Renamings Of Lee, Lee-Jackson Highways Recommended By Fairfax Task Force

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A Fairfax County task force voted Tuesday to recommend the renamings of Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway to the Board of Supervisors.

As reported by WTOP, the Confederate Names Task Force voted 20-6 to recommend renaming Lee Highway (Route 29) and 19-6 for the renaming of Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway (Route 50). The 30-member task force was appointed in July by the Board of Supervisors to recommend whether the names of Lee Highway and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway should change. Both highways reference Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the latter also references Gen. Stonewall Jackson.

The final renaming decision lies with the Board of Supervisors after public feedback. The board asked the work of the task force to be complete by the end of 2021. County staff recommended one or more public hearings in early 2022.

U.S. Route 29 in Virginia is largely called Lee Highway, except in the City of Falls Church where it is Washington Street. Arlington County had approved the renaming of its portion of Lee Highway to Langston Boulevard. The process of changing signs is underway in Arlington County.

U.S. Route 50 in Virginia has portions called Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway and John Mosby Highway, both of which have Confederate references. Route 50 in Fairfax City is known as Fairfax Boulevard, and known as Arlington Boulevard east of Fairfax City in Fairfax County and Arlington County.

The Confederate Names Task Force, chaired by Evelyn S. Spain, is composed of residents, civic organizations, homeowner associations, faith groups, historical groups and the business community. The task force was created the Board of Supervisors asked the History Commission in June 2020 to create an inventory report identifying Confederate monuments, street names and places in Fairfax County. The report found at least 157 locations within the county with Confederate-associated monuments, names and places. The board then directed county staff to provide information on the process to change names of the two primary roadways and potentially significant secondary roads and public facilities.

At the next meeting on Dec. 13, the task force will discuss potential name recommendations, according to WTOP.

For a renaming, the Board of Supervisors would have to make a formal request to the Commonwealth Transportation Board and cover costs of changing street signs.