A 2½-mile strip of roadway in Arlington, Va., known as Jefferson Davis Highway is slated for a name change by Oct. 1.
U.S. Route 1 and State Route 110 will be renamed Richmond Highway in accordance with a unanimous resolution embraced May 15 by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The resolution had been requested earlier this year by the Arlington County Board.
The thoroughfare, planned in Arlington in the early 1900s as Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway, was named for the president of the Confederacy. However, Arlington officials have long championed the name change to better reflect the community’s thrust at inclusivity, equality and dissemination of justice.
The name change will have no impact on mail services through the United States Postal Service, and while there are no commercial or residential addresses on Route 110, residents and property owners along Route 1 should begin using the name Richmond Highway in their address no later than Oct. 1. Such USPS customers will not need to contact their post offices to file a change of address.
The name change will not affect county records, accounts or property deeds.
The county estimates cost of the renaming to be $17,000. New signage will be produced and placed throughout the summer.