs at intersections.” Susan Saunders, southwest Charlotte
A quick reminder: The column runs Saturdays in New Home, Sundays in Arts and Living, and Mondays in the Your Week section. If you have any ideas for items, send them my way!
Here's a sampling of some of the trouble spots readers mentioned in respons to last weekend's column about them:
--Billy Graham Parkway to Woodlawn to Runnymede. “The name changes were so confusing for my parents, they promptly became lost.” Karen Belciglio, south Charlotte
--Old Lancaster Highway to South Polk to North Polk to South Boulevard. “What on earth could be the reason for so many changes?” Deborah Moore Clark, Ballantyne
--Reames Road to W.T. Harris Boulevard. “I feel sorry for those who don’t regularly travel in Charlotte. This is a most confusing place.” Robert Cuminale, south Charlotte
--South Tryon Street, York Road, and Highway 49 South. “I never can remember which of the three names is on the street signs at intersections.” Susan Saunders, southwest Charlotte
A quick reminder: The column runs Saturdays in New Home, Sundays in Arts and Living, and Mondays in the Your Week section. If you have any ideas for items, send them my way!
posted by Leigh at
2:23 PM
6 Comments:
The reason a single street's name changes multiple times is that it is a diversionary tactic put into place during the Civil War to confuse Yankees.
Seems to be working...
If you're really from the South, you don't go by road signs; you go by "you know where such-and-such USED to be?"
;-)
Try explaining Tyvola to Fairview to Sardis to Rama to Idlewild.
Most Charlotteans travel by "its about ten minutes from SouthPark" or turn left at the "old' Calvery Church, you know the big one at the top of Randolph. That's to differentiate that church from the "new Calvery" you know, the Big Pink One. Then there is the old, old Coliseum and the old Coliseum....
All one has to do is look at a street map from the 50s to see how farm roads, dirt paths and state routes were cobbled together to form the great wheel and spoke grid inside mecklenburg county. Heck, on one map I looked a recently (from the 60s), Fairview wasn't there and Park Rd turned into dirt around Sharon.
This really isn't a rare phenomenon. I used to work at OnStar, and it is very common to give several names for what amounts to the same road when drivers ask for directions, no matter what part of the country they are in.
Yeah - Many of the roads in Charlotte did not connect until later...Tyvola and Fairview didn't meet in the 40's...
Isn't there anything better to talk about than the same old stuff?
Mike - LOL! I'm a yank - and I could figure it out!!!!
I too feel sorry for people getting lost here. I know it's boosted the sale of navigation systems in new cars locally haha
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home