Moorpark : New Street Names Get Tentative OK

The Moorpark City Council has tentatively approved changing the names of two major thoroughfares to make traveling in the city less confusing.

The city presently has one street named Los Angeles Avenue, another called New Los Angeles Avenue and a third, smaller road known as Old Los Angeles Avenue.

“It’s confusing, except to the locals, who learn the hard way,” said Director of Public Works Kenneth C. Gilbert.

Anticipating the completion of a connector between the Simi Valley and Moorpark Freeways that will have exits onto both Los Angeles and New Los Angeles avenues, the City Council decided on Wednesday to rename both streets.

Los Angeles Avenue west of Campus Park Drive would be renamed High Street. Currently, only the section of the Los Angeles Avenue west of Spring Road is called High Street.

Concurrent with this change, New Los Angeles Avenue would become simply Los Angeles Avenue.

The city will hold public hearings on the proposed name changes before they become final, Gilbert said.

In addition to easing confusion, city officials hope that the name changes will increase tourism to Moorpark’s historical downtown. The freeway exit that is planned for the street now called Los Angeles Avenue will instead have a sign pointing drivers toward High Street and Moorpark Old Town, City Councilman Scott Montgomery said.

Gilbert said he hopes the name changes will take effect within several months.