Prince William County to Host Route 1 Renaming Project Virtual Session

February 12, 2021February 12, 2021

Prince William County will host a virtual information session regarding the Route 1 Renaming project on Feb. 24, 2021, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Since 2019, local jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have undertaken efforts to rename Route 1 as Richmond Highway. Realizing it was time for a change in Prince William County, in September 2020, the Board of County Supervisors approved a resolution to request that the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) change the name of Route 1 in Prince William County from Jefferson Davis Highway. On Nov. 24, 2020, CTB unanimously approved the request to rename Route 1 in Prince William County to Richmond Highway.

This informational meeting will inform residents and businesses, specifically those impacted, of the project background, efforts to date, status and next steps. The public is invited to ask questions after the presentation and to provide feedback. It will also include reaching out to impacted business owners and residents. The project is expected to take up to two years to fully implement.

The County will post a recording of this meeting and the accompanying presentation on the project webpage.

Meeting Registration Information

Please submit questions, comments or feedback using one of the methods below. Submissions received before Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, can be addressed during the meeting.

Via email to Rt1renaming@pwcgov.org
By phone: 703-792-6825

During the 2021 General Assembly, the name Jefferson Davis Highway has already been removed as part of an approved bill that passed last week in the House of Delegates. Delegate Joshua Cole of the 28th District is leading the effort to have it renamed “Emancipation Highway.” Cole spoke with WTOP about the change.

“Jefferson Davis was the president of the Confederacy, a constant reminder of a white nationalist experiment and a racist Democrat,” said Del. Joshua Cole, D-Stafford. “Instead we can acknowledge the powerful act of the Emancipation Proclamation.”