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A road by any other name ... There must be a story behind a street that changes names in midstream, so to speak. I am referring to Sunrise Avenue in Medford, which at the intersection with Spring Street changes to Springbrook Road. Can you tell me the background? -- Chad R., Medford It changes to Springbrook midstream, Chad? Hey, you're a pretty funny guy! Here's the city's story: Springbrook Road was planned and built in several sections over a number of years, said Ralph Browning, a city traffic engineering technician. Each section carried a different name. A section from McAndrews Road to Delta Waters Road was first named Buckshot Hill Road. A strip from McAndrews to Jackson Street was named Fairview. Over the years, the city consolidated the names north of Spring Street to conform with Springbrook, which was a street near Coker Butte Road and a section of road near North Medford High School. South of Spring Street, as you point out, the road's name becomes Sunrise. Browning said the city has never sought to change the street name there because of the inconvenience the change would cause to Sunrise residents. "This (Springbrook and Sunrise) is just one example around town where we have two streets with different names that run into each other," Browning said. "I'm sure that emergency services would love to see the change, but ultimately it's a political hot potato." Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA