— Alison Barton didn’t see that getting the name of the street in front of the Muskogee High School changed would be a big deal.

It has been.

Barton, president of the MHS Class of 2010, said she had grown up thinking East Shawnee Road in front of the school was Rougher Road. It’s listed that way on Google Earth.

“I didn’t know it was not (Rougher Road) until this year,” she said. “I think it would be something special to see Rougher Road on envelopes.”

However, it’s officially East Shawnee Road with the post office and the city.

Barton took her idea to the city several months ago but learned she must first go through the Planning and Zoning Commission with the proposal.

Her father put up the application fee and she’s consulted an attorney to work with the various agencies and businesses involved.

“I didn’t even think about that 911 would be an issue,” she said.

A public hearing by the Planning and Zoning Commission on the name change will be held at 9 a.m. Monday in the Council Chambers on the third floor of the Municipal Building.

Gary Garvin, planning director, said in a memo to the Commission that he and his staff have some issues with changing the name of the road.

The proposal is to change the name of the access road on the north side of Shawnee Bypass (U.S. 62), from Country Club Road to York Street. The name of the access road on the south side of the highway would not be changed.

Garvin said that is not a typical situation.

“On a typical street, the dwelling and businesses abutting the street on both sides would have the same street name,” Garvin wrote in his memo. “Also, there can be a large expense for a business to change their address.)

He has recommended the Commission deny the request for changing the street’s name and instead ask for an honorary street name designation.

In an honorary designation, the green and white street signs now in place would remain and an additional sign would be added with the honorary street name.

A group of citizens is expected to appear before the City Council’s Public Works and Finance Committees this week asking honorary street designations be made for the Rev. Ben Noble and the late Rev. J.A. Reed.

Reach Liz McMahan at 684-2626 or lmcmahan @muskogeephoenix.com.