Change the Name of Portions of Jefferson Davis Highway

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board has long expressed its interest in renaming Jefferson Davis Highway; and 

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board, beginning in 2017, participated in the City of Alexandria’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Renaming Jefferson Davis Highway, established to solicit public feedback and consider potential new names; and

WHEREAS, the Advisory Group, in Fall 2017, after conducting an online survey and holding a public hearing, unanimously recommended “Richmond Highway” as the new name for Jefferson Davis Highway within the boundaries of the City of Alexandria; and

WHEREAS, the Alexandria City Council voted on June 23, 2018, to adopt an ordinance changing the name Jefferson Davis Highway within the Alexandria City limits to “Richmond Highway” effective January 1, 2019; and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board committed in its 2019 Legislative Package to explore avenues to rename the portion of Jefferson Davis Highway located within Arlington; and

WHEREAS, the portion of the highway located within Fairfax County is named “Richmond Highway;” and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board seeks the name change to avoid confusion and to promote consistency in the naming of the highway now called “Richmond Highway” in the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County; and

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board has reached out to residents and businesses along Jefferson Davis Highway within the County to inform them of the County’s intent to request that the name of the highway within the County be changed to “Richmond Highway;” and 

WHEREAS, the Arlington County Board held a public hearing seeking public comment on whether to request the CTB to rename Jefferson Davis Highway to “Richmond Highway;” and

WHEREAS, Section 33.2-213 of the Code of Virginia authorizes the CTB to give suitable names to state highways, bridges, interchanges, and other transportation facilities and change the names of any highways, bridges, interchanges, or other transportation facilities forming a part of the systems of state highways; and

WHEREAS, Section 33.2-213 provides that the Virginia Department of Transportation shall place and maintain appropriate signs indicating the names of highways, bridges, interchanges, and other transportation facilities named by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, and requires that the costs of producing, placing, and maintaining such signs shall be paid by the localities in which they are located;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Arlington County Board, in accordance with 33.2–213, hereby requests the Commonwealth Transportation Board to rename the portion of Jefferson Davis Highway that lies within the boundaries of the County “Richmond Highway,” or, if the Commonwealth Transportation Board so elects, “Richmond Boulevard,” effective October 1, 2019; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Arlington County Board agrees to pay the costs of producing, placing, and maintaining the signs calling attention to this naming.