Narrative:

On dec/fri/93 all the txwys at ord were redesignated with letters and numbers as per ICAO's belief that standardization would reduce confusion and possible runway incursions. However, since the change has taken place it has come to light by all controllers at ord that the resulting change has made ground control, already the most difficult position in the ATC world, more confusing and difficult than ever imagined. The main source of confusion that has and will continue to cause runway incursions is inbound ground especially at night and during asde WX. A majority of the taxiway names now are a duplicate of concourse and gates, that leads to confusion of exactly where aircraft are during busy times. With aircraft clearing 3 different runways about every 20 seconds and aircraft calling for movement from 1 concourse to another, or to and from the hangar, to the terminals, the frequency is extremely busy, and parts of xmissions are often clipped, not allowing controllers enough information to give proper clrncs. This situation is in need of immediate attention. A majority of our asde WX is during the winter months, and there is an increased possibility of a runway incursion or worse.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REDESIGNATION OF TXWY SIGNAGE FOR STANDARDIZATION CAUSED CTLR CONFUSION INCREASED WORKLOAD.

Narrative: ON DEC/FRI/93 ALL THE TXWYS AT ORD WERE REDESIGNATED WITH LETTERS AND NUMBERS AS PER ICAO'S BELIEF THAT STANDARDIZATION WOULD REDUCE CONFUSION AND POSSIBLE RWY INCURSIONS. HOWEVER, SINCE THE CHANGE HAS TAKEN PLACE IT HAS COME TO LIGHT BY ALL CTLRS AT ORD THAT THE RESULTING CHANGE HAS MADE GND CTL, ALREADY THE MOST DIFFICULT POS IN THE ATC WORLD, MORE CONFUSING AND DIFFICULT THAN EVER IMAGINED. THE MAIN SOURCE OF CONFUSION THAT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE RWY INCURSIONS IS INBOUND GND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND DURING ASDE WX. A MAJORITY OF THE TXWY NAMES NOW ARE A DUPLICATE OF CONCOURSE AND GATES, THAT LEADS TO CONFUSION OF EXACTLY WHERE ACFT ARE DURING BUSY TIMES. WITH ACFT CLRING 3 DIFFERENT RWYS ABOUT EVERY 20 SECONDS AND ACFT CALLING FOR MOVEMENT FROM 1 CONCOURSE TO ANOTHER, OR TO AND FROM THE HANGAR, TO THE TERMINALS, THE FREQ IS EXTREMELY BUSY, AND PARTS OF XMISSIONS ARE OFTEN CLIPPED, NOT ALLOWING CTLRS ENOUGH INFO TO GIVE PROPER CLRNCS. THIS SIT IS IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ATTN. A MAJORITY OF OUR ASDE WX IS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, AND THERE IS AN INCREASED POSSIBILITY OF A RWY INCURSION OR WORSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.