National Emergency Number Association (NENA) road naming and numbering standards:

• Every distinct road with two or more dwellings should be given a separate, unique name. This includes all private roads and driveways.
  
  
• Each road should have one -- and only one -- correct name. A named road should be essentially continuous, without gaps.
  
  
• Road names and/or numbers should only change when there is a substantial intersection, or at municipal boundaries.
  
  
• When needing to name a road with two or more numbers in different sections, the name of the road that is used for the longest distance or is most heavily traveled should be kept.
  
  
• A long driveway with only one house at its end might be named if the potential exists to erect additional structures along that driveway.
  
  
• There should be no duplicate road names and/or numbers, such as Pine Road and Pine Lane in the same zip code and fire district.
  
  
• There should be no similar-sounding names, such as Beach Avenue and Beech Avenue, Main Street and Maine Street, or Apple Hill Road and Apple Road in the same zip code and fire district.
  
  
• Road names should be assigned based on traffic patterns. When a road forks into two roads, the fork with the higher traffic volume should continue the same name.
  
  
• If a road has more than one branch at the end, use separate names and/or numbers for the multiple branches.
  
  
• Roads should not be identified by a route number.
  
  
• Avoid special characters, such as hyphens, apostrophes, periods, or decimals, in road names.
  
  
• When having to rename roads with similar-sounding and/or numbers, consider the following:
  • The road with a name of historical significance should have its name retained.
  • The road with the most properties on it, and thus a name change would affect a greater number of residents, should retain its name.
  • The road that has retained its name for the longest time or has been consistently signed for the longest time should retain its name. The same would be true for a road with a more descriptive name.
• When naming roads that connect two other roads but have a middle section that is closed permanently or is impassable at certain times of year, consider:
  • Retaining the current name for one end of the road and assign a different name to the other end of the road.
  • Retaining the same name at each end of the road and assign two-digit numbers to properties along one end of the road and three-digit numbers to properties along the other end. If this option is chosen and the potential exists to further develop the road in the future, lay out the numbers to insure that there is no possibility of having any three-digit numbered at the two-digit end and vice versa.
  • Assigning a direction to each end of the road, such as North Mountain Road and South Mountain Road.
• When renaming roads in a jurisdiction with a significant summer population, send notices to seasonal residents, giving them an opportunity to mail in their road name suggestions within 30 days.
  
  
• Use themes, such as wildlife, trees, or historic persons, to name unnamed roads. Use a specific theme to name private roads and driveways leading off a specific main road or around a specific body of water.
  
  
• Roads within multi-structure complexes (e.g., business campus, multi-unit apartment complex) should be named and each structure individually addressed.
• Keep road names short. They are easier to remember.
  
  
• When naming new roads, consider the following suggestions:
  • Avenue = a thoroughfare running principally in a north-south direction (or could be east-west depending on how "street" is defined).
  • Circle = short road that returns to itself; circular or semi-circular roads.
  • Court = Permanently closed road such as a cul-de-sac; dead-end road, usually under 1,000 feet in length, or horseshoe-shaped road.
  • Lane = Private road or driveway.
  • Loop = Short drive that begins and ends on the same road
  • Road = most common designation for a secondary thoroughfare; generally indicates a heavily traveled route.
  • Street = Usually found in cities or more congested areas; run principally in an east-west direction (or could be north-south depending on how "avenue" is defined).
• Every official road name should have a corresponding standard suffix that complies with the National Emergency Nine One One Association's (NENA) standards.