City Council has found it necessary that a prefix be added to Forest Avenue for efficient public safety operation and delivery of emergency services. This change was considered at the request of the La Porte Fire Department to prevent repeated instances of confusion between Forrest Avenue in the City of La Porte and Forest Avenue in the City of Shoreacres.

Two years ago the City of Shoreacres contracted with the City of La Porte to provide emergency medical services (EMS). Thereafter the extremely similar street names, Forrest and Forest, together with addresses in the same block number series created a unique problem for La Porte fire and EMS dispatchers. Since then confusion between the streets has led to at least one significant delay in the arrival of an EMS unit.

Last year the City of La Porte sought to prevent the new confusion and formally changed their street name from Forrest Avenue to North Forrest Avenue. At that time the City of Shoreacres was asked by La Porte to change its street, Forest Avenue, to South Forest Avenue. The City of Shoreacres deferred taking action at that time.

Recently the issue was raised by La Porte again and as a result placed under reconsideration by Shoreacres. The inconvenience of a street name change was weighed against the risks associated with delayed arrival of emergency fire or EMS personnel. Ultimately public safety took precedence.

Given that some Shoreacres residents have unofficially used a West Forest Avenue address for many years, City staff proposed adopting east and west prefixes (from Old Highway 146) in lieu of South Forest.

This action was formally taken by the City of Shoreacres last night (Ordinance 2011-85, 01/10/11). A letter will soon be sent to each resident on Forest Avenue notifying them of the street name change and the reason that the change was required.

The City regrets any inconvenience that this may cause its residents.