E-911 Readdressing Project
The Monroe County readdressing project has reached a major milestone as Tobyhanna Township has been notified the tentative release date of the new addresses will be March 18, 2011. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has reviewed our maps for a final time for duplication of road names and adding any new or additional street names and address numbers to their data base.
Monroe County will be preparing a mass mailing to be sent to all residents, the mass mailing will inform the residents of their physical address. The project has been a very complex process which is aimed at making it easier for fire, police, and ambulance personnel to respond to emergencies.
The Supervisors of Tobyhanna Township has determined that a uniform system of building numbering signs and a uniform system of roadway name signs for all streets or roads , both public and private, are necessary to preserve the general health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Tobyhanna Township.
The Supervisors of Tobyhanna Township enacted and ordained ordinance number 470 and shall amend the Code of Tobyhanna Township by adding Chapter 115 titled Signs for Building Numbers and the entire text may be found on our website.
Please contact Phyllis Haase, Tobyhanna Township 911 Coordinator with any further questions or concerns you may have.
Address Numbers
NUMBERS- DISPLAYED ON HOUSE OR BUILDING
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4" WHITE REFLECTIVE NUMERALS ON CONTRASTING BACKGROUND
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HORIZONTALLY OR VERTICALLY DISPLAYED
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OVER FRONT DOOR, FRONT TRANSFORM BAR, FRONT SHOW WINDOW, OVER OR ON EITHER SIDE OF ENTRANCE
NUMBERS- DISPLAYED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE ROAD.
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REFLECTIVE WHITE NUMERALS VIEWABLE FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS.
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GREEN REFLECTIVE BACKGROUND
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MINIMUM 4FT IN HEIGHT-MAXIMUM 6 FT IN HEIGHT. BOTTOM OF SIGN SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN 4 FT FROM GRADE.
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MOUNTED ON A STAND ALONE POLE APPROVED BY THE TOWNSHIP.
Frequently Asked Questions about Addressing:
Q: I've had the same Rural Route address for years. Why does my Rural Route address have to change now?
A: Your old Rural Route address doesn't indicate specifically where your house is located. The new address, which includes a house number and a street name, is based on a local system that will make it easier for emergency services personnel to find your home in an emergency.
Q: Why is the name of the street I live on changing?
A: In some cases where duplicate or similar sounding road names exist, one of the road names must change to avoid the potential for confusion in an emergency. Usually, the choice of which road name to change is made to minimize the number of residents affected.
Q: Who chose the road names?
A: In Pennsylvania, municipalities have the authority to name or rename roads. Private road owners can submit their road names to the Township; however the Township has the final word on approval. Community Managers' or Board Members of private developments assigned road names to areas that needed be changed within their development.
Q: When my address changes, how will the post office know where to deliver my mail?
A: The United States Postal Service is an active participant in the addressing project. The Post Office will have a record of your new address in advance of your address changing.
Q: I've received my new address and compared it to my neighbors. Though there aren't any houses between us, there's quite a difference between our numbers. Why?
A: Your new house number is based on the distance from your house to the beginning of your street or road. This distance based system is used to make it easier for emergency responders to find your house. The system is also designed to allow room in the sequence of numbers for future structures.
Q: I get my mail at the post office, but I received a notice that I'm getting a new street address. I want to continue using my post office box. What should I do?
A: You can continue to receive your mail at the post office. Your new street address will be used for emergency response and, if you choose, by delivery companies and visitors.
Q: I didn't know there was an addressing project occurring in the Township. Why didn't I have input?
A: The Township has done their best to inform the public and communicate with the residents. There has been active Public Awareness Program throughout the project. This program includes public information meetings throughout the Township, numerous newspaper articles about the project and a number of Public Service Announcements on the local radio stations as well as workshops with Private Developments. These steps were taken to inform the residents of the Township that this process was being undertaken. Tobyhanna Township accepted the addressing system by enacting an official ordinance that speaks to signage and the location of such.
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