It’s obvious how Bridge Street in Weissport gets its name.

The street, the main one in the town, extends from the bridge spanning the Lehigh Canal and connecting Franklin Township to one crossing the Lehigh River and connecting Lehighton.

Gene Kershner, who just completed a stint on Weissport Borough Council, told his peers on Friday that the name of the street could — in the not-too-distant future — be renamed.

He said the Carbon County 911 Center is proposing that the street be renamed because there is a Bridge Street in Lehighton, which could make it confusing to dispatch emergency personnel.

The two Bridge Streets don’t intersect. The one in Lehighton extends from Bankway to a small bridge over Mahoning Creek that connects the town with Mahoning Township.

Still, Kershner said he was informed that when a call comes into the Comm Center for Bridge Street, there can be confusion whether it is the Bridge Street in Lehighton or Weissport.

Council member Arland Moyer was somewhat apprehensive about the name-change proposal, noting it will mean an address change for residents and businesses.

Kershner said there are nine businesses on Bridge Street in Weissport, including Chantilly Goods, an ice cream parlor and candy store, a doctor’s office and Behavioral Health Associates. There would be 45 residences affected.

Moyer said it would mean the businesses would have to buy new stationery, get new business cards and otherwise advertise a new address.

“There were several calls made with mix-ups,” Kershner said of the dispatching, adding that Weissport and Lehighton aren’t the only communities with address confusion.

He said even more frustrating is when someone calls the Comm Center and requests an emergency response to a place like “Rickertsville,” a name given to a section of Franklin Township by longtime residents but it isn’t on the map.

Regarding changing the name of Bridge Street in Weissport, Kershner said, “I think it’s a good thing.”

“It’s safety,” Kershner said. “What it comes down to is public safety.”

He said there would be public meetings held on the matter, during which suggestions would be heard for a new name.