Marengo County Emergency Communications District
Why Are Some Driveways Named?
In Marengo County, a driveway or private road may be assigned a name when three (3) or more structures with addresses are located along that roadway. In these cases, a road name is assigned and address numbers are issued using the new road name. This helps reduce confusion during emergency responses and makes it easier for emergency personnel and visitors to locate specific properties.
In some situations, private drives may be named even if fewer than three structures currently exist, particularly when multiple property owners are located along the roadway. This allows for proper address assignment as additional homes or structures are developed in the future.
It is important to note that assigning an official name to a private drive does not change its ownership or maintenance responsibilities. The road remains private, meaning the city or county is not responsible for maintaining it, and it does not guarantee that mail delivery services will be provided. The name is assigned strictly to support accurate addressing and improve emergency response.
How Do I Obtain a New Address?
Every home and business in Marengo County should have an assigned address. If you are moving into an existing home or building, the address typically remains the same. If the previous owner or landlord is unable to provide the address, please contact the Marengo County E-911 office at 334-295-5287. In many cases, staff may be able to determine the correct address over the phone if you can provide the road name and the addresses or names of nearby neighbors.
If you are moving into a newly constructed structure or a location that has not previously been assigned an address, a new address number must be issued. This process requires E-911 personnel to visit the location and measure the distance along the roadway to properly assign the address.
Please allow at least 10 business days for this process and contact the office as early as possible to avoid delays. When calling 334-295-5287, inform the office that you are requesting a new address for a structure.
How Are Road Names Assigned?
The Marengo County E-911 Office serves as the official street naming authority for Marengo County. The office also works closely with local municipalities to ensure that street names are coordinated and to prevent duplicate or confusing road names throughout the county.
New roads are typically named by residents living along the road or by the developer of a subdivision. Once a proposed name is submitted, the E-911 office reviews it to ensure the name is not already in use within the county. After this review, the request is either approved or denied.
If residents wish to name a road after a specific person or family, 100% agreement from all residents living on that road is required. For generic street names, at least 75% agreement from the residents is required. These same approval percentages apply if residents request a change to an existing road name.
Answering your address questions
Why Is Addressing a Critical Part of 911?
Accurate and properly assigned addresses are essential for ensuring that emergency responders can quickly locate individuals during an emergency. In Marengo County, addresses are assigned using a systematic and logical method designed to support efficient emergency response.
In addition, your 911 address is used to ensure that your emergency call is routed to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and associated with the appropriate law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies responsible for your location.
Maintaining accurate addressing information allows emergency call-takers to identify your location quickly and dispatch the correct responders efficiently, helping reduce response times and improve public safety for all residents of Marengo County.
IMPORTANT
Before you call or submit a request online for a new 911 address please
and be able to give this information to E-911. This information will be required to have an address issued.
How are road names assigned?
Marengo County 9-1-1 has been designated as the street naming authority for Marengo County. We also coordinate street naming with the
municipalities to avoid duplicate names. New roads are normally named by the residents or by the developer of a subdivision. We check that
the proposed name is not already in use, and then approve or deny the request.
To name a road after a specific person or family requires 100% agreement of the existing residents of the road. To select a generic street
name requires 75% agreement. These same percentages are used if residents desire to change a road name.
Why are some driveways named?
When there are three (3) or more structures with addresses on a road or driveway, we assign a name and issue address numbers using the
new road name. This is done to reduce confusion when responding to emergencies, and it also helps other people find you.
We sometimes name drives that do not have three structures when there are several land-owners along the road. This provides for
addresses as the property owners develop their land.
Assigning a name to a private drive does not mean the city or county will start maintaining the road or that the mail carrier will deliver
mail to the houses. It is still a private road, it just has an official name.
Your address number should be posted at your driveway, visible from both directions of travel. Just because the mail carrier comes from one
direction does not mean the emergency units will travel the same way.
Your address number should also be clearly posted on your home so it can be seen at night. Remember, in an emergency there is no time to
waste, make your home easy to locate!
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