With the pilot project of the street addressing initiative nearly complete, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office is looking ahead to the next phase of the effort, which is expected to take about two years at a cost of about $2.5 million.
Lt. Gov. Gregory R. Francis announced Tuesday that approximately 1,500 parcels in Estate Mon Bijou on St. Croix, downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, and Cruz Bay, St. John, have now received new addresses which include a number and a street name. Street signs still must be installed and new house numbers placed on the homes in the pilot areas before the projects are considered complete.
Upon completion of the pilot projects, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will be positioned to move towards its goal of implementing addressing throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Francis said the information gained from the pilot process will be valuable as the project proceeds.
“Conducting the pilot projects has not only confirmed the community’s overall receptiveness to addressing in the territory, but also clarified the level of human and financial resources that will be needed to complete a territorywide initiative of this magnitude,” he said.
Address implementation involves deploying field crews to distribute new address packets, the installation of street signs and the creation of a master addressing database that is accessible by all agencies that rely on addressing data to perform their daily operations.
Francis said his office will continue to explore opportunities to secure funding for the project.
“The success of the Street Addressing Initiative can only be attributed to the collaboration of all our stakeholders, who would benefit from the existence of addressing in the territory, and from our residents who recognize the advantages of having such a system in place," he said. "We appreciate the input from all of the residents who have worked together to submit street name recommendations for their communities, particularly since street addressing cannot take place on unnamed roadways."
Virgin Islanders can submit street name recommendations to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Representatives of the project team are also available to meet with neighborhood associations to discuss the initiative.
Standardized addresses have obvious benefits, especially in making it possible for police, ambulances and Fire Services vehicles to find locations in emergencies, along with deliveries and utility work. Standardized addressing can also provide the kind of databases that businesses need for planning government services.
The program was officially launched in December 2012.
More information can be obtained or presentations arranged by contacting Chris George, GIS coordinator/SAI project manager, at 1-340-776-8505 ext. 4321 or by email to vistreets@lgo-vi.gov.
