PITTSFIELD – Town councilors hope to have Pittsfield’s street numbering program completed and approved by the end of the year, allowing E-911 to be fully implemented. Part of that program includes changing the name of more than two dozen Pittsfield streets.

A public hearing on the name recommendations will be held at the council’s Oct. 4 meeting.

Pittsfield is one of only four towns in Somerset County that has not completed its E-911 program. The other three towns are Mercer, Starks and Brighton. According to Somerset County Communications Center Director Michael Smith, enhanced 911 is available in the town but the address that shows up on a dispatcher’s screen is not always accurate.

Code Enforcement Officer Claude Rounds and Public Works employee Michael Havey have been measuring every street in town. “It’s actually been quite quick,” said Rounds on Tuesday. “Mike hangs out the door [with the measuring wheel] and I drive.”

“With my seat belt on,” Havey quickly added.

To provide a swift emergency response, the E-911 Committee has recommended changing the names of 28 streets and roads in Pittsfield. Some of the name changes are for clarity, such as changing Summer Street to Winter Street so it won’t be confused with Somerset Avenue during a 911 call.

Other changes are recommended for continuity. Somerset Avenue, for example, starts at the intersection with Route 2 as Higgins Road, becomes Weeks Road at a curve, turns into Somerset Avenue at Interstate 95 and then Park Street at Hathorn Park. One road with four names confuses emergency response, Havey told the council.

This type of change would eliminate Pleasant Street, Manson Park, Pine Street, Wright Street, Drake Street, and Llewelyn Street.

In addition, to conform to state standards, all dead end streets would be renamed as courts. That change would affect three streets. Other street names, Havey explained, would be changed to conform with neighboring communities. Route 2 would be called Canaan Road, Eelweir Road would become Mount Road, and North Main would become Madawaska Road.

“Name changes are never popular,” Rounds said. “But if we are to finish the E-911 project by December, we need to do this now.”

Havey said, “We are not trying to upset people,” but trying to make emergency response more efficient.

“This has been a long time coming and it will save lives,” Councilor Michael Gray said.

The council also will discuss purchasing standardized 4-inch numbers for each Pittsfield residence that will be required to be bought from the town at $6.50 each.