The names of several major and minor roadways in Alexandria could change this year — and every year for the next several years.
There are more than 40 streets in the City of Alexandria that were named for people who were racist. The city will be working on changing a few of those streets each year until the process is complete.
The first set of proposed street name changes will go before City Council this Tuesday, Jan. 9. In this round, city officials are considering rededicating a few streets in Alexandria's West End: Breckinridge Place, Early Street, Forrest Street, Jordan Street, and Jordan Court.
Many of the streets in the West End of Alexandria, which was annexed in the 1950s around the same time Alexandria passed an ordinance stating that “streets running in a generally north-south direction shall, insofar as possible, bear the names of Confederate military leaders.” (See a map here or below.)
Changing street names could be expensive for the city, not just for street signs, but printed maps, digital media, the city’s 911 dispatch system and more. The city’s budget office reported last year that renaming all 41 streets could cost more than $800,000. The city has decided to divide up the initiative and cost over multiple years.
Individual residents and business owners may also bear some of the cost, as they will need to change their address with everything from the postal service to banks, services and even business cards.
City of Alexandria
Confederate-associated street names in the City of Alexandria.
According to the ordinance under consideration for those specific streets, "The current estimated cost is $15,225 to replace current signage. There may be educational 39 signs that range from $500 – $10,000 depending on the size and scale of the scope of work."
If the ordinance is passed, the street name changes would take effect June 20 this year.
North Breckinridge Place, North Frost Street and North and South Early Street could be renamed for:
- Benjamin Banneker, an African-American mathematician and astronomer;
- Sarah Gray, an educator in Alexandria in the late 1800s;
- Harriet Jacobs, an abolitionist and writer;
- Ona Judge, an enslaved woman who worked for President George Washington.
While there was some support for those proposed names, none of the options received more than 37% support. Among written comments, the strong majority of community feedback opposed the changes.
One resident wrote,"I think our elected leaders have NO CLUE what a massive inconvenience renaming streets are to resident on which they live. I would like every [council] member to go through the process of changing every utility bill, credit card bill, etc … especially when [your] street isn’t named as part of the political ideology that is currently in power. Rename all the streets in the city — or none. Most residents do not know the history of the region."
Other residents imply put "No," swore at elected officials, or said the project is a waste of taxpayer money.
"Renaming will cost my business an enormous amount of money," one local business owner noted.
About 76% of respondents answered 'other' to a question about changing the name of Breckinridge Place when offered the four above name options, and the majority of comments were against any name change or against the specific names proffered by city officials.
About 85% of respondents chose 'other' regarding Frost Street and 90% chose other regarding Early Street (with several comments noting that the street may not have been a part of the ordinance in 1953 that required some street names honor Confederate heroes).
About 70% of respondents chose 'other' in regards to renaming Jordan Street and Jordan Court, with several residents calling on city officials to simply rededicate the streets to honor Thomasina Jordan, a Native American activist and resident of Alexandria.
Changing Forrest Street to Forest Street had the most support from residents, at 58%.
The Jan. 9 City Council meeting will be held at City Hall, 301 King St., and residents can attend in person or via Zoom (registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TdrgY37kTzCiL7nFRocvxw).
