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Residents along County Road 1112 north of Troy recently received notices from the Pike County E-911 board that their addresses are going to be changed from County Road 1112 to County Road 1113 and they will be assigned new house numbers.

For J. C. Mills, Doug Branson and other residents along County Road 1112, that was cause for concern. Changing the road number and house addresses would require the changing of their addresses on their social security cards, driver’s licenses, insurance cards, business and legal documents and all correspondence.

“That’s not an easy thing to do,” Mills said. “It’s time consuming and costly and I don’t understand why it’s needed or necessary. We’ve been getting our mail at this same address for 14 years and with no problems. Why now and for what?”

Mills contacted Chris Dozier, Pike County E-911 director for answers to his questions.

“Chris Dozier said County Road 1112 was difficult for ambulances to locate,” Mills said. “In the last three years or so, ambulances have answered calls to my address about 12 times and only one time did any of them have the least bit of trouble.”

Mills said he is sure that first responders have accurate maps and, probably, on-board equipment that could easily located County Road 1112. He doesn’t understand how changing the number of the road would make it easier to locate.

Branson said he was told by Dozier that someone had complained about their mail delivery.

“That should be taken up with the post office,” he said. “Getting the wrong mail delivered would be no reason to change the road number and cause all the residents along that road to have to change their mailing addresses.”

Nineteen residents of County Road 1112 signed a letter of concern and directed it to Pike County E-911. Mills said Pike County Commission Russell Johnson, who represents that area of the county, has also been contacted with the concerns of the residents.

Branson said County Road 1113 is a short road that joins CR1111 and 1112. Its distance can be measured in hundred yards. CR1113 has only a few residents while County Road 1112 is a long stretch that connects to U.S. Highway 231 and has a larger number of residents.

“Why not designate both roads, 1112,” he said. “That would be much simpler and the change would affect fewer residents.”

Mills said if there is a problem with locating County Road 1112, then the problem is signage.

“The only sign that designates 1112 is a small green sign that faces north on Highway 231 south.  If you are going north from Troy, the County Road 1112 road sign is on the other side of the highway and hard to see traveling south and very difficult to see traveling north, especially at night.”

County Road 1111 that joins CR1113 is well-marked going both north and south.

The residents of Country Road 1112 have made their concerns known to Dozier and Johnson.

“The solution to what is being made into a problem is that if County Road 1112 was properly marked, there would be no problem for first responders or for the mailman,” Branson said. “The residents of CR1112 don’t understand why E-911 should change 20 addresses when all is need is a visible road sign or two.

Chris Dozier said changing road numbers is a last resort and the situation with County Road 12 is no exception.

“I was contacted about a problem with mail service in that area and, in checking with the post office, found that the addresses were incorrect so changes had to be made,” he said. “I understand that the residents on County Road 1112 are concerned and why. I’ve had to change my address before, too. But, everyone that I have consulted has agreed that changing the road from 1112 to 1113 is what needs to be done and the best thing to be done.”

Dozier said the residents of County Road 1112 have asked why not just change CR 1113, the shorter and less populated road, to CR 1112.

Dozier said even, if that were done, the residents’ addresses would still have to be changed because they are incorrect and that would involve more address changes for more residents, he said.

“A lot has gone into this decision,” Dozier said. “I know the situation is confusing and I welcome the residents who have concerns to attend our board meeting.  Or, I’ll be happy to sit down with them and explain the situation and look at the maps with them. This decision was the last resort and I want the residents to understand why it was made.”