|
|
|
One more name has been added to the roster of what to call old Highway 54. For 1,800 feet, there’s Old 54. Add that to the list which includes Bagnell Dam Boulevard, Business Highway 54, Lee Mace Memorial Highway and Osage Beach Parkway.
All those names apply within one mile of the old highway that stretches between the Lake Ozark and Osage Beach city limits.
Since the new Highway 54 opened last year, the old highway fell victim to an identity crisis.
The city of Osage Beach renamed their stretch Osage Beach Parkway. Lake Ozark’s portion of the city-maintained road shares the names Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Business Highway 54, a state designation. The dual name begins at the Lake Ozark interchange off of the new Highway 54 and circles around to the existing roadway.
The dilemma was at the stoplight at Eagles Landing. Coming off of Highway 54, motorists exit onto Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54. At the stoplight, they can turn right and stay on Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54 or, continue straight to Osage Beach city limits. Between the stoplight and the city limit line (near Pistol’s Plus), an approximate distance of 1,800 feet, drivers were also on Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54 until entering Osage Beach where the name crossed over to Osage Beach Parkway.
How do you give directions when all three points at the stoplight are named Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54? That’s what Osage Beach officials questioned as they asked Lake Ozark to consider renaming the quarter-mile stretch of roadway Osage Beach Parkway. Osage Beach officials felt the name change would help with uniformity and eliminate confusion at the intersection.
Lake Ozark chose to go with an entirely new name, renaming the 1,800 feet Old 54.
Alderman Jeff Van Donsel said the name reflects the history of the road as well as the area.
Other officials agreed also pointing out that had the situation been in reverse, and it was Lake Ozark asking Osage Beach to extend the name of their road, the neighboring city would never had agreed.
A few pointed out that it was a slap in the face when Osage Beach named the old highway after their own town instead of the entire area. It was a bigger slap when the city asked to expand the name into Lake Ozark’s city limits.
Van Donsel said there were constituents and business owners to consider when making the vote.
One more name has been added to the roster of what to call old Highway 54. For 1,800 feet, there’s Old 54. Add that to the list which includes Bagnell Dam Boulevard, Business Highway 54, Lee Mace Memorial Highway and Osage Beach Parkway.
All those names apply within one mile of the old highway that stretches between the Lake Ozark and Osage Beach city limits.
Since the new Highway 54 opened last year, the old highway fell victim to an identity crisis.
The city of Osage Beach renamed their stretch Osage Beach Parkway. Lake Ozark’s portion of the city-maintained road shares the names Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Business Highway 54, a state designation. The dual name begins at the Lake Ozark interchange off of the new Highway 54 and circles around to the existing roadway.
The dilemma was at the stoplight at Eagles Landing. Coming off of Highway 54, motorists exit onto Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54. At the stoplight, they can turn right and stay on Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54 or, continue straight to Osage Beach city limits. Between the stoplight and the city limit line (near Pistol’s Plus), an approximate distance of 1,800 feet, drivers were also on Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54 until entering Osage Beach where the name crossed over to Osage Beach Parkway.
How do you give directions when all three points at the stoplight are named Bagnell Dam Boulevard/Business Highway 54? That’s what Osage Beach officials questioned as they asked Lake Ozark to consider renaming the quarter-mile stretch of roadway Osage Beach Parkway. Osage Beach officials felt the name change would help with uniformity and eliminate confusion at the intersection.
Lake Ozark chose to go with an entirely new name, renaming the 1,800 feet Old 54.
Alderman Jeff Van Donsel said the name reflects the history of the road as well as the area.
Other officials agreed also pointing out that had the situation been in reverse, and it was Lake Ozark asking Osage Beach to extend the name of their road, the neighboring city would never had agreed.
A few pointed out that it was a slap in the face when Osage Beach named the old highway after their own town instead of the entire area. It was a bigger slap when the city asked to expand the name into Lake Ozark’s city limits.
Van Donsel said there were constituents and business owners to consider when making the vote.
Lake Ozark resident Laura Edwards is one that pushed for the name Old 54.
“People know it by that,” she said.
Still, Osage Beach Engineer Nick Edelman said he feels the new name adds more confusion to the issue, not less. He pointed out that the road names would switch over too fast for the name to make any impact.
Plus, there are tourists to consider, he said. “We want to make it easier for them to get around, not harder.”
The three major online mapping services, Google, Yahoo and Bing, have numerous mistakes on their maps for the area including unmapped and mislabeled roads. In Lake Ozark, only one has updated to reflect the expressway opening.
The name Lee Mace Memorial highway was approved my Missouri legislators in 2008 for the portion of Highway 54 between the Osage River Bridge and Route 42. When the first half of the Highway 54 expressway opened in 2010, the state designation transferred over to the new highway.
Contact Lake Sun reporter Deanna Wheeler at deanna.wheeler@lakesunonline.com.
