Borough will name alleys

Alleys often are referred to by a more colloquial moniker than an official name, but Greencastle officials want to give all of the back streets in town a label.

Of the 27 alleys that are used for public travel and are plowed of snow by the borough, 13 of them are nameless.

Borough Manager Lorraine Hohl said the naming will assist with emergency response.

"We've gotten communication from the county for dispatch where we can have a description for where our ambulance or fire apparatus needs to go, but we don't have a name," she said. "It will be easier for them to respond."

The borough council's public facilities committee has initiated a two-year plan to name and sign all of the alleys. The committee is seeking the public's help to suggest names for those without them.

The council recently took action on a citizen request to name the alley from Tyrone Street to the alley past Ridge Avenue for the late Harry Foley, a former mayor and councilman.

All alleys are referred to as lanes in Greencastle.

"Historically speaking, they were created through plats of subdivisions as various portions were added to the borough over the years," Borough Engineer Keith Moore said.

Alleys that need to be named include:

• Pine Lane (to the west of Ridge Avenue) to Tyrone Street

• Pine Lane (to the east of Ridge Avenue) to Tyrone Street (referred to as Benchoff Lane)

• North Linden Avenue to the alley from Pine Lane (to the west of Ridge Avenue) to Tyrone Street

• Madison Street to South Linden Avenue (extension of Seylar Lane)

• South Allison Street to South Ridge Avenue

• South Ridge Avenue to Franklin Street

• East Spruce Lane to Franklin Street

• South Jefferson Street to South Washington Street

• South Jefferson Street to Elm Street

• South Washington Street (nearest to Addison Avenue) to South Cedar Lane

• South Washington Street to South Cedar Lane (to the south of the above alley)

• South Washington Street to South Church Lane

• South Washington Street to South Allison Street

Suggestions in writing may be dropped off or mailed to Borough Hall, 60 N. Washington St., Greencastle, PA 17225 or sent by email to:

office@greencastlepa.gov

The project calls for 83 signs to label 27 alleys at an estimated cost of $7,500. There is $4,000 in the 2020 budget for signs, so the committee decided to spread the work over two years.